Marian Fell Library

Around 1902, the Fell family left Russia and established a permanent residence in Warrenton, Virginia. The development of Fellsmere several years later captured Marian’s interest, and she often accompanied her father to the Florida settlement. There she apparently met Patrick Vans Agnew. They developed a relationship that resulted in marriage in 1914. Vans Agnew, a Kissimmee attorney, supervised the legal affairs of the Fellsmere Farms Company and served as Fellsmere’s first city attorney. The couple resided briefly in Jacksonville before eventually settling in Winter Park.  

Although she did not reside in Fellsmere, Marian remained intrigued with the Fellsmere settlement throughout her life. To promote literacy and culture in the community, she donated her publication royalties to the Fellsmere Library Association, which was formed in October 1914, for the construction of a library and the acquisition of books. The building was completed in April 1915. The opening remarks at the dedication ceremony were provided by Patrick Vans Agnew. Senator Nathan P. Bryan delivered the principal address. Because of Marian Fell’s generosity in financing the construction of the library, the Association named the building in her honor. The main (west) façade of the Marian Fell Library faces onto North Cypress Street. The recessed entrance is centrally located and marked by a slightly projecting, gabled portico. A flight of steps originally led to the portico. One side of the steps is now converted into a ramp for handicap access. 

The Library Association received the deed to the property from the Fellsmere Farm Company soon after completion of the building. Membership in the Library Association required a small fee, but the library facilities were open to the entire community. In 1918, the organization boasted seventy-six members with $275 in revenue, and a collection of approximately one-thousand-seven-hundred books. Several thousand books were circulated each year. The Association actively solicited book donations and periodically published new acquisitions, giving credit to each donor. Periodicals and area newspapers were available to patrons. 

The building served as a popular site for lectures, recitals, and public meetings. The Association hosted canning demonstrations, flower shows, exotic food preparation, bird shows, and other cultural events. Subcommittees were established to organize periodic presentations on architecture, art, horticulture, and music. Literacy and lyceum courses were offered occasionally. Officers in the Florida Audubon Society, Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs, and the Florida State Board of Health presented lectures, and area woman’s clubs occasionally held meetings in the library building. 

Library Association memberships declined in the 1920s and 1930s, a period when little development occurred in Fellsmere. Nevertheless, benefit parties, social gatherings, and fund raisers were periodically hosted by the Association. Because the library depended heavily upon volunteers for its operation, the hours were limited, usually restricted before four and eight hours each week. Between 1930 and 1940, kitchen and restroom additions were made to the building. 

The Fellsmere Library Association continues to serve the cultural needs of Fellsmere, maintaining a collection of books, periodicals, and historical materials. It was awarded a small grant from the Division of Historical Resources in the 1980s to make repairs to the chimney and roof of the Marian Fell Library Building. 

Marian Fell Library, National Register of Historic Places. Accessed December 30th 2020. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/77841216.

Marian Fell Library, Visit Indian River County. Accessed January 22nd 2021. https://visitindianrivercounty.com/listing/marian-fell-library/.