Framingham History Center - Edgell Memorial Library
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
The Edgell Memorial Library was built in 1872 as a monument to Civil War soldiers. The Victorian Gothic building was constructed with local funds, materials, and workers, and was the town's first free-standing public library. The community and the Framingham Historical Society prevented its demolition in 1963, when a new library was built. In 2011, the entire building, including the Gothic windows, were restored, and along with The Old Academy, is used as a cultural community center and curation facility by the Framingham History Center. It houses monthly programs, local history exhibitions (including a Civil War exhibit, and a museum shop [1].
Images
Edgell Memorial Library (image from Framingham Historical Society)
![Edgell Memorial Library (image from Framingham Historical Society)](https://storage.googleapis.com/clio-images/medium_23672.51085.jpg)
Historical sketch of the library (image from Framingham Historical Society)
![Historical sketch of the library (image from Framingham Historical Society)](https://storage.googleapis.com/clio-images/medium_23672.51086.jpg)
Edgell Memorial Library interior (image from Framingham Historical Society)
![Edgell Memorial Library interior (image from Framingham Historical Society)](https://storage.googleapis.com/clio-images/medium_23672.51087.jpg)
Interior sketch of the library (image from Framingham Historical Society)
![Interior sketch of the library (image from Framingham Historical Society)](https://storage.googleapis.com/clio-images/medium_23672.51088.jpg)
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The Edgell Memorial Library was built in 1872 as a monument
to Civil War soldiers. The Victorian Gothic building was constructed with local
funds, materials, and workers, and was the town's first free-standing public
library. The community and the Framingham Historical Society prevented its demolition
in 1963, when a new library was built. In 2011, the entire building, including
the Gothic windows, were restored, and along with The Old Academy, is used as a
cultural community center and curation facility by the Framingham History
Center. It houses monthly programs, local history exhibitions (including a
Civil War exhibit, and a museum shop [1].
Sources
1. Framingham History Center. "Edgell Memorial Library." Accessed June 16, 2016. http://www.framinghamhistory.org/