North Branch Then and Now
1950 and 2012
The first two branches of the Minneapolis Public Library opened in 1890 on the north and south sides of Minneapolis. The branch over North began in the basement of North High School on February 27, 1890. When the school needed the space, the library moved to rented quarters. In 1892 Minneapolis Attorney Samuel Gale and State Supreme Court Judge C.E. Vanderburgh donated six thousand dollars for this property at 1834 Emerson Avenue North. The red brick, Tudor Revival library, designed by Frederick Corser opened in 1894 as the first branch library building in the city of Minneapolis. Additions were made to the building in 1914,1932, and 1952. The library continued to operate until 1977. The building will reopen as the Emerge Career and Technology Center in 2013.
