Label Type
Cultural/Historical ContextLabel
The history of a library in Winchester dates back to 1813 when the Washington Library Association was formed. This was an outcome of the Washington Benevolent Society that had been active during the War of 1812. Being a shareholding association, one had the privilege of using the library if you purchased a share, the money from which was used to purchase new books. One share cost $1.00 per year. This arrangement continued until 1867 when the Association asked the town of Winchester to take over the collection and support it. The town accepted and moved 2,000 volumes of the collection, which had been housed in different buildings around town, to an upstairs room over the Power's Drug Store. For 16 years patrons climbed the dark, narrow stairway for their reading pleasures.