Carnegie Library – Haunted Library in Dickinson, North Dakota
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Full Address: 139 3rd Street West, Dickinson, ND 58601
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The Carnegie Library stands as a testament to early 20th-century architecture in southwestern North Dakota. Built in 1908, this historic structure has served Dickinson residents for over a century.
The red brick building with its classical design features has witnessed generations of students and readers. Local residents whisper about unexplained events that occur within its walls after closing time.
Staff members and visitors have reported strange occurrences throughout the building’s long history. The library’s reputation for paranormal activity has grown steadily over the past several decades.
Many believe the spirits of former librarians still tend to their beloved collections. Others suggest that the building itself holds memories of those who spent countless hours studying.
Historical Background
Andrew Carnegie donated funds for the library’s construction in 1907, totaling $10,000 for the project. The building officially opened its doors on September 15, 1908, serving as Dickinson’s first permanent library.
The library operated continuously in its original location until 1981 when operations moved to newer facilities. The Carnegie building then housed various city offices and community organizations for many years.
During World War I, the library served as a meeting place for war bond drives. Local women gathered in the basement to roll bandages and prepare care packages for soldiers.
A tragic incident occurred in 1924 when librarian Margaret Holloway collapsed from a heart attack. She died in the northwest reading room while reshelving books on a cold February afternoon.
The Great Depression years saw the library become a refuge for struggling families. Unemployed workers spent entire days in the building’s heated rooms, reading newspapers and seeking job listings.
A fire broke out in the basement storage area in 1952, damaging historical documents. Firefighters rescued most of the collection, but several rare books were lost to smoke and water.
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Visitors frequently report the sound of footsteps on the second floor when the building is empty. The rhythmic creaking of floorboards suggests someone walking between the old reading tables and shelves.
Books have been found moved from their proper locations overnight despite locked doors. Staff members arrive in the morning to discover volumes placed in seemingly deliberate arrangements on tables.
Cold spots manifest throughout the building, particularly near the northwest reading room on the main floor. Temperature drops of 15-20 degrees occur suddenly without any logical explanation from HVAC systems.
The scent of lavender perfume wafts through the circulation desk area during evening hours. This distinctive fragrance was reportedly Margaret Holloway’s signature scent during her tenure as head librarian.
Shadow figures have been observed moving along the walls in the basement level. These dark forms glide past the old furnace room and disappear near the storage areas.
Electronic equipment malfunctions frequently occur throughout the building without technical explanation. Lights flicker in specific patterns, and security cameras capture unexplained orbs and mists regularly.
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Ghost Stories & Reports
Margaret Holloway’s spirit is believed to be the primary entity haunting the Carnegie Library. Witnesses describe seeing a woman in 1920s attire arranging books and dusting shelves after hours.
Her apparition appears most frequently in the northwest reading room where she died. The figure wears a long dark skirt and white blouse, matching photographs of Holloway from 1923.
A janitor named Robert Chen reported a full conversation with an elderly woman in 1987. She asked him about new acquisitions before vanishing near the card catalog system.
Children playing in the building during community events have mentioned a “nice library lady” who helps them. Parents never see this woman, though children provide consistent descriptions matching Holloway’s appearance.
A young man known only as Thomas allegedly haunts the basement storage areas. Local legend suggests he was a vagrant who froze to death hiding in the library during winter.
Security guards report hearing male voices calling for help from the basement late at night. When they investigate, they find no one present despite thoroughly searching every room and closet.
During the 1952 fire, firefighters claimed they saw a young man’s face in the basement window. The figure appeared to be screaming, but no one was found inside that section afterward.
A spectral child has been reported playing near the former children’s reading section. This small figure, estimated to be around seven years old, disappears when approached directly.
The ghost child leaves behind the smell of burning paper and charred wood. Investigators believe this spirit might be connected to the 1952 fire incident in some way.
Library board meetings held in the building have been interrupted by phantom page-turning sounds. Attendees hear the distinctive rustle of book pages though no books are present in meetings.
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Most Haunted Spot
The northwest reading room on the main floor experiences the most intense paranormal activity. This 20-by-25-foot space with tall windows features the heaviest concentration of unexplained phenomena.
Margaret Holloway’s spirit manifests here most frequently, especially near the radiator where she collapsed. Witnesses report seeing her full apparition standing exactly where historical records indicate she fell.
The basement storage area near the old coal furnace ranks as the second most active location. Cold spots cluster around the furnace room door, and disembodied voices echo through the stone-walled corridors.
Investigators using EMF detectors record consistent spikes in electromagnetic fields throughout the northwest reading room. These readings suggest an intelligent presence responding to questions and commands from living visitors.
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Can You Visit?
The Carnegie Library building is currently owned by the City of Dickinson and houses offices. Limited public access is available during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Entry to the building is free, though you must check in at the reception desk. Photography is permitted in common areas with permission from building management staff members.
