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Carnegie Library, Hokitika - opened June 24th,1908. - ALBUM -
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DescriptionIt was rescued from state of disrepair by Heritage Hokitika and stand with Heritage status,hosting thousands of visitors and expats to Museum and Geneology.
Hokitika got into the book business at the height of the gold rushes in the 1860s. A literary society was formed in 1866, members paying a subscription of five shillings a quarter. Serious fund-raising for a library began in 1867, by which time the society possessed 600 books. Two rooms were secured in the town hall in 1869 for a public reading room and a subscribers’ library.
Although this was better than nothing, a major library was needed, but no substantial source of funds presented itself until Andrew Carnegie gave £2000 for a free public library in 1906, later adding a further £500 for furnishings. The Hokitika Savings Bank chipped in with a donation of £400, while further monies came from the borough council and the local Mechanics Institute. The foundation stone was laid in November 1906.
The architect, A.R. Griffin, combined a number of styles to produce “the finest building architecturally on the West Coast”. Typical was the impressive pillared portico that fronted the library, complete with large double doors topped by a transom and a fanlight glazed with Muranese glass. The projecting cornice imparted a massive appearance to the building.
The rooms were large and included a newspaper room, a reference room, the library itself with an adjacent committee room, and a public reading room. Throughout, the ceilings were adorned with ornate metal fittings imported from Sydney. All rooms were well-lit and ventilated. The hip roof was of slate and surmounted by a 2.6 m octagonal ventilator, capped by a cast-iron finial.
The building opened on June 24, 1908, with the literary society and Mechanics Institute handing over their book collections to Hokitika Borough Council, allowing everyone in Hokitika to have access. Since a subscription was charged for borrowing books, the library does not appear to have complied fully with Carnegie’s terms; however, any local resident could call in and read books or newspapers in the library for free.
The building continued to serve Hokitika as a library until 1975. In the 1990s, it was rescued from a state of disrepair and restored, and today it serves as the West Coast Historical Museum and Westland Visitors’ Centre and is known as the Carnegie Building.Date of Photo1908 - 1975Map[1] ContributorAnthea Keenan
Hokitika got into the book business at the height of the gold rushes in the 1860s. A literary society was formed in 1866, members paying a subscription of five shillings a quarter. Serious fund-raising for a library began in 1867, by which time the society possessed 600 books. Two rooms were secured in the town hall in 1869 for a public reading room and a subscribers’ library.
Although this was better than nothing, a major library was needed, but no substantial source of funds presented itself until Andrew Carnegie gave £2000 for a free public library in 1906, later adding a further £500 for furnishings. The Hokitika Savings Bank chipped in with a donation of £400, while further monies came from the borough council and the local Mechanics Institute. The foundation stone was laid in November 1906.
The architect, A.R. Griffin, combined a number of styles to produce “the finest building architecturally on the West Coast”. Typical was the impressive pillared portico that fronted the library, complete with large double doors topped by a transom and a fanlight glazed with Muranese glass. The projecting cornice imparted a massive appearance to the building.
The rooms were large and included a newspaper room, a reference room, the library itself with an adjacent committee room, and a public reading room. Throughout, the ceilings were adorned with ornate metal fittings imported from Sydney. All rooms were well-lit and ventilated. The hip roof was of slate and surmounted by a 2.6 m octagonal ventilator, capped by a cast-iron finial.
The building opened on June 24, 1908, with the literary society and Mechanics Institute handing over their book collections to Hokitika Borough Council, allowing everyone in Hokitika to have access. Since a subscription was charged for borrowing books, the library does not appear to have complied fully with Carnegie’s terms; however, any local resident could call in and read books or newspapers in the library for free.
The building continued to serve Hokitika as a library until 1975. In the 1990s, it was rescued from a state of disrepair and restored, and today it serves as the West Coast Historical Museum and Westland Visitors’ Centre and is known as the Carnegie Building.Date of Photo1908 - 1975Map[1] ContributorAnthea Keenan
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Date Created22nd August 2020CommentsVaughan Smith
Needs a clean up
Anthea Keenan
Our Carnegie Building has had a lot of work on it Vaughan see pic 3 - it needs further preservation works to ensure it remains.
