Step Into a 1910 Carnegie Library
Opened in 1910 as a Carnegie library, the Green Lake Library covers about 5,000 square feet and was built for $35,000. Its shelves kept filling over the decades, and by 1999 the collection had grown to 54,000 cataloged items.
Today the Green Lake Library is an officially designated Seattle landmark, and the landmark site lies less than a tenth of a mile from the branch address. If you love architecture, come for the local history as much as for the books.
How the library fits into Green Lake's story
The library arrived early as the neighborhood took shape. Surveyors mapped Green Lake in 1855, the first homestead followed in 1869, and in 1891 the area was annexed to Seattle, the same year a trolley line stretched from Fremont along the lake's eastern shore. Less than two decades later, the library joined the scene.
Right on the East Side of the Lake
You will find the branch on E Green Lake Dr N, one stretch of the road that loops the lake under several different names. Green Lake Park is only about 0.2 mile away, so it is easy to pair your library stop with some time outdoors.
Head to the park's 2.8-mile path around the lake, shared by walkers, runners, cyclists and skaters. Spend an afternoon at the athletic fields, out boating, spreading a picnic or going for a swim. Seattle Parks and Recreation runs the Green Lake Small Craft Center, home to a public rowing program and the Seattle Canoe and Kayak Club.
Landmarks and Parks Within Half a Mile
Stroll out from the Green Lake Branch and several city landmarks and small parks are close at hand. Distances below are straight-line:
- Evans Pool, a landmark about 0.1 mile away
- Fire Station #16, a landmark about 0.2 mile away
- Green Lake Park, about 0.2 mile away
- Rainbow Point, a park about 0.3 mile away
- Banner Way Triangle, a park about 0.3 mile away
- Crescent Place, a park about 0.4 mile away
- Ramsing House, a landmark about 0.5 mile away
To explore more of the area, from its streets to its parks, dip into the Green Lake neighborhood guide.
Plan Your Stop
Keep it simple: browse the branch, then walk a few minutes to the lake path or Evans Pool. Hours and programs can change, so confirm the details on The Seattle Public Library website before you head over.
