History of the Gas City-Mill Township Public Library
Our library was started because of a letter sent to Mr. Isaac Cripe, Supt. of Gas City Schools, dated April 25, 1911.
The letter suggested the community of Gas City should have a library. There were 125 public libraries in towns and cities throughout Indiana at that time. The letter explained that authorities could levy a library tax of their own accord, when petitioned. A collection of books and magazines free for public use should be cared for by a competent librarian, but need not require a special building. A public library could be housed in a rented room.
And so, the talks began.
In 1912, an official request for funds was sent to New York to request assistance for building the library in Gas City.
Tax levy amounts were based on the 1910 township population figure of 1,231 residents and assessed property values.
The 1st Library Board was appointed January 1, 1913.
Miss Maud Fields was the first Librarian. Her salary was $4.00/wk.
The library was started as a reading room in a rented part of a building near the corner of 1st and Main St. (now Mike Anderson Chevrolet property).
The Andrew Carnegie Corp. awarded $12,500 to build a library building.
The library building was completed in Oct. of 1914.
In late 1917 a Ford Book Wagon was purchased. A bookmobile route was traveled every 2 weeks with stops at homes and schools in Mill Township.
The community and the library grew until they outgrew the original Carnegie building.
A ground breaking ceremony was held for the new addition to the library on Nov. 20, 1992.
We moved into the new addition and rearranged some areas in the original Carnegie section in Feb. of 1994.
We rearranged the library again in 2006 to make better use of our available space.
Our Gas City-Mill Township Public Library remains a vital part of our community today.
The letter suggested the community of Gas City should have a library. There were 125 public libraries in towns and cities throughout Indiana at that time. The letter explained that authorities could levy a library tax of their own accord, when petitioned. A collection of books and magazines free for public use should be cared for by a competent librarian, but need not require a special building. A public library could be housed in a rented room.
And so, the talks began.
In 1912, an official request for funds was sent to New York to request assistance for building the library in Gas City.
Tax levy amounts were based on the 1910 township population figure of 1,231 residents and assessed property values.
The 1st Library Board was appointed January 1, 1913.
Miss Maud Fields was the first Librarian. Her salary was $4.00/wk.
The library was started as a reading room in a rented part of a building near the corner of 1st and Main St. (now Mike Anderson Chevrolet property).
The Andrew Carnegie Corp. awarded $12,500 to build a library building.
The library building was completed in Oct. of 1914.
In late 1917 a Ford Book Wagon was purchased. A bookmobile route was traveled every 2 weeks with stops at homes and schools in Mill Township.
The community and the library grew until they outgrew the original Carnegie building.
A ground breaking ceremony was held for the new addition to the library on Nov. 20, 1992.
We moved into the new addition and rearranged some areas in the original Carnegie section in Feb. of 1994.
We rearranged the library again in 2006 to make better use of our available space.
Our Gas City-Mill Township Public Library remains a vital part of our community today.
