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Photograph of Carnegie Library
Photograph by John Licinius Everett Peck, Otto Hillock Montzheimer, William J. Miller, Public domain. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Carnegie Library

Built in 1908 (Beaux-Arts). Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

From the record

“The Carnegie Library in Sheldon, Iowa is a building from 1908. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.”

Wikipedia article Carnegie Library (Sheldon, Iowa), CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 2 National Register listings published here for O'Brien County · listed in 1977 · category: Building · built in 1908, Beaux-Arts.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service · the Wikipedia article

The listing

  • What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
  • Address. 321 10th St., Sheldon, 51201
  • When was it listed? April 1977
  • Category. building
  • Township. Floyd township
  • When was it built? 1908
  • Architectural style. Beaux-Arts
  • National Register reference number. 77001504 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Fires near this property

13 since 2008

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 13 fires within 5 miles of Carnegie Library between 2008 and 2020, burning about 60 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning9
Missing data/not specified/undetermined3
Equipment and vehicle use1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
18 July 2020Equipment and vehicle use2.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
11 July 2020Debris and open burning2.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
5 June 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
7 April 2020Debris and open burning1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
20 April 2019Debris and open burning5.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
16 April 2019Debris and open burning1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
11 April 2019Debris and open burning1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
7 November 2020Debris and open burning3.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

Every fire recorded in O'Brien County

Mines and quarries near this property

10 of 26 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 26 workings within 5 miles of Carnegie Library: 22 past producers, 4 producers. 4 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Faber PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Floyd River PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Frisbee PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Hanson PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
MerleySand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Oelrich FmSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
R J SkewisSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Ruby PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Sheldon PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Sheldon PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in O'Brien County

