Litchfield's Earliest Libraries

“While we are building churches and school-houses, planting town parks and town pumps, let us not forget the Public Library.” Meeker County News, March 25, 1871. It would be over three decades until Litchfield opened its first true public library, but that didn’t mean local residents were without literary options.

Some of the original Litchfield Library Association books at the G.A.R. Hall.

The first dedicated library space in Litchfield was at Trinity Episcopal Church. The collection started with about 125 books and newspapers. The Reading Room was free for everyone to use, but one needed to pay $1.00 per year to take books home. 

The church hoped to expand the library through donations and subscriptions. There was even a group of ambitious boys who decided to grow potatoes in the park and give the proceeds to the library. At first, the newspaper was skeptical of their plan, but the spud crop turned out better than expected.

Unfortunately for the library, there was some public uncertainty with its connection to Trinity Church. The church saw the library as the launching point for a big and better town library down the road. Much of the public, however, thought the books were only for church members or were Episcopal in content.

In the spring of 1873, the library was moved to W.S. Brill’s Drug Store. Later that year, barber Charles Topping started his own circulating library of literary and historical books. Then in 1874, Harris Drug Store added a circulating library with thirty-two almanacs and articles on castor oil and lung disease.

Then in August 1875, the Litchfield Library Association began. The charter members were made up of several of Litchfield’s leading businessmen. The association would sell stocks for $5 each. After the first year, the stockholders would continue to pay $3 a year to borrow books from the library. That’s over $80 a year in today’s money.

Once again W.S. Brill’s property was used as the library space. It had about 600 books and was open Saturday evenings. Books could be checked out for two weeks, and a fine of $.10 a week was given for overdue books.

To raise money for more books, the association hosted concerts and special speakers, including Susan B. Anthony. Despite their efforts, the association struggled financially. They needed more subscribers. Thinking the fees were too high, the dues were cut in half to $1.50. In October 1878, less than a year later, the dues were lowered to $1 per year.

By January 1880, the financial situation was bleak. While the association didn’t come to an end, their regular meetings and activities stopped. Dr. James Bacon was appointed librarian and the books were moved to his photography studio. He was allowed to keep any subscriptions in compensation.

When the G.A.R. Hall was built in 1885, a library space was included and the association’s books fell under the care of the G.A.R. While some of the more popular titles may have made their way to the Carnegie Library when it opened in 1904, many of the original books remain in the G.A.R. Hall.