Skowhegan Free Public Library

Early History      

   The Skowhegan Free Public Library had its early origins in the Canaan Social Library (Skowhegan was originally part of Canaan), which provided services from 1798-1830. From 1830 until 1867, townspeople depended on private or social lending. The Skowhegan Library Association was incorporated in 1867 providing  library services to the town of Skowhegan.

       In 1887, Skowhegan resident and former Maine Governor Abner Coburn bequeathed the sum of $30,000 to the trustees of Bloomfield Academy to be used for a public library. The town of Skowhegan was required to furnish 25% of the cost of the new library to be used for a  Memorial Room in honor of the men of the town who served in the Civil War.

     Gardiner architect, Edwin E. Lewis, designed the Queen Anne style building overlooking the Kennebec River. The red brick building featured turrets, stained and leaded glass windows, and unusual design decoration in the facade. The interior consisted of large reading and reference rooms and a two story stack room in the rear. The second floor of the main section consisted of "parlors" for local club meetings.

     Upon completion of the building the Skowhegan Library Association donated their entire collection of over 4000 volumes to the trustees of Bloomfield Academy.

   Memorial Room

The Memorial Room is a large reading room featuring stained glass windows and a fireplace. A marble tablet over the fireplace memorializes Skowhegan's Civil War Veterans, listing their names with this dedication:

IN HONOR OF THE MEN OF SKOWHEGAN
WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY ON LAND AND SEA, IN THE WAR WHICH PRESERVED THE UNION, DESTROYED SLAVERY, AND MAINTAINED THE CONSTITUTION. TO WHOSE MEMORY THE GRATEFUL TOWN, ERECTS THIS TABLET, AND DEDICATES THIS ROOM IN ITS PUBLIC LIBRARY

A window facing the street features Columbia holding a  billowing flag and a banner stating
"IN MEMORY of our HEROES
1861-1865"

Children's Room

In April of 1943, the second floor "parlors" became the Children's Room, a gift from Mr. and Mrs. William H. Hinman, in memory of their daughter, Jane.   The Children's Room(s), located at the top of the winding tower stairs, provided appropriate fiction and non-fiction selections for area children. This second floor space continues to cater to area children, with new paint, curtains, area rugs, bean bag chairs, and an ever expanding collection.