Fremont Branch Highlights
The Fremont Branch is a Mission Revival-style building. It is on The National Register of Historic Places. The architecture and large, arched windows attract readers and researchers alike.
The Fremont Branch is a short distance from the Fremont Troll statue. The proximity makes it a popular destination for visitors. Community groups frequent the meeting room and nearby park.
History
Serving the Fremont community since 1902
The Fremont Branch is a historic portal to Seattle’s library history. Library services were first offered in 1902. SPL rented the space from the Fremont Reading Room Association. The Fremont community rallied to find a permanent home for the library.
Fremont residents raised money to buy land through fundraisers. They partnered with the Business Men's Club to host events such as rummage sales and street fairs. Industrialist Andrew Carnegie donated $35,000 to build the library. Unfortunately, budget issues and World War I delayed the project.
The two-level branch opened July 27, 1921. In 1945, The Washington Talking Book and Braille Library (WTBBL) moved from the Central Library to the Fremont Branch. Residents could access WTBBL services in the basement of the branch. In 1954, WTBBL moved to the Susan J. Henry Branch (now Capitol Hill Branch).
In 2005, the Fremont Branch underwent renovation. The building’s energy efficiency and accessibility were updated. Simultaneously, Seattle Parks and Recreations developed a park next door. Ramps at both sites provide access to all users.
Architecture
The Fremont Branch was built in the Mission Revival style. It was Carnegie-funded and is on The National Register of Historic Places. Seattle's Landmarks Preservation Board has named the Fremont Branch a landmark building.
Features of this style include gable and hip roofs, clay roof tiles and stucco cladding, ornamental metal and arched openings.
The 2005 renovation of the reading room preserved the original building’s attributes. It restored the heavy timber trusses and plastered walls. Central shelving was returned to its original lower height, which allows more light to enter.
Architects: Hoshide Williams Architects, 2005; Daniel R. Huntington, 1921.
Art
Seven Liberal Arts Suite: Arithmetic and Music, 2005
Dennis Evans
“Arithmetic and Music” is a large, two-paneled installation found near the arched windows on the west wall. It celebrates the theory and application of numbers. It is made of mixed media, oil, and wax paint on canvassed wood panels. Evans has art displayed nationwide that explores education, history, and lifelong learning. “Arithmetic and Music” was funded by the 1998 Libraries for All bond measure.
"Arithmetic and Music" is part of the Seven Liberal Arts Suite found at the Fremont, Green Lake, Queen Anne, University, and West Seattle branches.
Reality Relics: Books, 1981
Anita Fisk
“Books” is a sculpture set showing two books, one closed. It is part of the Reality Relics sculpture series on the blue-collar history of Fremont. The books are made of bronze and the base is concrete. The open book is Lucy Lippard's "Changing: Essays in Art Criticism.” The book is open to pages 28 and 29, where the author discusses how art and the criteria for judging it changes over time. The open book can be found inside near the building’s main entrance, on top of a bookcase. The closed book is located near the building’s east entrance, embedded outside in a concrete platform. Fisk served as a professor and art instructor at many institutions, including Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. Her paintings, sculpture and public art are displayed around the Northwest U.S. "Books" was funded by the City of Seattle Arts Commission.
Lake Union: A View from the Bridge, 1980
Kathryn Sharpe
“Lake Union: A View from the Bridge” is two acrylic, still-life landscape murals of Lake Union and the Fremont neighborhood displayed on the Fremont Branch’s east wall. Sharpe is a Seattle artist noted for her painted landscapes. In 2005, the paintings received conservation repair and were re-installed. “Lake Union: A View from the Bridge” was funded by the Fremont Arts Council, City of Seattle Arts Commission, and the Washington State Arts Commission.