Heather Newby
interesting history!
Joy Meyer
Is it still standing today ??
Clare Pierson
Picture 3
Bev Kelly
When I was in the 6th form at Westland High I used to work at the library looking after the children’s section, after school. The stern Miss McMillan was the main librarian then.
Les Ellis
Bev Kelly she made you the woman you are today. Didn’t she.
Bev Kelly
Barbara Scott
Bev Kelly me too!
Margaret Suggett
Bev Kelly me too a very long time ago!!
Lynnette Beirne
Bev Kelly I worked there after school and in school holidays 1971-2
Pat White was the Librarian then
Elizabeth Mehrtens
Yes, the one building that should be preserved time will tell
Annemarie Harris
Along with the Carnegie Library in Westport.
Miriama Lance Johnsen
I remember mum taking us to the library there
Viane Bairstow
Interesting visit couple of years ago
=Tania Newman
I used to go to the library there. It is looking great now
Marlene Wright
Spent a lot of time in there growing up .i still love books
Pat Cooper
The WestCoast is very lucky to have both Carnegie Buildings.
Carolyn Vasta
Beautiful building and interesting read,
Jessie Guy
Great story Anthea and a credit to locals and Council for retaining a grand building. Have visited it many times and love it's grandeur and seems to make a statement
Janet Sutton
Many happy hours spent there as a child. School holidays being read to by Mrs Joy Johnston. Great memories.
Margi Adamson
Magnificent building
Anthea Keenan
1960s Library (all very quiet) on right of big passage way, down in further a room as Museum the big glass front displays with birds & scenery backdrop. Info displays on rotation board stands. Jail was in corner.
Helen Preston I can remember going here when it was a library and reading the news paper. You got told off if you talked.
Letty Macphedran yeah, don't understand why the old buildings are left to rot when the council wants to spend on new ones
Shirley Arabin Thames now calls its Carnegie building The Treasury and is a a local archive with a wealth of resources.
Glenn Johnston In my primary school days when my mother was librarian at the Carnegie building I spent a fair bit of time out the back in the museum part. This no doubt helped develop my interest in West Coast History. Of the museum curators back then I remember Ed Keown best, he regaled me with stories of Hoki's past. Others who helped there were also older men. Messrs. Drummond, Douglas and Trevathen. In high school days Jim Eyles became curator but that would have been after the new part of the museum was added at the back.
Brian Hannam Don't ever lose this building Hoki. It is a National Treasure!
Gavin Davy We don't have a hell of a lot of great buildings on the Coast but this is definitely one of the best.
Anthea Keenan Good little stories from within Carnegie Building there Laura & Heather.. hope we get some more from when it was restored... :)
Heather NewbyAuthor very interesting.. Nat geo has an article on Carnegie
Janet Corn Wonderful building, so glad it was saved.
Geoffrey King Hard work from people like Max Dowell enabled it to be restored
Anthea Keenan I'll get him to tell us about it... make some notes here
Anthea Keenan In 1975 the library transferred to new premises and the building was used as offices and then as storage for the Hokitika Borough Council. By the late 1980s it was in a poor state of repair with serious leaking causing rotting of the interior. After suggestions that the building's time had ended and it should be demolished, the local group Heritage Hokitika took up the challenge of finding a new use for it and achieving its restoration. They were successful in gaining wide public support. Funds were gathered and it was agreed that the building could serve in provide a community gallery, information centre and entrance to the adjacent museum. A substantial grant from the Lotteries Board ensured the project could proceed and the building was reopened in 1998. The Carnegie Gallery for community use now occupies the room to the left of the entrance while on the right is the information centre. The museum uses other spaces for display purposes. In 2003 a replica cupola, no longer providing the function of ventilator, was reinstated on the roof's apex. (copied from Heritage NZ).
Les Holmes Germanicus A well done restoration. A great example of what can be achieved with heritage buildings.
Joel Murdoch Wonderful building.
