Title: A Historical Tour of Andrew Carnegie’s Pittsburgh
Headings: A Historical Tour of Andrew Carnegie’s Pittsburgh
A Historical Tour of Andrew Carnegie’s Pittsburgh
Content: the third and final part giving it all away for worthwhile causes. He was known as the “father of modern philanthropy,” making him one of the wealthiest historical figures of all time. Carnegie began his philanthropic work by donating $250,000 to build a free library in Pittsburgh. He eventually raised his initial investment to $1 million not only to outfit the main facility but also to create five neighborhood branches. Carnegie Library, Oakland | Courtesy of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Public libraries became something of an obsession with Carnegie. He saw them as a vital component of any community, rather than a luxury location for the elite. It’s no wonder he felt that way, thanks to a unique opportunity he was afforded as a young man. He gathered much of his early education in Allegheny native Colonel James Anderson’s private library. There are now 19 Carnegie libraries in the Pittsburgh area and more than 2,500 around the world. In 1900, Carnegie gave $2 million to start a few technical schools in Pittsburgh.