Nichols Memorial Library; NorthEast Alabama Genealogical Society

Howard Nichols graduated from Harvard University in 1893 and was hired to work at a company called the Dwight Manufacturing Company, where his father was the treasurer. Based in Massachusetts, the company wanted to expand into the South to cut costs. As a result, the company tasked Nichols with managing the construction of the new mill. On May 23, 1896, with Nichols supervising, workers moved an electric generator. Suddenly, the wood scaffolding holding it in place collapsed. Nichols was apparently standing on the scaffolding and fell with it. He suffered serious internal injuries and was knocked unconscious but survived. He underwent surgery and eventually regained consciousness, seemingly on his way to recovery. However, he died on June 23 as a result of complications.

Nichols's parents decided to honor his memory by building the library. The project took several years of planning but the library was completed in 1902. The brick was shipped all the way from New England. When it opened, according to Society's website, the library was the first public lending library in the state. During World War II, the building became a child care center to allow women to work in the mill. It appears a daycare center operated in the building until 1973 when it was purchased by the NorthEast Alabama Genealogical Society.

Floyd, W. Warner. "Alabama City Library." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. December 27, 1974. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/8dd7feeb-8d53-434d-833a-b0c98ea26a21.

"Nichols Memorial Library." NorthEast Alabama Genealogical Society. Accessed December 23, 2020. https://neags.com.