Okmulgee Public Library - Okmulgee, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 35° 37.291 W 095° 58.535
15S E 230502 N 3946048
This beautiful library building was a town's pride and joy. It still operates today, after almost 90 years.
Waymark Code: WMBJFP
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 05/26/2011
Views: 2
The OKMULGEE PUBLIC LIBRARY, 218 Okmulgee Ave., is a commodious one-story brick building trimmed with white stone. The library developed from a tiny group reading room equipped with a secondhand Bible and 80 other books contributed at a "pink tea and book shower" given by the Civic Club in May, 1907. First quartered in a business building, the library moved to two rooms in the old Creek Council House in 1910.
When the Council House rooms became overcrowded, the city asked the Carnegie Corporation for funds with which to build a library. The offer of $15,000 was deemed inadequate, so the municipality voted $75,000 in bonds and later added $25,000 for furniture and equipment. Today (1941) the Okmulgee Library has more than 3,800 volumes and ranks as one of the best in the state. In certain ways, it also serves as a community center, for here the Okmulgee Law School, university extension classes, and the Okmulgee Little Theater hold their meetings. Its Dunbar Branch, for Negroes, has more than 5,000 books. In 1923 the library acquired a considerable collection of books belonging to William H. ("Alfalfa Bill") Murray, who later became governor." [A Guide to the Sooner State, 1941]
Construction on the new library began in 1917 on land donated by two local families. The building was completed in 1921. This is a beautiful light brick and limestone building with arched windows. It faces south at the intersection of W. 8th Street and S. Okmulgee Avenue. This is a full service library with approximately 60,000 titles.
The building is in excellent condition, as if it were built yesterday. This is a monument to the pride and foresight of the early residents of Okmulgee as they built this town from the ground up.