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Picture of library

PUBLIC LIBRARY

    Monday evening, Jan. 6, 1947, the Mechanicsville Public Library Association was organized at an open meeting in the Mechanicsville school. The meeting was sponsored by the Self Culture Club which had sent special invitations to each social and service organization in the community.

    The club had procured the following speakers, Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Boatman both of whom had been on the staff of the New York City library, and Mrs. Curtis Frymeyer, Cedar County Farm Bureau Library chairman. The following were elected officers of the association: President, Mrs. Don Wherry; Vice President, Norval Eelss, and Secretary, Mrs. W. J. Maurer. A board of directors was also elected and committees appointed.

    The library was first located on the second floor of the city hall. The library was financed at this time by gifts and benefits from various organizations. Most of the books were donated and the shelves were built by local citizens. An effort was made to get the library on a tax basis, but when it failed the library continued to be financed by gifts and benefits.

    On April 28, 1956, the library was moved from city hall to the Iva Miller building on the south side of Main street.

    Gifts left to the Library Board from the estate of Emma Shrope and Lottie Smith were for the purchase of a home for the library. Oct. 1964 the board bought from Hurley Scott one of the buildings on the north side of Main street that he had modernized. On Jan. 3, 1966 the town Council of Mechanicsville accepted the building from the library board.

    The library moved into the building June 2, 1966, with the help of many volunteers.

    March 6, 1967 all furnishings and books were turned over to the town council. A board of trustees was appointed by Mayor Smay and approved by the council.

    The following officers were elected: President, Gladys Ferguson; Vice President, Paige Wilson; Secretary, Jacqueline Moffit; and Treasurer, Louise Davidson.

    Open house was held Sat., April 29, 1967, a cold and rainy night. The library joined the Seven Rivers Library System of which they remain members.

    Gladys Ferguson, Allene Butler and Mary Brown are the present librarians.

Pg 53
Picture: Pioneer Terrace I and II is Mechanicsville’s housing project for the elderly.

PIONEER TERRACE 1

    Pioneer Terrace was a demonstration by the Mechanicsville community that it cares about the elderly and the kind of life the community has to offer.

    A fund for this project was started in June 1971 and the donor list grew slowly until late January 1972 when sufficient interest was evidenced and a public meeting was called.

    The first public meeting was held February 2, 1972, at the Mechanicsville Bank with about a dozen persons attending. At this time the list of donors had reached ten for a total of $250.00. Subsequent meetings were held Sunday afternoons at the Methodist church with larger groups attending. A week later a vote was taken and it was decided to organize. This was done February 20, when articles and by-laws were approved and a board of directors elected.

    The board included Hugh Doty, president; Mrs. Janet Ford, secretary-treasurer; Harold Nicoll, vice-president; William G. Koch, the Rev. P. J. Casey, Mrs. Gorman Robinson and Quentin Robinson, directors.

    Nicoll was named to head a finance committee which included Koch, Everett Ferguson, Don Davidson, Gorman Robinson and Gladys Blake. The site committee included Quentin Robinson, Tom Railsback. H. H. Rinehart, O. H. Curtis, and V. J. Hartzell.

    Under the direction of Kenneth Dunn and other Farmers Home Administration officials, the organization adopted the name Pioneer Terrace Inc., and incorporated on a non-profit bases.

    In early May bids were sought from several bidders with five submitting bids. A contract was let to Anamosa Lumber Company for $55,000 on May 24, after some negotiations, when all bids exceeded the $55,000 limit established by FHA.

    Construction was begun in late June on a site at the corner of Kohlhase and Jackson streets which had been purchased for $1500 from the Mechanicsville Trust & Savings Bank.

    To date 137 donors and members had given a total of $3,975.

    The loan from FHA was for 50 years with 2 per cent interest. When the loan is repaid, it is anticipated that the property will revert to the city of Mechanicsville.

    Rental for 2-bedroom units was established at $96.00 per month, with one bedroom units renting for $81.00 per month. This included heat, lights, water, garbage pick-up, sewer rental, use of a washer and dryer, but did not include telephone.

    The units are all-electric, including heat and are fully carpeted. The board found it necessary to install additional lighting in the baths and for decorative purposes, allotted $150.00 more than the contract called for in lighting fixtures.

    Among the features is a 30 ft. TV tower which serves all units. The baths have grip bars, ceramic tile and spray nozzles which may be used at the lavatory as well as the tub.

    The board was indebted to all the donors, of course, and especially to the Mechanicsville Bank for the extensive use of its facilities and Dr. and Mrs. F. M. Wilson were donors of trees set around the apartment complex with the Mechanicsville Garden Club donating shrubbery.

PIONEER TERRACE II

    In less than two years time it was apparent that another “Terrace” was needed, once again with the help of FHA another complex was approved and another five unit contract was let to Fullerton Lumber Company of Oxford Junction. This unit was built in the same block to the east side of the first unit.

    The officers at the time of the building of this second unit were Quentin Robinson, president; Mrs. Janet Ford, secretary-treasurer; Mrs. Louise Davidson, James Cook, John Sauer, Robert Beck and Mrs. Gorman Robinson, directors.