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Photograph of Fairfield Carnegie Library
Photograph by Ammodramus, CC0 1.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Fairfield Carnegie Library

Built in 1913. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

From the record

“The Fairfield Carnegie Library is a historic building in Fairfield, Nebraska, and a Carnegie library. Fowler with 6,000 from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.”

Wikipedia article Fairfield Carnegie Library, CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 10 National Register listings published here for Clay County · listed in 2001 · category: Building · built in 1913, by Richard W. Grant.

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

The listing

  • What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
  • Address. 412 N. D St., Fairfield, 68938
  • When was it listed? November 2001
  • Category. building
  • Also known as. Carnegie Libraries in Nebraska MPS; Carnegie Libraries in Nebraska MPS
  • Township. Fairfield township
  • When was it built? 1913
  • Architect. Richard W. Grant
  • National Register reference number. 01001274 - 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

2 since 2018

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 2 fires within 5 miles of Fairfield Carnegie Library between 2018 and 2020, burning about 4 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
Equipment and vehicle use1
Debris and open burning1

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
27 July 2020Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreRainwater Basin Wetland Management DistrictMASSIE
10 April 2018Debris and open burning3.5 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named

Every fire recorded in Clay County

Mines and quarries near this property

1 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Fairfield Carnegie Library: 1 producer. All of them 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
Broderick PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every working recorded in Clay County