No formal paranormal tours are currently offered at this location due to its active use. However, the Dickinson Museum Center occasionally organizes historical walking tours that include external views of the building.
Special arrangements for paranormal investigation groups can sometimes be made through city offices. These after-hours visits require advance permission and proper insurance documentation from interested parties.
The building remains locked after 5:30 PM on weekdays and throughout weekends except for special events. Trespassing is strictly prohibited and monitored by security cameras and periodic police patrols of downtown areas.
Best Time to Visit
Paranormal activity increases significantly during the late evening hours between 9:00 PM and 2:00 AM. Margaret Holloway’s spirit appears most frequently around 3:47 PM, the approximate time of her death.
February experiences heightened supernatural occurrences, particularly during the anniversary week of Holloway’s passing. Winter months generally produce more reports than summer, possibly due to heating system operations creating atmospheric conditions.
Thursday evenings have historically produced the most documented encounters according to building security logs. The reasoning for this weekly pattern remains unexplained, though some speculate about original library operating schedules.
First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports
City employee Patricia Morrison documented her 2015 experience in an official incident report. She heard distinct footsteps following her down the second-floor hallway at 4:30 PM on a Thursday.
When Morrison turned to confront the person, she saw no one behind her at all. The footsteps continued for several seconds after she stopped moving, then ceased abruptly near the stairwell.
Security guard James Larson maintained a detailed log of paranormal events from 2003 to 2008. His notes describe 47 separate incidents including apparitions, unexplained sounds, and equipment malfunctions throughout the building.
Larson’s most dramatic encounter occurred on February 14, 2006, at approximately 11:20 PM during rounds. He witnessed a translucent figure of a woman shelving books in the northwest reading room area.
The apparition wore period clothing and appeared completely solid until Larson called out to her. She turned toward him, smiled gently, then faded away over approximately five seconds until completely disappearing.
Local historian Dr. Elizabeth Kramer investigated the building in 2012 for her book on haunted locations. She recorded EVP evidence including a female voice saying “please be quiet in the library” clearly.
Maintenance worker Tom Sanderson refuses to enter the basement alone after his 2018 experience there. He heard a man’s voice shouting for help while replacing light fixtures near the furnace room.
Sanderson searched the entire basement thoroughly but found no source for the desperate-sounding cries. He reported feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness and cold that persisted for hours afterward.
Local Legends & Myths
One persistent legend claims that Andrew Carnegie himself visited the library shortly before his death. Locals say his ghost occasionally appears near the cornerstone bearing his name on anniversary dates.
No historical records confirm Carnegie ever traveled to Dickinson despite funding the library’s construction. Nevertheless, some witnesses report seeing an elderly gentleman in early 1900s formal attire examining the building.
Another tale suggests that a collection of cursed books was donated to the library. These volumes allegedly caused misfortune to anyone who borrowed them until librarians removed them from circulation.
The cursed book story intensified after three patrons died within months of each other in 1931. All three had checked out books from the same donor’s estate collection that year.
Urban legend describes a secret tunnel connecting the library to downtown businesses for Prohibition-era smuggling. While no tunnel has been confirmed, strange sounds beneath the basement floor persist to this day.
Paranormal Investigations & Findings
The Dakota Paranormal Research Society conducted a comprehensive investigation in October 2017 with permission from authorities. Their team of six investigators spent twelve hours documenting activity using various electronic detection equipment.
The group captured numerous EVP recordings including whispered conversations and the sound of pages turning. Thermal imaging cameras recorded unexplained cold spots moving through rooms in seemingly intelligent patterns and responses.
Investigator Sarah Chen photographed what appears to be a full-bodied apparition near the circulation desk. The figure matches historical descriptions of Margaret Holloway in clothing, hairstyle, and general appearance remarkably well.
EMF meters spiked dramatically when investigators asked questions about library operations and historical events. Responses seemed to correlate with yes-or-no questions, suggesting an intelligent presence attempting to communicate deliberately.
A follow-up investigation in February 2019 produced similar results with additional video evidence. Motion-sensor cameras captured books sliding off shelves with no visible cause during the overnight investigation period.
Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions
Entering the building after hours without permission constitutes criminal trespassing under North Dakota law. The Dickinson Police Department actively patrols the downtown area and responds quickly to security system alerts.
The building contains asbestos in certain areas that were never fully remediated during renovation projects. Disturbing ceiling tiles or wall materials can create serious health hazards requiring immediate professional attention.
The basement stairs are steep and lack modern safety features like handrails meeting current codes. Visitors granted access should exercise extreme caution when navigating lower levels in limited lighting conditions.
Some electrical systems date to the 1950s and may pose shock hazards in specific areas. Touch nothing attached to walls without explicit permission from building management or maintenance staff members.
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