Olmsted County Historical Places

Libraries

THE CITY LIBRARY.

In 1866 a movement was inaugurated by the citizens of Rochester for the purpose of establishing a library and reading room. On the evening of January 8 of that year a meeting was held and the following-named officers elected: J. D. Blake, Prest. ; W. R. Stephens, Vice-Prest.; O. P. Whitcomb, Treas.; L. Walker, Secretary and Librarian ; W. W. Mayo, Rodney Whitney and W. D. Hurlbut, Executive Committee. Among the liberal contributors to this commendable institution we find the names of J. D. Blake, W. D. Hurlbut, W. W. Mayo, O. P. Whitcomb, Chadbourne & Whitney, Leonard & Booth, J. B. Clark, John R. Cook, H. T. Horton, O. P. Stearns, Benj. B. Herbert and Rev. Anslie. With the funds contributed by these and other gentlemen one thousand volumes were purchased, which number has since been increased to two thousand three hundred and sixteen. For six years the library has been in charge of the W.C.T.U: of the city, and Mrs. Stansbury is the present librarian. This society was organized in 1875, and numbered at that time one hundred members. The present officers are as follows: Mrs. Garret, Prest.; Mrs. O. O. Baldwin, Vice-Prest.; Mrs. Moe, Corresponding Secretary; Mrs. Durkee, Recording Secretary ; Mrs. Sanford Niles, Treasurer. The society have added books to the library to the amount of two hundred and fifty dollars.

GERMAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.

The German Library Association was organized by a consolidation of members of the Rochester Union and Rochester Social Turnvereins on the 29th of December, 1872. The society then occupied two small rooms over Vedder's agricultural warehouse on Broadway and Firth streets. The following were the officers elected at this meeting: William Oker, Prest; B. Schwartz, Vice-Prest; L. Harris, Treas.; H. Kalb, Librarian; J. G. Karlen, Sec; H. Schuster, Ed. Neumann, Trustees. In November, 1878, the society removed to the more capacious building of Mr. H. Schuster until November 16, 1870, when it went into the fine building now occupied by them known as Library Hall. The library consists of over one thousand volumes, all bound, and the society has a cash capital of nearly $200,besides furniture estimated at $1,500.

From: "The History of Winona and Olmsted Counties, 1883"

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