The Burnham Athenaeum, also known as the Champaign Public Library, is a historic library building located at 306 W. Church St. in Champaign, Illinois. Built in 1896 through a donation from Albert C. Burnham, the building was Champaign's first permanent library. Architect Julius A. Schweinfurth designed the Classical Revival building. The two-story building is built from cream-colored brick with terra cotta ornamentation. The front entrance features four two-story Ionic columns supporting a pediment and an inscribed frieze. A terra cotta band encircles the building below the second-story window sill line. The Champaign Public Library occupied the building until 1978, when it moved to a larger facility.[2]
Burnham Athenaeum | |
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| Location | 306 W. Church St., Champaign, Illinois |
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| Coordinates | 40°7′7″N 88°14′50″W / 40.11861°N 88.24722°W |
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1896 |
| Architect | Julius A. Schweinfurth |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001115[1] |
| Added to NRHP | June 7, 1978 |
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 7, 1978.[1]