Storms near this property

60 of 62 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Sheldon, the town this property stands in, in 62 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 28 hail, 22 thunderstorm wind, 7 tornado, 3 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
July 2009HailSheldon$2,000,000Large hail caused widespread damage in and near Sheldon. The hail broke windows on vehicles and buildings, including 35 out of the 37 skylights on the local high school. The hail also severely dented vehicles, roofs, and siding, and caused tree damage. The hail also damaged crops near the city, but the amount of crop damage was not known.
July 2010Flash FloodSheldon$100,000Heavy rain caused flash flooding of numerous streets, basements, and small streams, and a golf course. Several homes and businesses were flooded.
July 2000Tornado (F1)Sheldon$100,000A tornado blew down trees, turned a trailer on its side, and damaged warehouses and a motorhome.
May 2008Thunderstorm WindSheldon$50,000Thunderstorm winds blew half the roof off a Hog confinement building, and also tore off large parts of roofing from a turkey farm. The winds also damaged power lines.
April 2002Thunderstorm WindSheldon$50,000Thunderstorm winds blew down a garage and extensively damaged two cars inside.
June 1994HailSheldon$50,000no account filed
August 2011HailSheldon$25,000Golf ball size hail damaged vehicles and windows, and also caused an unknown amount of damage to crops in the area.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindSheldon$20,000Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including some trees blown down.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindSheldon$10,000Thunderstorm winds blew down trees and power lines.
April 2001Thunderstorm WindSheldon$10,000no account filed
May 2014Tornado (EF0)Sheldon$5,000A tornado damaged a trees, and damaged a vehicle with flying debris.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindSheldon$5,000Thunderstorm winds of unknown speed blew siding off of a house and blew over a camper.
April 2001Thunderstorm WindSheldon$5,000no account filed
June 1994HailSheldon$5,000no account filed
June 1994Thunderstorm WindSheldon$5,000no account filed
July 2025Flash FloodSheldon-Rapid runoff from heavy rainfall which totaled up to 2 inches in less than an hour resulted in multiple flooded roadways in Sheldon, IA.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindSheldon-Campers were tossed as well as buildings and trees damaged, including to a fireworks stand, as thunderstorm outflow winds pushed through the east side of Sheldon.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindSheldon-Multiple tree limbs were downed by thunderstorm winds in Sheldon.
March 2019FloodSheldon-Snow melt and heavy rainfall (measured 1.82 inches at Sheldon and 1.92 inches at Sanborn) resulted in significant flooding of agricultural lands. On the evening of March 13, water flowing over 330th St. near the intersection with Oak Hill Avenue east of Sheldon washed a car off the road, and a fast moving water rescue of the driver was necessary. The Little Floyd River near Sanborn (gage site LFSI4) reached a crest 0.75 feet above flood stage on March 13.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindSheldon-Tree blown over.
May 2019HailSheldon-Visibility in rain and hail about 1/2 mile.
September 2018FloodSheldon-Widespread rainfall from September 18-20 totaled generally 6 to 10 inches, resulting in minor flooding of agricultural land. The Little Floyd River near Sanborn (gage site LFSI4) crested 2.4 feet above flood stage on September 20.
August 2018Thunderstorm WindSheldon-Numerous trees and power lines down in Sheldon. Some minor street flooding as well.
June 2018Flash FloodSheldon-Rainfall from 2 to 5 inches in the Wolf Creek watershed produced a flash flood along Wolf Creek from near the Sheldon Country Club to the confluence with the Floyd River near Sheldon. Water flowed over old highway 60 north of Hills Park just north of Sheldon.
May 2017Thunderstorm WindSheldon-A few trees were knocked down.
October 2015Tornado (EF0)Sheldon-A brief tornado in a field caused little damage.
August 2013Thunderstorm WindSheldon-Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including several branches blown down.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindSheldon-Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including several branches blown down.
September 2012Thunderstorm WindSheldon-Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including numerous branches blown down.
June 2010HailSheldon-Large hail was accompanied by very heavy rain.
May 2008Tornado (EF0)Sheldon-A brief tornado caused no reported damage.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindSheldon-Thunderstorm winds blew down tree branches and power lines.
March 2007Thunderstorm WindSheldon-Thunderstorm winds damaged the doors and windows of a residence, bent street signs, and overturned a truck.
September 2005HailSheldon-Large hail stripped numerous trees.
July 2004HailSheldon-Large hail severely damaged crops over the western and southern parts of O'Brien County. The hail was wind driven and severely damaged 94 thousand acres of crops, which is over a quarter of the cropland in the county. About half of the damaged crops were deemed to be totally lost. The hail covered the ground in many places. The hail also dented vehicles, cracked windows, and damaged siding and roofs in places. The amount of property damage could not be determined.
June 2002Tornado (F0)Sheldon-A brief tornado, with a debris cloud, was observed by the county emergency manager in a field.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindSheldon-Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including up to three foot diameter trees blown down.
July 1995HailSheldon-Thunderstorm winds of unknown speed blew siding off of a house and blew over a camper.
May 2023HailSheldon-no account filed
April 2022HailSheldon-no account filed
May 2016Thunderstorm WindSheldon-no account filed
September 2010HailSheldon-no account filed
May 2008Thunderstorm WindSheldon-no account filed
June 2007HailSheldon-no account filed
March 2007HailSheldon-no account filed
August 2005HailSheldon-no account filed
August 2005HailSheldon-no account filed
April 2004HailSheldon-no account filed
May 2004HailSheldon-no account filed
July 2004HailSheldon-no account filed
July 2004HailSheldon-no account filed
July 2004HailSheldon-no account filed
July 2003HailSheldon-no account filed
July 2003HailSheldon-no account filed
April 2001Tornado (F0)Sheldon-no account filed
April 2001Tornado (F0)Sheldon-no account filed
April 2001HailSheldon-no account filed
April 2001HailSheldon-no account filed
April 2001HailSheldon-no account filed
June 2001Thunderstorm WindSheldon-no account filed

Every storm recorded in O'Brien County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

Sources for this property

National Archives recordThe nomination case file for reference 77001504 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia articleCommunity-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
O'Brien CountyAll 2 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

  • Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
  • Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
  • How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.