Summerville in Dorchester County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Timrod Library
A Literary Resource Sprung From Modest Beginnings
| — | South Carolina National Heritage Corridor | — |
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 13, 2023
1. Timrod Library Marker
In 1897 a group of young Summerville women formed a Chautauqua Reading Circle; from this modest beginning the Timrod Library developed. The women donated books from their reading circle to be the nucleus of a membership library chartered April 23, 1908. Within seven years their library had a permanent home.
On land donated by the town of Summerville, Jim Cooper a local contractor, erected the building here on Central Avenue. The Timrod, the only library building in Summerville until the public library on Trolley Road was constructed in the 1970’s, opened on April 15, 1915 and continues to serve the Summerville community to this day. In 1986, a much needed room was added thanks to the generosity of Catherine Peterman Stewart, a long-time librarian, friend, and benefactor and from the materials donated by local companies.
When the library was chartered, the founding group renamed the reading circle the Henry Timrod Literary and Library Society honoring the South Carolina poet who, according to a local tradition, taught here in the years before the Civil War. Timrod is known as the “Poet Laureate of the Confederacy.” The building
this page online
[Captions:]
• Henry Timrod (1829-1867) — Portrait of Henry Timrod for whom the library is named.
• “Timmy” is the Library’s mascot created by Brenda Putnam in 1928.
• This is a copy of the first invoice submitted by Henry S. Burden, architect for the construction of the library. The library opened on April 15, 1915.
• From Collections Inventory January 31, 1929. Do you see familiar titles?
• Adult Reading Room
• Children’s Reading Room
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Education • War, US Civil • Women. A significant historical date for this entry is April 23, 1908.
Location. 33° 1.073′ N, 80° 10.794′ W. Marker is in Summerville, South Carolina, in Dorchester County. It is on Central Avenue just east of West 3rd Street, on the right when traveling east.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 13, 2023
2. Timrod Library Marker
Regionally, this marker is in the Lowcountry. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Timrod Library (a few steps from this marker); Jewish Life (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Mayor Berlin G. Myers (approx. 0.2 miles away); Guerin's Pharmacy (approx. ¼ mile away); Summerville Water Works (approx. 0.3 miles away); Alston Graded School / Alston High School (approx. 0.4 miles
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 13, 2023
3. Timrod Library (north/front elevation)
Also see . . .
1. The Timrod Library: A Heart for Books and Reading for 125 years.
The seeds for that mission were planted in 1897 by a group of Summerville women who formed a reading group, inspired by the Chautauqua Literary movement. In 1908, they formed the Timrod Literary and Library Association for the purpose of creating the town’s first library. The building at 217 Central Avenue was dedicated in 1915. Expansions in 1927 and 1985 completed the library as it is today. A ramp added in 2021 makes the library more accessible to people of all abilities.(Submitted on May 29, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. The Timrod Library History.
Today the Timrod Library houses a collection numbering in excess of 12,000 volumes including best sellers, reference materials, audio and video tapes, and a large number of South Carolina titles. The juvenile section contains Newbery and(Submitted on May 29, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)Caldecott Award titles as well as recent South Carolina Book Award nominees and winners. New titles are added regularly.Library of Congress4. Henry TimrodFrom American Southern Poets, 1908.
3. Summerville Historic District.
Summerville Historic District encompasses 700 contributing buildings in the village of Summerville. About 70 percent of the buildings predate World War I. The buildings include raised cottages, Greek Revival influenced, and Victorian / Queen Anne and other turn of the 20th century structures are found throughout.(Submitted on May 29, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
4. Henry Timrod.
Since Timrod’s output before the Civil War was limited to verse sufficient only for a single volume—published in December 1859—his literary reputation at the time was modest. The political activities surrounding the formation of a new nation and the impact of the war itself aroused Timrod’s poetic imagination, however, and he quickly became widely known as the literary spokesman and eventually as the so-called poet laureate of the Confederacy, an unofficial title he has retained ever(Submitted on May 29, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)since.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 13, 20235. National Register of Historic Places Plaque(mounted on right side of front entrance) Contributing property, Summerville Historic District, National Register of Historic Places #76001701.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 29, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 348 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 29, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4. submitted on May 31, 2023, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 5. submitted on May 29, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
