First Library Building

1895

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 26, 2024

1. First Library Building Marker

Touch for directions.

Mountains,

Valley.

West.

America,

Mountains,

Hemisphere,

World,

Anglosphere.

Spain

Texas.

From the National Register Nomination prepared by Peggy Barr, President, & Peg Schall, Treasurer, Monte Vista Historical

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Society, 2/15/1995:
The Library grew from a dream of a group of pioneer women. On August 4, 1885, the Women's Literary Club was organized for community improvement and the establishment of a circulating library. The books were first kept in the back of the Fassett General Store with Lillian L. Fassett becoming the first librarian. By their September meeting, it was reported that 100 volumes had been donated and the ladies hoped there would be 500 volumes by the end of the year.
On January 18, 1887, the Monte Vista Library Association was incorporated. The Fassett store became too small to house all the books and the growing collection was moved to the second story of the Bonner Meade building. Fire was a common and disastrous occurrence in early Monte Vista and in 1894 the building housing the library books burned, destroying all the books and many city records that were stored there.
Rather than continue the practice of utilizing portions of other buildings to house books and a reading room, the decision was made to make an addition to the community's infrastructure — a library building. With their usual resourcefulness, the women of the Monte Vista Library Association set to work raising money for a new building. By 1895 the ladies reached their goal, with enough funds for a new building. Years before, in 1888, the Library Association had purchased Lot 3 of Block

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 26, 2024

2. First Library Building (southwest elevation)

The building currently houses the Monte Vista Historical Society Museum. The historical marker is mounted on the southwest corner.

From the National Register Nomination:  The small stone building has a flat asphalt roof that gently slopes to the rear. The one-story building is constructed of quarry-faced, pink rhyolite. The square-cut rhyolite is regularly coursed. Two courses of stone form a flower box under each window, flank the sidewalk, and wrap around to the south elevation. The north and south elevations are identical, except for the stone flower box that runs the length of south elevation. The regularly coursed rhyolite on these elevations is a rough-cut. The interior consists of one open room with a small bathroom in the southeast corner. The walls have been left with the rhyolite exposed. There is a pressed tin ceiling with a picture rail.

23 on Jefferson Street, for "library purposes only." This property in downtown Monte Vista was a prime location for Monte Vista's first public library building. With typical fervor the ladies set about negotiating for the volunteer labor of the many stonemasons and carpenters who were erecting several stone buildings in the business district.
On Saturday evening of August 3, 1895 the ladies of the Monte Vista Library Association gave their annual reception at the new library building. The president, Mrs. H. H. Marsh, provided an historical review of the association's patient work throughout the years to build up a fine library only to see it entirely destroyed by the Bonner block fire.
The collection of books eventually outgrew the small building and in 1916, the town began negotiating with the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie for assistance in building a new building large enough to meet the needs of the growing community. This little stone building served as a library and reading room until the opening of the Carnegie Public Library on June 4, 1919.
Used as a rental property to help defray library costs, the building's subsequent uses included a meat market, tailor shop, dry cleaner and barber shop. In 1987, the Monte Vista Historical Society obtained funds for restoration and now use the building as a history center.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 26, 2024

3. National Register of Historic Places Marker

(mounted on the northwest corner of the building)
This property has been
placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior

It was the result of efforts started by the Women's Literary Club, organized in 1885 "for community improvement and the establishment of a circulating library." The first library operated out of part of a store. The Monte Vista Library Association was incorporated in 1887. In 1894 the entire library collection, along with many city records, were lost in fire.
This building was constructed in 1895. It is a 16 by 22 feet building, Early Commercial in style. It served as the town's library and reading room until the town's Carnegie Public Library was opened in 1919. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 26, 2024

4. First Library Building (northwest elevation)

The National Register marker is mounted on the northwest corner of the First Library Building. The newer Carnegie Library building (1919) is visible in the right background.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 26, 2024

5. First Library Building (east/rear elevation)

From the National Register Nomination:  A small stone chimney pierces the roofline at the northeast corner. A gas-burning stove sits in the northeast corner. The rear elevation consists of uncoursed, rough-cut pink rhyolite.