Anthea Keenan Council (ratepayers paid for) built a large area (Drummond Hall) including court yard mining displays in 1970s at the rear of Carnegie Building, with local volunteer group Jaycees funding assisting build public toilets there as well. The newly built a…See More
Glenn Johnston I remember a buy a brick (concrete block) campaign during the fund raising for the new part of the museum. Our class at school made posters advertising the buy a "brick" campaign. I've a recollection that other service clubs besides Jaycees were involved with fundraising for the new part of the museum?Gav Schist
Found a few similar style and age Carnegie libraries in the USA and Canada, he shared a few $$ about
Kathryn Ward
I did that for a while as well Bev Kelly. I certainly remember the stern Miss McMillan. I wonder how she would cope in the libraries of today
.Anthea Keenan
Max Dowell QSM says Ron Moore & himself patched leaks in roof when owned by Borough Council when used for storage. He was also part of Heritage Hokitika when first formed.. restoration all the plaster on internal walls was stripped & replaced with 12 ml gib bracing (i.e. netting in middle) his brother Malcolm restored front doors & Max did restoration of windows on inside. Antiquated toilet in corner of old Museum was removed to make passage way into Drummond Hall new building. All ivy growth was removed from Carnegie exterior and cleaned.
Michael Mcilraith
I've always loved this building
Anthea Keenan
Council renamed West Coast Historical Museum to Hokitika Museum so that tourists could locate the special attraction easier .. but in 2018 assessors deemed Carnegie building eq risk - they packed up artefacts, rented Hoods building as a pop up Museum & Genealogy meantime. Another assessment found Carnegie with higher than original eq specs & suitable for 300 people - so Heritage Hokitika volunteers reopened the building with some displays and donation offertory... Council have gained a funding grant of $500k to carry out restorative / stengthening works but the price keeps increasing....
Peter Dennehy
Is it no longer there.???
Cara Thompson
Peter Dennehy still there
Richard Pepper
Peter Dennehy Where abouts I shall Google look as I don't recognize it
Peter Dennehy
Richard Pepper someone else might be able to tell you, all I know is it is in hokitika.
Richard Pepper
Peter Dennehy I found it
Richard Pepper
May be an image of 3 people and outdoors
Peter Dennehy
Richard Pepper wow that's how it could look now.
Richard Pepper
Peter Dennehy yes that's the same building
Katrina Wehipeihana
Does anyone know who the Architect was?
Jim Webber
Major restoration work being carried out at the moment.
Tania Wilmott
Jim Webber one would hope so!
Dave Lyes
Tania Wilmott it looked far better than the more recent photo before restoration (earthquake strengthening) started.
Geoffrey King
Jim Webber Earthquake strengthening
Reply1w
Karen Jackson
https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/1544?keywords=&type=all&lsk=3ecc5769e7406138542437806e4364ec
The Carnegie Library building,Hokitika .1993.
WESTCOAST.RECOLLECT.CO.NZ
The Carnegie Library building,Hokitika .1993.
The Carnegie Library building,Hokitika .1993.
Debbie Hills
Great to see it having its earthquake strengthening started on our last trip over. Previous trip visited a craft/art exhibition in it. Museum is temporarily housed next door and magnificent staff.
Roger O'Regan
What a stunning building! Great that it is being preserved.
Margaret Standen
Shame it was left to deteriorate to this state.
Margaret Suggett
Worked in the children's section of the library after school in early 60's! Great building it was!!
Greg Hine
Good to hear it’s being restored. So many of these buildings here on the coast in my lifetime have stood (and fallen) as ghosts of the once hopeful grandiosity of a region once valued by the rest of the country , then sucked dry by the rest of the country, then discarded by the rest of the country. Stand tall West Coast.
Nigel Intemann
Great buildings.... But they are a monument to one of the world's most abhorrent men.
This was his idea of repentance, trying to buy his way into heaven after a lifetime of ill treatment of his employees.
Maree Lewis
Is this where the Museum was in 2013 when I visited? It was a stunning building.
Ann Bradley
Maree Lewis Yes it was. It was renovated and reopened in 1998. Now nearly finished earthquake strengthening.
Pat White
Was librarian in the building before the library shifted out, left in 1973
Needs a clean up
Anthea Keenan
Our Carnegie Building has had a lot of work on it Vaughan see pic 3 - it needs further preservation works to ensure it remains.
