Indianapolis Public Library (Haughville Branch) (Indianapolis, Indiana)

 library, 2003_construction

www.indypl.org/locations/haughville

The longest-continuously operating branch of the Indianapolis Public Library system, The Haughville Branch originally opened in December, 1896 in a small frame building occupied by a Gospel Rescue Mission at the corner of Brookside Avenue and Tenth Street. In less than a year it was moved to 2523 West Walnut in a small frame building in the yard of School No. 52.

The branch moved again in 1901 to the former Town Hall on Germania Avenue, later renamed Belleview Place. In this storefront building the library was expanded three times from a small, one-room library to encompass the entire first floor. A fire in 1904 partially destroyed the library, consuming much of the furniture and more than 400 books. It soon reopened in the same location, and remained there until it relocated to the Michigan Plaza Shopping Center near Holt Road in 1972.

In 2003, after over 100 years of service, the library moved into a 12,000 square-foot facility specifically built as the Haughville Branch Library at 2121 West Michigan Street.