Washington County Library

WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY     (Washington County, Utah)

LIBRARIES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY

HISTORY

History of the Washington County Library

History of Libraries in Utah

"Library Association, St. George City and Washington County Libraries"
pp. 334-336 of the book, "Under Dixie Sun", Washington County Chapter D.U.P.

Douglas D Alder and Karl F Brooks, "A History of Washington County From Isolation to Destination"
pp. 165-165

"Library History File 1872-1991"
Microfilm book by the Washington County Library and State Archives and Records Service
Salt Lake City: State Archives and Records Service, 2003


OLD LYCEUM BUILDING

The St. George Library Association was incorporated by the Utah Territorial Assembly on January 22, 1864 and a library board of directors was appointed. They were charged with planning for a library in St. George. Various fund-raising projects were undertaken to purchase books and other reading materials. Other materials were collected in the indivdual "libraries" of the four St. George Wards. When the St. George Temple was completed in 1877, the supporting bakery building on the west side of Main Street between Tabernacle and First North was converted to a cultural center and meeting place, the "Lyceum" under control of the Relief Society and Mutual Improvement Associations. One room was set aside as a library and the previously mentioned reading materials were collected there. They remained there until the establishment of the Dixie Academy Library.

The Utah Humanities Research Foundation Records
http://db3-sql.staff.library.utah.edu/lucene/Manuscripts/null/Ms0044.xml/ContainerList
Box 9: Manuscripts and Documents
Folder 5: "Lyceum Building," by Josephine J. Miles, St. George.


DIXIE ACADEMY LIBRARY

86 S. Main Street
St. George, UT 84770

Under the direction of city officials, a library was set up in the new Dixie Academy building shortly after its opening in 1911. As you go up the stairs to the main floor from the front entrance, the library was on the right. The first librarian, Ida Miles, was appointed in 1912. When the new gymnasium building was opened, the library was moved over to it. The Dixie Academy building still stands as the Leisure Services Building.

Dixie Academy Building         Dixie Academy Building


CARNEGIE LIBRARY

53 W. Tabernacle
St. George, UT 84770

Plat A, Block 16, East half of Lot 5 on the old pioneer map of St. George.

In 1912, city officials applied for a grant from the Carnegie Foundation to build a new stand-alone library. In 1915, they received a grant of $8,000 to which the city added another $4,000. A library building was constructed between the St. George Tabernacle and the Woodward School. It was completed in 1916. In June of 1919, the St. George Public Library was converted to the Washington County Library with the city retaining ownership of the property. In 1928, the children's books were partitioned out into a separate department in the basement of the building.

Librarians included:
    Ione Bleak (????-6/1920)
    Clara Farnsworth (9/1920-6/1923)
    Roxey S. Romney (8/1923-????)
    Jennie Brown (Children's Librarian, 1928-????)
    Helen Starr (Children's Librarian, ????-????)
    Eliza Carpenter (Children's Librarian, ????-????)

Over the years, various improvements were made. Air conditioning was added, an oil furnace replaced the old coal heater, a new roof was put on, and various cabinets and furnishings were upgraded. The old Carnegie Libary building was finally demolished in 1981. The doors were preserved and are now used as the entrance to the Special Collections room in the Washington County Library building on 100 South in St. George.

The old Carnegie Library Building
WCHS-05477   Photo of the old Carnegie Library Building

The old Carnegie Library Building
WCHS-04072   Photo of the old Carnegie Library Building

Front of the St. George City Library
 
        Front of the St. George City Library
 
Inside of the St. George City Library
 
        Inside of the St. George City Library
 
Northwest corner of the St. George City Library
 

OLD HURRICANE LIBRARY

35 W. State Street
Hurricane, UT 84737

Between 1938 and 1940, the Works Project Administration (WPA) built a Hurricane Library & City Hall. The Library department in the building consisted of a large, general reading room where the book borrowers selected and signed out their books. A smaller room opening off the general reading room was designated as a children's room. The general reading room was furnished with five long tables, 24 chairs, three shelf compartments, each sectioned with shelves, a desk and other small necessities. The library was well lighted and ventilated with heat being furnished by a large oil-burning furnace. In the late 1980s, this libarary was replaced with a new Hurricane Branch of the Washington County Library.

Old Hurricane Library         Old Hurricane Library


WASHINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY

50 S. Main Street
St. George, UT 84770
(435)634-5737

This library was built in 1981 on the site of the old Dixie College gymnasium, between the St. George Tabernacle and the St. George Leisure Services Building. It was a one-story building with 56,000 books and included a computer lab and meeting rooms.

In November of 2001, a bond election provided $23M to expand this library with a second story and to build other branches around the county. Later, a decision was made to demolish this building and build a newer, bigger one on 100 South in the style of the other buildings in the area. The library was closed on 11/4/2006 and the site was cleared to make way for the new Town Square.

WCHS-00132 Front of the old Washington County Library
 
        WCHS-00133 Front of the old Washington County Library
 
WCHS-00134 Main entrance of the old Washington County Library
 
        WCHS-00135 Main entrance of the old Washington County Library
 

WASHINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY - ST. GEORGE BRANCH

88 West 100 South
St. George, UT 84770
(435)634-5737
http://library.washco.utah.gov
http://library.washco.utah.gov/st-george
Meeting Room Policy

This beautiful new building was constructed in the style of the other buildings around the new Town Square. It cost more than $5M and holds 110,000 books, has a computer lab, meeting rooms, and lots of space for reading and working. The building opened on 12/22/2006 and was dedicated on 2/19/2007.

This libary is currently in operation. It houses the offices of the Washington County Library system and serves as the St. George branch of that library.

WCHS-00136 Front of the new Washington County Library
 
        WCHS-00137 Front of the new Washington County Library
 
WCHS-00138 Back of the new Washington County Library
 
        WCHS-00139 Back of the new Washington County Library
 

WASHINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY - SANTA CLARA BRANCH

1099 N. Lava Flow Drive
St. George, UT 84770
(435)986-0432
http://library.washco.utah.gov/santa-clara


WASHINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY - HURRICANE BRANCH

36 South 300 West
Hurricane, UT 84737
(435)635-4621
http://library.washco.utah.gov/hurricane

In the late 1980s, this branch library replaced the old Hurricane Library.


WASHINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY - SPRINGDALE BRANCH

126 Lion Blvd.
Springdale, UT 84767
Phone: 435.772.3676
http://library.washco.utah.gov/springdale


WASHINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY - ENTERPRISE BRANCH

393 South 200 East
Enterprise, UT 84725
(435)878-2574
http://library.washco.utah.gov/enterprise


WASHINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY - NEW HARMONY BRANCH

34 South 2900 East
New Harmony, UT 84757
(435)867-0065
http://library.washco.utah.gov/new-harmony


WASHINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY - WASHINGTON CITY BRANCH

220 North 300 East
Washington, UT 84780
(435)627-2706
http://library.washco.utah.gov/washington


VAL A. BROWNING LIBRARY AT DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY

Jeffrey R. Holland Centennial Commons
225 South 700 East
St. George, UT 84770
(435)652-7714
Text:   66746
library@dixie.edu
http://library.dixie.edu
For information on the Special Collections Archives and Regonal Repository, click here.