April 1st is the start of Greene County History Month and we are celebrating BIG this year!
Have you even wondered how our tiny Winters Library got its name, or why the building is the way it is? We will be having two big celebrations on Tuesday, April 28th to answer these and many more questions you might be asking about our favorite library!
In the evening, David from the Greene County Room will be presenting The History of Winters-Bellbrook Community Library at 6:30pm. We hope you will register for this event since seating is limited. Refreshments will be served and there will be a door prize! You’ll hear more about the building, its former life as a bank, and the operations of the library. And, of course, our history wouldn’t be the same without some big names: comedian Jonathan Winters! Mr. Winters’ grandfather first purchased and leased the building to the people of the Bellbrook-01Sugarcreek area 120 years ago for only one dollar, with one small catch.
In the afternoon, we are having a family-friendly Library Birthday Bash at 4pm, featuring our 120-year-old Boston Fern, Grace. You read that right! Grace has been in residence since she was donated to the library in 1970, when she was believed to be around 65 years old. Grace is a big fern with a big story, all told in a new picture book which Miss Abby will be thrilled to read to you! Rumor has it there will be cupcakes and crafts at the event, too, as we all sing Happy Birthday to Grace!
Plus, we will have our original building plans, favorite photos from years past, and other items from our collection on display at your library all month long!
Your Winters Library has been in service for 120 years, when the lease for the building was signed to turn the former Winters Bank into a public library. And the building was built in 1901, making it 125 years old! But we couldn’t take care of this little library all by ourselves! The City of Bellbrook proudly maintains our building, and the Bellbrook Garden Club has been beautifying the gardens for more than twenty years.
We hope to see you on the 28th, and we look forward to serving the community for (at least!) another 120 years!
Add a comment to: 120 Years is a pretty BIG deal!