Entry No. 18 — the Albuquerque file — filed under: historic-home
Ernie Pyle Public Library
The modest 1940 residential home of Pulitzer Prize-winning WWII war correspondent Ernie Pyle now operates as the smallest public branch library in the country, maintaining his original typewriter, personal correspondence, and wartime souvenirs inside.
The story
You didn't hear it from us, but the quietest corner in Nob Hill doubles as the smallest public library branch in the country. In 1940, Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent Ernie Pyle and his wife Jerry built a modest 1,129-square-foot white clapboard ranch home at 900 Girard Boulevard SE. Pyle wanted an escape from crowded eastern cities, writing that he liked Albuquerque because you weren't "stifled and smothered" by buildings. Between reporting trips, he spent his downtime building the property's white picket fence and front porch with his own hands before he was killed by machine-gun fire on Ie Shima in 1945.
The house was bequeathed to the city and opened on October 11, 1948, as Albuquerque’s very first branch library. Today, it still functions as an active public library while doubling as an archive of 1940s journalism. Pyle’s original typewriter, personal dispatches, letters, and wartime medals rest alongside regular checkout books, with every closet nook and window ledge repurposed to hold inventory.
What makes the place delightfully weird is how seamlessly normal library operations blend into a preserved domestic space. You check out library books over the counter in Pyle’s original kitchen, browse children's titles in a former bedroom, and use a Brita pitcher in the fridge as the drinking fountain. Step out into the yard, and you'll find the original grave marker for Pyle's dog, Cheetah, set into the grass.
What it's like
Visiting feels less like visiting a city institution and more like dropping into a mid-century residence while the owner is out. Park along the residential curb on Girard Boulevard and walk through Pyle's handmade picket fence. Inside, space is tight—every closet and window ledge is packed, and book returns happen directly inside the kitchen. Note that due to its 1940 residential layout and entryway steps, the building is not ADA accessible. Always confirm operating hours before heading over.
The move: Browse the cozy living room to inspect Pyle's personal desk and medals, read a passage from his WWII dispatches, and take a quiet neighborhood walk into nearby Nob Hill.
- 📍 Southeast Albuquerque / Nob Hill
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 900 Girard Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Historic Fairview Cemetery — Pair a quiet walk through Pyle’s neighborhood with a stroll past 19th-century pioneer graves four blocks west.
- The Guild Cinema — Swap WWII dispatches for cult double-features at Nob Hill’s single-screen cinema operating since 1966.
- UNM Meteorite Museum — Follow a 1,129-square-foot home library filled with war memorabilia with a quiet campus basement packed with space rocks.
- Teddy Roe's — Cap off your historic house visit with drinks at a 1920s-style speakeasy hidden behind an alley bakery door.
Good to know
Is this an active library or a museum?
It is both. It operates as a fully functional branch of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Library system while preserving Pyle's original typewriter, medals, dispatches, and home.
Where do you check out or return books?
Circulation staff work directly out of Pyle's former residential kitchen, where books are scanned and returned next to domestic counters.
Is the Ernie Pyle Public Library ADA accessible?
No. Because of its historic 1940 residential structure, narrow hallways, and small entryway steps, it is not ADA accessible.
What artifacts are preserved on the property?
Inside, you will find Pyle's typewriter, personal desk, correspondence, and wartime medals. Outside in the yard, you can see the white picket fence and porch built by Pyle, as well as the grave marker for his dog, Cheetah.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: cabq.gov · Atlas Obscura · Wikipedia · abcreads.blogspot.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-21