Prince Memorial Library

Description

The death of Carroll D. Prince on September 5, 1920, and of his wife, Annie Lincoln Prince, on October 10, 1920, resulted in a bequest of $35,000 for the construction of a public library in Carroll's birthplace of Cumberland.

The Prince Memorial Library was incorporated on November 7, 1921. In February 1922, Maud Merrill Thomes, a native of Cumberland and the wife of Dr. John B. Thomes of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, granted the corporation a plot of land on Main Street to be used for a public library.

The land was the site of the home of Benjamin Sweetser prior to its destruction in a 1906 fire.

Architect George Chase Emery of Waltham, Massachusetts, was chosen to design the library. As reported in the July 9, 1922, Portland Sunday Telegram, "the building will be of very attractive design, of the simple colonial style, with Hallowell granite trimmings and roof of slate.

The approach to the library will be between two venerable elm trees that have stood there since the early Colonial days." Contractor F. A. Rummery of Portland built the library for $15,578, and an additional $2,179 was spent on furniture and bookcases.

Prince Memorial Library opened to the public on January 7, 1923, with Mrs. Cecil Wilson Adams in attendance as librarian and more than 600 books from the earlier Cumberland Library on the shelves.

View additional information about this item on the Maine Memory Network.