Texarkana Gazette"Also, the Atlanta Public Library's new look is highlighted by a new find. While uncovering the rug from a section of floor, large tiles of a floor pattern in maroon and white colors were found underneath.
"Truly beautiful," said Charlotte Evans, a member of the Friends of the Library and the Cass County Genealogical Society, which has helped with the remodeling project.
"We think this tile and the beautiful stairway led to the postmaster's office on second floor," said town historian Charles Steger, also a member of the two organizations mentioned above. "There may be other parts of the floor with the tile underneath."
"Our librarian, Jackie Icenhower, is to be given the credit for the remodeling," Evans said. "It has been her idea to freshen up the building, its look inside and out, and she sure has done it."
Here are some of the improvements.
New windows around the building's exterior.
Removal of outside shrubbery, now giving the building back its cleaner and classic look.
New carpeting throughout the first floor and the polishing and repair of a section of flooring showing the original tile.
New carpeting and bookshelf arrangements on the second floor, decidedly increasing space and room size for meetings and research.As a result, the library's main first floor, which serves the public is wide open, brighter and airy in appearance. If it looked stuffy before, that look is now gone.
"I think our library is one of the most beautiful buildings in our town. Something to be proud of," Evans said.
She noted that her husband, Evan Evans, had helped the project in a major way by installing all the new ceiling fans on the second floor.
"He's a former design engineer," she said. "He knew what he was doing."
The second floor is home to the genealogical society and is a busy spot for individual research and community meetings. It required major work to move these books and shelving, plan a new design, lay carpeting and then restore everything.
"My son and his family worked for three weeks to do this moving job, which turned out to be larger than anyone thought," library employee Lois Neff said. Those in her son Danny Neff's family who did the work included wife Donna, Reid, Alax, Tanner, Callan and Tyttan Neff.
The library is used by so many people for so many reasons, the general public may not realize it's more than books, Neff said.
In one week recently, 1,100 people came through the library."
Here are a few of the activities and services:
Free computer and Internet access
Faxing and copying
Advice and counseling on numerous topics
Children and adult programming
Research services, public notices
Special activities such as science fairs, medical advisements
Meeting space and exceptional activities such as the new Next Chapter Book Club for special needs individualsSteger said when the building served as the post office, it was always a popular center for meetings and well appreciated by the community.
"I can remember the four postal windows and desks out front where people would stand, sort their mail and talk to one another.
"I especially can remember Dr. Joe Nichols standing there going through his mail. He would always have something to talk about and would have an audience standing about. People really met each other back then. The building was the best thing built in the town ever."
Steger also recalled some of the activities that went on around the building, which had become an instant classic structure when built in 1932.
The space on which the building was built was a livery stable, Steger said. Across the street would have been Cameron's grocery store, and the L-shaped area behind was a show ground for traveling shows that came to town.
Steger said the building site is also a center-section point for those brass triangular medallions that show where the county was divided into sections by the U. S. Geological Survey.
"The columns were also elegant," Steger said. "Once they wanted to power wash those columns, and I recommended they needed to be careful because they are of limestone. Probably Indiana limestone, which most every public building was using in those days."