Soon after the law was passed permitting cities and towns to raise money by taxation for library purposes, steps were taken to secure a library for this city. On the 21st of September, 1872, the Mayor, Hon. D. L. Wheelock, appointed the following named persons a Board of Directors of the Moline Public Library:

J. T. Browning, Eugene Lewis, S. H. Velie, J. C. Starr, Wm. H. Russell, H. A. Ainsworth, H. H. Grooves and E. Okerberg. The latter gentleman declining, the place was filled by Charles Atkinson.

The city council a short time previously had made an appropriation of $800, which formed the nucleus for the library. The sum, though, was too small to do more than provide a building and meet contingent expenses; therefore additional funds must be secured in other ways. A meeting was accordingly called for that purpose Dec. 17, 1872 , and $3,000 were pledged, the ladies organizing a society and becoming re­ sponsible for $500 of the amount. This sum was soon increased to $5,566.24. With this financial aid the Board proceeded to procure rooms and to purchase books. Rooms were obtained in the postoffice building of Hon. S.W. Wheelock, the first installment of books purchased and the library opened to the public Jan. 6, 1873 . On the 291)1 of March, 1873, Mrs. Kate S. Holt was appointed Librarian.

On the 10th of March, 1877, Mr. Wheelock and wife deeded to the Board the building in which was kept the library and which cost upwards of $20,000. The building, according to the terms of the deed, was to be known as the Wheelock Library Hall. societies.

The Library was built at a cost of $65,000 (including $10,000 for the site), with $40,000 donated by philanthropist steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. The interior is graced with five fireplaces, a magnificent oak staircase and several original tin ceilings.

It was placed on the National Registry of Historical Landmarks in 1993.

The library hold microfilm of past Moline Dispatch newspapers and has a very nice genealogy section with past City Directories.

Link to the library Here

Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock Island

Moline Dispatch

 

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