Middletown Free Library

The Helen Kate Furness Free Library was founded in October 1902 by a group of Nether Providence citizens as the Horace Howard Furness Free Library, named in honor of one of the founders, a famous Shakespearean scholar whose estate, Lindenshade, was located in what is now Furness Park. In the early years, the library was housed in a 12 foot square room of the newly built Wallingford elementary school. Dr. Furness' died in 1912. In his will, he bequeathed $5, 000 to the library on the condition that the Library's name be changed to The Helen Kate Furness Free Library to honor Dr. Furness' wife who was also a Shakespearean scholar. In today's dollars, Dr. Furness' bequest would be worth about $87, 000. In 1913, Dr. William Henry Furness III, a son of Dr. and Mrs. Furness, conveyed to the library an acre of land on which a native stone building was constructed in 1916. It was then that the dedicated volunteer system really started. The library was open for limited hours each week, staffed by community volunteers and part-time professional librarians. The library was only open in the evenings. In fact, for several years during the late 1940's, the Nether Providence School District rented the library during the day for use as a kindergarten classroom. The proceeds from the lease were the library's only source of income. As late as 1954, the library was only open 8 hours a week. By 1959, the population of the area had increased from less than 2, 000 in 1916 to over 10, 000. The citizens of Nether Providence and Rose Valley initiated a capital campaign which raised approximately $65, 000 to build an addition to the original building, add equipment, and renovate the old building. In today's dollars, the proceeds from that campaign would be worth about $375, 000. A second addition, the Chadwick Wing, was added in 1974 with a gift of $50, 000 from the estate of Judge E. Wallace Chadwick of Rose Valley, who died in 1969. A $10, 000 bequest from the estate of Mr. Chadwick's wife, Alice Chadwick, provided additional funding to furnish the wing. Today the value of those two gifts would be about $210, 000. Since 1974, usage of the library has increased dramatically, placing a strain on the current facilities and preventing the library from offering the environment and the services that our patrons want and need. The quality of life we enjoy in our community has always attracted families who value education and who want a strong Library for their children, grandchildren, and themselves. Consequently, an addition to the Library was completed in 2006 in order to meet the needs of the community. Helen Kate Furness Free Library 100 N. Providence Rd., PA 19086 Wallingford( 610) 566-9331 furnesslibrary@delco.pa.us

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