Heather Newby
interesting history!
Joy Meyer
Is it still standing today ??
Clare Pierson
Picture 3
Bev Kelly
When I was in the 6th form at Westland High I used to work at the library looking after the children’s section, after school. The stern Miss McMillan was the main librarian then.
Les Ellis
Bev Kelly she made you the woman you are today. Didn’t she.
Bev Kelly
Barbara Scott
Bev Kelly me too!
Margaret Suggett
Bev Kelly me too a very long time ago!!
Lynnette Beirne
Bev Kelly I worked there after school and in school holidays 1971-2
Pat White was the Librarian then
Elizabeth Mehrtens
Yes, the one building that should be preserved time will tell
Annemarie Harris
Along with the Carnegie Library in Westport.
Miriama Lance Johnsen
I remember mum taking us to the library there
Viane Bairstow
Interesting visit couple of years ago
=Tania Newman
I used to go to the library there. It is looking great now
Marlene Wright
Spent a lot of time in there growing up .i still love books
Pat Cooper
The WestCoast is very lucky to have both Carnegie Buildings.
Carolyn Vasta
Beautiful building and interesting read,
Jessie Guy
Great story Anthea and a credit to locals and Council for retaining a grand building. Have visited it many times and love it's grandeur and seems to make a statement
Janet Sutton
Many happy hours spent there as a child. School holidays being read to by Mrs Joy Johnston. Great memories.
Margi Adamson
Magnificent building
Anthea Keenan
1960s Library (all very quiet) on right of big passage way, down in further a room as Museum the big glass front displays with birds & scenery backdrop. Info displays on rotation board stands. Jail was in corner.
Helen Preston I can remember going here when it was a library and reading the news paper. You got told off if you talked.
Letty Macphedran yeah, don't understand why the old buildings are left to rot when the council wants to spend on new ones
Shirley Arabin Thames now calls its Carnegie building The Treasury and is a a local archive with a wealth of resources.
Glenn Johnston In my primary school days when my mother was librarian at the Carnegie building I spent a fair bit of time out the back in the museum part. This no doubt helped develop my interest in West Coast History. Of the museum curators back then I remember Ed Keown best, he regaled me with stories of Hoki's past. Others who helped there were also older men. Messrs. Drummond, Douglas and Trevathen. In high school days Jim Eyles became curator but that would have been after the new part of the museum was added at the back.
Brian Hannam Don't ever lose this building Hoki. It is a National Treasure!
Gavin Davy We don't have a hell of a lot of great buildings on the Coast but this is definitely one of the best.
Anthea Keenan Good little stories from within Carnegie Building there Laura & Heather.. hope we get some more from when it was restored... :)
Heather NewbyAuthor very interesting.. Nat geo has an article on Carnegie
Janet Corn Wonderful building, so glad it was saved.
Geoffrey King Hard work from people like Max Dowell enabled it to be restored
Anthea Keenan I'll get him to tell us about it... make some notes here
Anthea Keenan In 1975 the library transferred to new premises and the building was used as offices and then as storage for the Hokitika Borough Council. By the late 1980s it was in a poor state of repair with serious leaking causing rotting of the interior. After suggestions that the building's time had ended and it should be demolished, the local group Heritage Hokitika took up the challenge of finding a new use for it and achieving its restoration. They were successful in gaining wide public support. Funds were gathered and it was agreed that the building could serve in provide a community gallery, information centre and entrance to the adjacent museum. A substantial grant from the Lotteries Board ensured the project could proceed and the building was reopened in 1998. The Carnegie Gallery for community use now occupies the room to the left of the entrance while on the right is the information centre. The museum uses other spaces for display purposes. In 2003 a replica cupola, no longer providing the function of ventilator, was reinstated on the roof's apex. (copied from Heritage NZ).
Les Holmes Germanicus A well done restoration. A great example of what can be achieved with heritage buildings.
Joel Murdoch Wonderful building.
