Charles Gravius Memorial Library- American Woman's League Chapter House

This building was constructed in 1910 as a chapter house of the American Woman's League. The local chapter was known as the Jeffress Chapter and named in honor of A. W. Jeffress who donated this land to the chapter. After the A.W.L. was disbanded in 1912, the Works in Progress Administration under FDR in 1935, transformed the chapter house into a library. After the leader of the library, Charles Gravius died in 1938, his sister Emilia Gravius donated the building and funds to maintain the library. The library is now operated by the community of Marine.

The Marine Chapter House was a Class I house, and belonged to the Jeffress Chapter, named after A. W. Jeffress, who donated the land the building sits on. After the A.W.L. was disbanded in 1912, the Works in Progress Administration under FDR in 1935, transformed the chapter house into a library. After the leader of the library, Charles Gravius died in 1938, his sister Emilia Gravius donated the building and funds to maintain the library. It is now run and maintained by the community of Marine.

While still being used as an AWL Chapter House, the League also provided a set of mission-style furniture, carpets, and a phonograph. The state-of-the-art phonograph was built into a cabinet. The League maintained a Lending Library of phonograph records that circulated among the Chapters. Many towns did not yet have electricity, and each Chapter was responsible for installing their own lighting system. The Jeffress Chapter chose elaborate gas fixtures to light both ends of the meeting room.

After the American Woman’s League disbanded in 1912, members continued working for political equality. In 1935, the Works Progress Administration, under FDR, transformed the chapter house into a library. After the leader of the library Charles Gravius died in 1938, his sister donated the building and funds to maintain it as a library. By 1975 Emilia Gravius’ s donation was running out and the community kept the library open through various projects until Miss Ella Henze endowed the library, allowing it to remain open. The building was placed on the NRHP in 1980 after it was remodeled with updated modern technologies such as plumbing, indoor electrical heating, and lighting.

Researched and Written by Madelyn Knight

Uploaded on behalf of the Madison County Historical Society by Kiley Fuchs

Jessica Mills, “Charles Gravius Memorial Library,” Madison Historical: The Online Encyclopedia and Digital Archive for Madison County, Illinois, https://madison-historical.siue.edu/encyclopedia/the-charles-gravius-memorial-library/

http://www.marinehistoricalsociety.org/library.html ; http://hpa.illinois.gov/PDFs/200412.pdf