Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

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The Beebe Library was established in 1856, when town residents B.F. Tweed, Lilley Eaton, Fred A. Sawyer, J.M. Evans, George O. Carpenter, and James Oliver decided to establish a library.

In 1857 the town appropriated $300 to purchase books and pay the salary of the first librarian Henry E. Eaton. Lucius Beebe was named as the first chairman of the Board of Library Trustees. By 1859 the library's inventory included 1,678 books.

In 1868 the library was moved to Town Hall, located at the corner of Main and Water Streets. That same year Lucius Beebe donated $500 toward the purchase of new books. In honor of his contribution, the town honored him by voting to change the library's name to "Beebe Town Library of Wakefield."

By 1916 the library had grown so large that it became necessary to move to a new location. As a result, the town purchased the lot at the corner of Main and Avon Streets for a new building. Junius Beebe, the son of Lucius Beebe, donated $60,000 toward the construction of the new building, in his parents memory. The cornerstone was laid on March 17, 1922 and the building was dedicated on April 15, 1923.

Due to continued growth, by 1967 the library had again out-grown it's location and the town appropriated funds to construct an addition which opened on September 14, 1969.

In 1995 the original library building was renovated and the 1969 addition was gutted to allow for a complete modernization of the facility.

www.wakefieldlibrary.org/