Anthea Keenan Council (ratepayers paid for) built a large area (Drummond Hall) including court yard mining displays in 1970s at the rear of Carnegie Building, with local volunteer group Jaycees funding assisting build public toilets there as well. The newly built a…See More
Glenn Johnston I remember a buy a brick (concrete block) campaign during the fund raising for the new part of the museum. Our class at school made posters advertising the buy a "brick" campaign. I've a recollection that other service clubs besides Jaycees were involved with fundraising for the new part of the museum?Gav Schist
Found a few similar style and age Carnegie libraries in the USA and Canada, he shared a few $$ about
Kathryn Ward
I did that for a while as well Bev Kelly. I certainly remember the stern Miss McMillan. I wonder how she would cope in the libraries of today
.Anthea Keenan
Max Dowell QSM says Ron Moore & himself patched leaks in roof when owned by Borough Council when used for storage. He was also part of Heritage Hokitika when first formed.. restoration all the plaster on internal walls was stripped & replaced with 12 ml gib bracing (i.e. netting in middle) his brother Malcolm restored front doors & Max did restoration of windows on inside. Antiquated toilet in corner of old Museum was removed to make passage way into Drummond Hall new building. All ivy growth was removed from Carnegie exterior and cleaned.
Michael Mcilraith
I've always loved this building
Anthea Keenan
Council renamed West Coast Historical Museum to Hokitika Museum so that tourists could locate the special attraction easier .. but in 2018 assessors deemed Carnegie building eq risk - they packed up artefacts, rented Hoods building as a pop up Museum & Genealogy meantime. Another assessment found Carnegie with higher than original eq specs & suitable for 300 people - so Heritage Hokitika volunteers reopened the building with some displays and donation offertory... Council have gained a funding grant of $500k to carry out restorative / stengthening works but the price keeps increasing....
Peter Dennehy
Is it no longer there.???
Cara Thompson
Peter Dennehy still there
Richard Pepper
Peter Dennehy Where abouts I shall Google look as I don't recognize it
Peter Dennehy
Richard Pepper someone else might be able to tell you, all I know is it is in hokitika.
Richard Pepper
Peter Dennehy I found it
Richard Pepper
May be an image of 3 people and outdoors
Peter Dennehy
Richard Pepper wow that's how it could look now.
Richard Pepper
Peter Dennehy yes that's the same building
Katrina Wehipeihana
Does anyone know who the Architect was?
Jim Webber
Major restoration work being carried out at the moment.
Tania Wilmott
Jim Webber one would hope so!
Dave Lyes
Tania Wilmott it looked far better than the more recent photo before restoration (earthquake strengthening) started.
Geoffrey King
Jim Webber Earthquake strengthening
Reply1w
Karen Jackson
https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/1544?keywords=&type=all&lsk=3ecc5769e7406138542437806e4364ec
The Carnegie Library building,Hokitika .1993.
WESTCOAST.RECOLLECT.CO.NZ
The Carnegie Library building,Hokitika .1993.
The Carnegie Library building,Hokitika .1993.
Debbie Hills
Great to see it having its earthquake strengthening started on our last trip over. Previous trip visited a craft/art exhibition in it. Museum is temporarily housed next door and magnificent staff.
Roger O'Regan
What a stunning building! Great that it is being preserved.
Margaret Standen
Shame it was left to deteriorate to this state.
Margaret Suggett
Worked in the children's section of the library after school in early 60's! Great building it was!!
Greg Hine
Good to hear it’s being restored. So many of these buildings here on the coast in my lifetime have stood (and fallen) as ghosts of the once hopeful grandiosity of a region once valued by the rest of the country , then sucked dry by the rest of the country, then discarded by the rest of the country. Stand tall West Coast.
Nigel Intemann
Great buildings.... But they are a monument to one of the world's most abhorrent men.
This was his idea of repentance, trying to buy his way into heaven after a lifetime of ill treatment of his employees.
Maree Lewis
Is this where the Museum was in 2013 when I visited? It was a stunning building.
Ann Bradley
Maree Lewis Yes it was. It was renovated and reopened in 1998. Now nearly finished earthquake strengthening.
Pat White
Was librarian in the building before the library shifted out, left in 1973
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West Coast New Zealand History (7th Dec 2022). Carnegie Library, Hokitika - opened June 24th,1908. - ALBUM -. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 10th Apr 2026 21:31, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/28347