Downtown Shamokin
Please consider donating to this project by visiting https://www.gofundme.com/historic-photo-collection
Artist's illustration (minus the marks near the flag pole) of the new American Legion Building- ...The first library was established in a vacant room on the first floor of the Shamokin High School, Eighth and Arch streets, in fall 1923. The school board set aside money in the spring to be used for a library for both students and the public. The Shamokin class of 1923 also set aside $100 for the library. The first library in its own home opened Sept. 20, 1953, at 508 N. Eighth St. The E.R. Leader Building at 69 E. Independence St. (Laundromat) was purchased with the help of a $18,000 donation by John Gillespie. The library was dedicated Sept. 25, 1963. On Nov. 22, 1966, work for the new library started began where Wolfe's department store was located. It was dedicated on June 24, 1967. John. S. Luckens, a local architect, designed the structure. $167,000 in federal grants and $43,000 in local funds were used to build the library. The city leased the building from the American Legion, through the War Memorial Corporation board, for 99 years for $1. The lease was renegotiated in 2013.
- No Comments