Library Visit: Westerly, R.I.

Westerly Public Library
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.

It’s one of those libraries that you have to stop and check out.

 

New addition on the right.
Original front entrance.

 

New front entrance.
Foyer through the original front door.
This gorgeous staircase stopped me in my tracks.
I couldn’t stop looking at it.

 

Detail of the room to the left of the original front door. Magazines, newspapers, large print room.
Another view of the room to the left, windows overlook Broad St.
In the new addition.

 

Facing the back of the library.

 

Back, right-hand side of the new addition, windows look out onto Wilcox Park.

 

Walk around the building to . . .
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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