Public Library, Winthrop, Massachusetts, 1923

 

LIB990509

1962 Frost Public Library, Winthrop, Massachusetts

[LIB6526] - In October, 1897, Mrs. Eliza W. Frost of Winthrop offered $10,000 toward the erection of a library building, to cost at least $20,000, and to be called the Frost Public Library, in memory of her husband, the late Morrill Frost. Efforts to raise by subscription the amount needed to make the gift available proving unsuccessful, Mrs. Frost's proposition was brought before the town at the annual meeting in March, 1898; the town unanimously voted $10,000 toward the building, and also purchased a lot of land on which to erect the same; ground was broken for this purpose Aug. 29, 1898.

The exterior of the building is classical in design. The base is of Deer Isle granite, the cornices, belts and trimmings of entrances and windows, are of Indiana lime stone. The outside walls are of gray speckled bricks laid in light mortar. The roof is slated with Vermont green slate, with copper gutters and trimmings. The main building has a frontage on the park of seventy feet and a depth of thirty feet. The stack room extends northerly from the centre of the main building forty feet, with a width of twenty-seven and one-half feet. The entrance is into an outer vestibule opening into an inner hall. The vestibules have mosaic floors of special design, marble bases with panelled oak walls. From the vestibule one enters the delivery room, to the right of which is the general reading-room; on the left is a reading-room for children and a room for books of reference. On the same floor are also rooms for the trustees and librarian. The second floor is reached by two stairways from the delivery room. Here are three rooms which will be used for the exhibition of pictures, historical relics and other articles of interest. [From The free public libraries of Massachusetts (Google eBook), Wright, 1899 - Language Arts & Disciplines - 465 pages]

Winthrop, MA Photo 1904 by lc_panoramicphotos
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1922 The C.M. Bailey Public Library, Winthrop, Maine

[LIB1723] In November of 1916, Charles M. Bailey entered into an agreement with the Town of Winthrop to give a building to be used for library and Reading Room purposes. Charles M. Bailey was the best known member of the Society of Friends in Winthrop, and was known for his “Bailey’s Praying Band”, who conducted evangelistic services. Bailey also owned one of the largest oilcloth manufacturers in America at the time, and employed two hundred individuals in Winthrop in the early 1900s. The original structure of rock faced and chiseled granite is still in use today. [Website]