On Jan. 16, 1896, Piscataquis Observer publisher Liston Evans wrote an editorial calling for a library, saying “[t]his is a matter in which our people must unite.” Over a year later, on Feb. 18, 1897, it was announced that Dr. Elbridge Augustus Thompson would be erecting a building for and providing money to fund a library in the town in memory of his recently-departed wife.
Liston Evans (above left) was the long-time owner and editor of The Piscataquis Observer. Dr. E. A. Thompson (above right) was the driving force behind the library that now bears his name.
Evans and Dr. Thompson, in a Feb. 25, 1897 followup, clarified that the good doctor would donate the building, as well as $400 per year during his life and $10,000 in trust for the purchase of books and reading material (which amounts to much more in today’s dollars) The town heartily approved the measure at the town meeting in March and the doctor headed to Washington to attend McKinley’s election. After a whirlwind few weeks, the library was on its way to being a reality.
Dr. Thompson had previously located a subscription library in his store in the Mayo Block (now Dover True Value). Not coincidentally, at that time the Mayo Block also housed The Observer, and Evans and Thompson were good friends. Upstairs, the G.A.R.meeting hall, a very important organization for both men and their friends, all Civil War veterans, was located. Unwritten in The Observer articles detailing the library’s construction are the discussions held between very powerful and wealthy men in the town working together to bring this project to fruition.
Also on the Association at the time was Frank Guernsey, who set up the entire plot to buy the eastern lot, as he wanted to have a better view of Main Street from his porch on River Street. Guernsey was also good friends with all of the aforementioned movers and shakers and a Justice of the Peace, so all of the deed transfers were transacted through him. We in the twenty-first century are very fortunate that these men and women wanted nice views, free libraries, and to make a little money, as they seemingly had the means and knowledge to make anything in town happen that they wanted.
Frank Guernsey (above left) was a local politician and friend of Thompson and Evans who contributed immensely to the library. This printed letter (above right) laid out Dr. Thompson’s plan to build the library.
Through the spring and summer of that year, work on the outside of the library building was well underway. Isaac Lunt, a mason from Bangor, was in charge of the brick and stone work which I’ve always considered extraordinary. Isaac also did much of the stone work at UMaine’s Orono campus. In addition to many other projects, he also did much of the construction on the Bangor/Brewer sewer system, so in a way he helped to inspire Stephen King’s killer clown Pennywise. He was an actor, avid gardener, and bon vivant well known in many aspects of Bangor society at the time.
Through 1897, work continued. If you look above the front doors of the library you will see the date 1897, which marks the building’s construction, but not the year it opened. After a winter of “inside work,” on April 28, 1898, the Observer announced that the carpenters were nearing completion and handing off to the painters. The library began to run lists of books desired for the collection and book drives and fundraising events were held.
After the library was dedicated, these “library founding fathers” had one last task to complete, make the library accessible to Foxcroft residents. Dr. Thompson implored: “I have but one favor to ask of you in the management, and that is that you may see your way clear to admit to the privileges of the library, residents of our sister town of Foxcroft.” In 1899, Foxcroft voted to give $250 annually towards allowing their residents to use the library. Interestingly (if you are into legislative minutiae), this was declared illegal under state law! Luckily, Frank Guernsey, the wheeler-dealer who wanted a better view of Main Street, was now a state representative and helped a bill making the appropriation legal in under two weeks, allowing Foxcroft residents to use the library effective April 1, 1899.
| Return to History Home | Back to The Favor House | Continue to The Dedication of the TFL |