Storms near this property

52 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Fairfield, the town this property stands in, in 52 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 22 hail, 20 thunderstorm wind, 6 heavy rain, 4 tornado. 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
May 2014Tornado (EF3)Fairfield$12,500,000This tornado was reported initially as a multi-vortex tornado for several miles before taking on a more traditional look south of Saronville, where it was described as a wedge tornado. Based upon reports and video, it appears the entire mesocyclone of the storm was near ground level southwest of Sutton. It was one of the strongest tornado of the day in south central Nebraska, rated an EF3 with the peak wind estimated to be 150 MPH. Rear flank downdraft winds resulted in damage on the south side of the tornado track and in addition to the damage to Sutton itself, areas east of Clay Center, southwest of Sutton through northwest of Grafton were affected. Power poles and trees were damaged or snapped, irrigation pivots were overturned, and a few homes and outbuildings suffered damage.||Damage from this tornado was first noted north of Fairfield, where large tree limbs were knocked down and power poles broken. The tornado shifted mainly east across Highway 14 south of Clay Center, with additional tree damage as well as irrigation pivots overturned. It then started to move to the northeast, crossing Highway 41 east of Clay Center and Highway 6 a few miles west of Sutton, but powerful rear flank downdraft winds of 100 mph hammered Sutton and areas south-southwest of town, causing widespread property damage. Moving in between Saronville and Sutton, the tornado then started a more east-northeast path, crossing Road 6 north of Sutton before dissipating approximately 5 miles northeast of town.||As the tornado approached and crossed Highway 6 it intensified to it strongest point. Damage peaked a few miles north of Sutton, where the EF-3 rating was assigned, resulting from the destruction of a home. Elsewhere along the path, a few other homes sustained less significant damage than the one north of Sutton, and a number of other outbuildings and grain bins were also damaged or destroyed. Many trees were damaged, destroyed or contained debris (mainly from destroyed grain bins), irrigation pivots were overturned and power poles broken.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindFairfield$1,000,000A wind gust of 76 MPH was recorded by a mesonet station located two miles west-northwest of Fairfield at 11:09 PM CDT. A wind gust of 61 MPH was recorded by a mesonet station located four miles northeast of Fairfield at 11:11 PM CDT. The Cooperative Observer located six miles east-southeast of Clay Center estimated wind speeds of at least 70 MPH.
May 2025HailFairfield$250,000no account filed
June 1998Thunderstorm WindFairfield$200,000no account filed
May 1998Thunderstorm WindFairfield$200,000no account filed
May 2024Thunderstorm WindFairfield$175,000Wind gusts were estimated to be near 70 MPH. Emergency management reported a large tree downed near the intersection of Road 310 and Road L. Two irrigation pivots were flipped approximately six miles southeast of Clay Center, and minor porch and tractor damage was reported at a farmstead approximately six miles east-southeast of Clay Center.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindFairfield$100,000A line of thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts up to 80 MPH moved across the county. A large tree was downed in Fairfield.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindFairfield$100,000Wind gusts were estimated at 70 MPH, with power outages reported across the area. Numerous reports of tree damage in Fairfield, including a large tree which was uprooted and fell onto a vehicle, crushing the front end. A tree branch approximately 4 to 6 inches in diameter fell onto a house, putting a hole into the roof.
May 2016Tornado (EF0)Fairfield$75,000This tornado touched down approximately 2 miles east of Fairfield, traveling east-northeast before lifting approximately 5 miles east of Fairfield. Damage along this path included at least one irrigation pivot as well as minor damage to the front walkway overhang at the school. Windows were blown out of numerous vehicles in the school parking lot, and a concession area under construction suffered minor damage. The tornado crossed Highway 14, damaging fencing and trees before lifting a couple miles east of the highway. The maximum wind speed was estimated to be 85 MPH.
April 2009Tornado (EF0)Fairfield$60,000This tornado started south of Fairfield, where a roof was blown off of a barn and power lines were downed. This tornado then moved to the northwest, coming to an end just west of Fairfield, destroying three outbuildings and causing damage to two homes along its path.
June 1997HailFairfield$60,000no account filed
August 2021HailFairfield$50,000Hail ranging in size from quarters to ping pong balls was reported.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindFairfield$50,000Wind gusts estimated at 70 mph resulted in 2 irrigation pivots being overturned.
May 2007Thunderstorm WindFairfield$40,000no account filed
May 2024Thunderstorm WindFairfield$30,000A wind gust 63 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located three miles east-southeast of Fairfield. Emergency management also reported damage to a grain bin in the area.
May 2011Thunderstorm WindFairfield$30,000Approximately 20 cars suffered window damage at Sandy Creek School from thunderstorm wind gusts picking up gravel in the parking lot.
May 2016HailFairfield$25,000no account filed
May 2012HailFairfield$25,000no account filed
June 2009HailFairfield$20,000Nickel to ping pong ball size hail was reported.
July 2009HailFairfield$20,000Nickel to half dollar size hail reported.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindFairfield$10,000A storm chaser reported minor roof damage two miles east of Fairfield.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindFairfield$5,000Some tree branches were downed in Fairfield, with power outages also reported.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindFairfield$5,000Measured by a Nebraska Department of Roads sensor at the junction of Highways 14 and 74.
May 2016HailFairfield$5,000no account filed
May 1999HailFairfield$5,000no account filed
June 2008HailFairfield$2,000no account filed
May 2022Thunderstorm WindFairfield-A wind gust of 66 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located three miles east-southeast of Fairfield. A gust of 59 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located four miles north-northwest of Edgar.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindFairfield-A mesonet station located four miles northeast of Fairfield measured wind gusts of 64 MPH and 69 MPH. A wind gust of 60 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located four miles southeast of Clay Center. A NWS Cooperative Observer located six miles east-southeast of Clay Center estimated wind gusts to be near 70 MPH, and also reported near-zero visibility due to blowing dust.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindFairfield-A wind gust of 65 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located two miles west-northwest of Fairfield.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindFairfield-Wind gusts estimated to be between 65 and 70 MPH caused damage to an irrigation pivot.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindFairfield-Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH.
August 2019Thunderstorm WindFairfield-Widespread wind gusts of 70 to 85 MPH occurred along this path. A 85 MPH wind gust was measured by a mesonet station located 2 miles west-northwest of Fairfield, and a 70 MPH wind gusts was measured by a mesonet station located 2 miles north-northeast of Deweese. Building damage was reported in the Glenvil and Fairfield areas, with the COOP building in Fairfield losing an entire wall. Numerous trees and power lines were down across the Glenvil, Fairfield and Deweese areas. Several area pivots were damaged, and a grain bin collapse occurred in Fairfield. There was considerable crop damage in the area, including at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center located west of Clay Center, where several buildings were also damaged.
September 2018Heavy RainFairfield-A multi-day rainfall total of 7.00 was reported 2 miles south of Fairfield.
September 2018Heavy RainFairfield-A 24 hour rainfall total of 4 inches was reported, with the brunt of the rain falling between 5 PM CDT on the 1st and 4 AM CDT on the 2nd. A total of 3.5 inches was also reported in the Lawrence area.
April 2017HailFairfield-Quarter to golf ball size hail was reported in the area along this path.
June 2015HailFairfield-Dime to quarter size hail fell during this time.
October 2013Heavy RainFairfield-A rainfall total of 4.16 inches occurred.
June 2012Heavy RainFairfield-Rain total of 3.20 inches for the past 24 hours. Report comes from the Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network. The rain began during the late afternoon on June 14th, with the last round of rain ending during the early morning hours of June 15th.
May 2011Heavy RainFairfield-Storm total rainfall of 3.58 inches was reported by a NeRAIN observer.
August 2010Heavy RainFairfield-Storm total rainfall amount was 4.4 inches.
May 2004Tornado (F1)Fairfield-A tornado was reported by volunteer firemen and storm chasers on Highway 74 just west of Fairfield. The chasers wind equipment recorded a wind gust just over 105 mph.
August 2025HailFairfield-no account filed
July 2023HailFairfield-no account filed
March 2016HailFairfield-no account filed
April 2016HailFairfield-no account filed
May 2015HailFairfield-no account filed
April 2012HailFairfield-no account filed
May 2012HailFairfield-no account filed
May 2004HailFairfield-no account filed
May 2002HailFairfield-no account filed
May 2002HailFairfield-no account filed
July 1994Thunderstorm WindFairfield-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Clay 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.

Listed places nearby

3 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Photograph PropertyDistance Listed
Saint Martin's Catholic Church6.6 miles1985
Clay Center Library and Gymnasium6.7 miles2022
Clay County Courthouse6.8 miles1990

Sources for this property

National Archives recordThe nomination case file for reference 01001274 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia articleCommunity-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Clay CountyAll 10 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.