Westerly Public Library
44 Broad Street
Westerly, Rhode Island 02981
Library website
44 Broad Street
Westerly, Rhode Island 02981
Library website
- Established: 1892 to commemorate the soldiers and sailors who fought in the Civil War. Land and $25,000 seed money donated by Stephen Wilcox.
- Opened: August 15, 1894
- Original collection: 5,000 volumes
- Current holdings: over 170,000 items
- Addition built: 1992
- The library originally housed a bowling alley, art gallery, gymnasium, museum, and meeting space for members of the Grand Army of the Republic.
This was a dash-in visit while we were on another mission, so I didn’t make it to the second floor, but we couldn’t drive by this beautiful library without stopping.
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| It’s one of those libraries that you have to stop and check out. |
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| New addition on the right. |
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| Original front entrance. |
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| New front entrance. |
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| Foyer through the original front door. |
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| This gorgeous staircase stopped me in my tracks. |
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| I couldn’t stop looking at it. |
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| Detail of the room to the left of the original front door. Magazines, newspapers, large print room. |
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| Another view of the room to the left, windows overlook Broad St. |
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| In the new addition. |
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| Facing the back of the library. |
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| Back, right-hand side of the new addition, windows look out onto Wilcox Park. |
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| Walk around the building to . . . |
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| Wilcox Park, “A Victorian Strolling Park.”
I would have loved to have taken more pictures, especially in the original section of the library, but there were many patrons about and in an effort to respect people’s privacy, I try not to take or post pictures where people are identifiable. |
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