Welcome to the Kilduffs page for older Baltimore City Pratt Library branches. Kilduff's is not intended as a history of the Pratt System, but a casual look at the old Branches that can be found around Town. ................................................................................ |
Central Branch - The
old Central Branch of the Pratt was located on
Mulberry Street, between Park and Cathedral. Built in
1886,
the Central Branch was built along with 4 smaller
branches ( below ) around Baltimore City, located in
what was then the Northwest, Southwest, Southern and
Eastern parts of the City. The four branches
were all uniform in construction, and each branch had
about 4000 volumes to loan out. The main (
Central ) Branch had over 28,000 volumes , although at
the time, the books were not on the open shelf system
of today. The dedication of the old Central Branch
took place at the Academy of Music on Howard Street in
1886.
By 1888, a fifth branch was opened, soon followed in 1896 with the opened of Branch six, a few months after the death of Enoch Pratt. The Woodberry branch was opened around 1901, Branch #7, a gift from Mr. Robert Poole, which had been a library he and others had established in 1886. Around 1900, a gift from Andrew Carnegie of $500.000 went into the building of more branches. The plans at the time were to built a library within walking distance of everyone in the City. In 1908, Francis A. White made a gift of the Walbrook Branch ( #8 ) . Between 1908 and 1921, 15 more branches opened around the City , courtesy of Andrew Carnegie. The old Central expanded into three old homes on Cathedral Street at this time. By the time Branch 23 was almost done, funds from Carnegie ran out. The City had to come up with the money to complete the job. The open shelf system was also put into effect in the 1920's. |
..
![]() ![]() |
Central
Branch -Above
- the Old Central Branch. Below, the
" New " building.
Opened on the site of the old Central, in 1933. |
![]() |
.
![]() ..
![]() |
|
.![]() |
|
.![]() |
|
.
![]() |
|
,
![]() |
.
![]() |
, ![]() |
|
![]() |
|
.
![]() |
|
![]() |
.
![]()
|
...... |
Branch 10 A small branch located on Gay Street. Not sure if it's still standing, still working on this one. |
|
.![]() |
|
![]() |
. |
.![]() |
|
![]() |
|
.
![]() |
|
.
![]() |
|
. .
![]() |
|
.
![]() |
|
.................................
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
.
![]() |
|
. .
![]() |
![]() |
.
![]() |
. .. ![]() |
|
. .
![]() |
|
.
![]() |
|
.
![]() |
|
![]() |
Branch
27
4508
Edmondson Avenue
Listed in 1939 Directory as
Branch 27 - Likely in the shopping center.
|
|
|