Goderich Public Library

The Goderich Public Library is associated with American industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie had a life-long interest in the establishment of free libraries as a means to self education, and provided funds for a total of 2,509 libraries, 125 of which were in Ontario. The Goderich Public Library was made possible through a grant of $10,000 from Carnegie. The building has been continuously used as a library since its construction.

The Goderich Public Library is a fine example of the Romanesque style of architecture, typical for public buildings at the turn of the 20th century. Designed by architect, J.A. Fowler, the one-and-a-half-storey red-brick library features a, finished basement and three towers. The largest tower sits at the intersection of Montreal and Lighthouse Streets and is the focal point of the building. It is a round tower topped by a peaked roof and features a special reading room on the interior. The other two towers are square and located at the Montreal Street and Lighthouse Street corners of this irregular, triangular plan building. Characteristic of the Romanesque style of architecture are the rugged construction, the hip roof with gables on the façade and the second-storey round-headed windows with radiating stone voussoirs. Also of note are the one-storey projecting stone porch and heavy double doors on the Montreal Street elevation. In 2003, a sympathetic, one-storey addition with a mezzanine was completed to the south and west of the original building. The main level and finished basement were also renovated at this time, with the exception of a partially finished attic space, that retains some original wall paper and had once been the living quarters of the caretaker.

Located on the triangular-shaped corner of Montreal and Lighthouse Streets, the Goderich Public Library is a familiar landmark to Goderich residents. The large tower facing the Courthouse Square is the focus of the structure and adapts well to its corner lot vista location.