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We're celebrating the 90th birthday of our beloved library today with a walk down memory lane! As early as 1888 the Ladies Literary and Social Club saw a need for a public library in Eureka. The club, which was formed in 1887, had 39 members and included many familiar surnames such as Allen, Callender, Crawford, Darst, Davidson, Dickinson, Johann, Major, Meek, Pifer, and Radford. The women contributed $1 each to buy books to form a library. However, their motion was tabled as there was no place for the library to be housed. In 1897 the organization was renamed the Eureka Woman’s Club. It was not until 1930 that the club signed a two-year lease for a building in the 100 block of South Main Street. In the April 10 edition of the Woodford County Journal, the club made their announcement of the coming library.  |
AuthorLibrarian Cindy O'Neill loves researching local history! She has extensive experience in historical research, genealogy, and archival resource management. She previously worked in the archaeology and museum fields and has Master's degrees in both history and library science. Recent local history projects include a history of the Eureka Pumpkin Festival, the creation of a digital archive of festival photos and memorabilia on the Illinois Digital Archives website, and an architectural history of the Eureka Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Archives
January 2021
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