[LIB6865] Porter Memorial Library was originally established as a Library Society in the early 1800's. Membership and borrowing privileges were given only to individuals able to purchase a share in the library and pay an annual assessment.
Rufus King Porter, a local lawyer and prominent member of Machias society, housed the book collection in his law office on Cooper Street for many years. The first book catalogue printed in 1843 listed 600 titles.
The Machias Library Association was established in 1874. Henry Homes Porter, a Chicago businessman and son of Rufus King Porter, donated $10,000 to the Association in 1891 for a library to be built and named in honor of his father.
Boston architect George Clough, a native of Blue Hill, Maine, designed not only Porter Library but also Buck Memorial Library in Bucksport, Maine, our elder architectural twin. Still in use as a library! [
http://www.porter.lib.me.us/history.html]
No comments:
Post a Comment