Last year, the Wissahickon Valley Public Library celebrated their 100th birthday since its establishment in 1923 in Ambler. To celebrate National Library Week 2024, let's take a look back to how libraries came into existence in the Wissahickon Valley Region, and how the Wissahickon Valley Public Library became what it is today.
The Whitpain Library Company
The Whitpain Library Company was organized in Pigeontown (now known as Blue Bell) on December 6, 1817 at the home of Jacob Croll. Jacob Croll's home was at the White Horse Inn until it was renamed as the Blue Bell Inn.
Fun Fact # 1: The Hatboro Library was the oldest library in Montgomery County (1755). It was the 3rd oldest library in Pennsylvania! The oldest one being the Library Company of Philadelphia founded by Benjamin Franklin (1731).
The charter was officially signed on January 8, 1818 with John Styer as its first librarian. His first task was to find a room "for the convenience of keeping the books." At that time, the library was a "traveling library," and John Styer decided to keep the books at his own home. It wasn't until the first Purchasing Committee was formed to buy books for the library. John Slingluff and Samuel Rhoads were chosen in the committee to buy the books. These men were "gifted with literacy discernment and culture taste." 64 books were cataloged from the committee.
One of the controversial policies (Section 24) that was put on the library company stated that,
"There shall be no books of any kind whatsoever contrary to the Christian religion, admitted to the library by purchase, gift or otherwise."
Fun Fact # 2: One of the committee members found a copy of the Koran book (an Islam text), and placed it high on the shelves until further noticed.
The library continued to be a "traveling library" when Azariah Thomas was appointed as the next librarian in 1827. Thus, the books from John Styer's home was moved to his home. It wasn't long when Azariah Thomas moved out of Whitpain, and the books at his home were temporarily moved to the home of Job Roberts, president of the library company at the time. John Slingluff, Jr. was appointed the next librarian in 1829, and the books were moved to his home near Broad Axe. John Slingluff, Jr. died in 1832.
With 500 volumes of books, it became difficult to move books from one place to another. They decided to find a permanent home for the books. With many appointed librarians moving out and passing away, they were able to find a permanent home for the library books. It was the year 1838 when they relocated the books at the Blue Bell Store, owned later on by Charles DePrefontaine (1844-1932). He was appointed librarian since 1867.
The library contained...
About 2,000 books
Since 1828, cataloged 366 books
44 books were historical
44 books on travel and biography
21 books were encyclopedias
Books on theology (ex. book of sermons by Elias & Edward Hicks)
Letters and lectures
Political diatribes
Military rules
The Rural magazines
Plays of Shakespeare in 9 volumes
The Children of the Abbey by Regina Maria Roche
Thaddeus of Warsaw and Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter
Quentin Durward by Sir Walter Scott
"This library was a blessed Mecca, to which the boys and girls in years gone by, felt it a privilege to make a Saturday afternoon pilgrimage for books, and no doubt the care with which their fathers selected the literature for its shelves, is largely responsible for 'The men, women and events in the history of Whitpain...'"
- Ambler Gazette, January 3, 1918
The Ambler Public Library Part 1: The WCTU Library Movement
Before Ambler established their own library, the people used the Union Library of Upper Dublin in Three Tuns. The library was established on January 20, 1834, and found its first home at the Three Tuns Store owned and built by Clement Jones at the time.
The purchasing committee consisted of four people: Lewis Jones, Jesse Shoemaker, Dr. Joshua Jones, and John McNair. They all purchased books that were "agreed on" at a cost of $10.25. They bought a book case that was an additional $5. Clement was appointed as the library's first Librarian.
The books were placed on the first floor inside a storage room of Clement Jones's store. Laster on the books were moved to the second floor.
The library served for over 50 years until the membership dropped to 13 people. It wasn't until 1887 when Keasbey & Mattison co-founder Henry G. Keasbey's wife Anna Keasbey (1855-1897) and her mother organized the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in the newly established town of Ambler. One of their goals was to establish a library in the town. They were drawn to the Union Library of Upper Dublin, and suggested to have the library relocate to Ambler due to the town's rising population.
There were four provisos the WCTU had to do in order to relocate the library to Ambler:
"That for 10 years each original stockholder shall be exempt from the payment of the annual dues.
That $500 worth of new books shall be placed on the Library shelves.
That suitable quarters be provided.
That owning to the change of location 'Upper Dublin' be omitted from the name."
The books were brought to Ambler, and were temporarily placed on the second floor of David Knipe's (1832-1919) store on Main Street and Butler Avenue.
Anna Keasbey made plans to provide a permanent place for the library. $1,000 was donated to the WCTU, and the WCTU procured subscriptions from the residents of Ambler. With so much enthusiasm and support from Anna Keasbey, $8,500 was raised for building the new library.
A lot of 45 by 150 feet was donated by John S. Buchanan at the northeast corner of Ridge Avenue and Butler Avenue, and the purchase cost $400. The architect and builder behind the new library were locals Milton Bean and Theodore Beck. The cost to build the new library was $3,300.
Things took a turn when Anna Keasbey was obliged to leave the country due to her health. After the WCTU heard the news of Keasbey's death, the library went into jeopardy when a protest arose against the completion of the building. People protested not only about the location of the library that was in the middle of the business section, but also the WCTU movement itself. Because of the many oppositions they face, the WCTU decided to give up the deed and the money raised to the library completely.
They have to give up what they had on two conditions:
"That the Library shall agree to build immediately a suitable building thereon and assume all indebtedness or claims against said lots.
That the Library shall agree to lease, on the completion of said building, two rooms to the W.C.T.U. for 5 years at the same rate, and so on so long as the said W.C.T.U. require said rooms."
Keasbey's mother was in France at the time, and gave all of her moral support to the WCTU in a letter she wrote:
"The women have been awakened to their own responsiblities: public sentiment has been aroused, and approves; the lions have been taken out of the way. I am sure you must all rejoice in the good work thus far, and feel encouraged to go forth bravely, hopefully, trusting in our Lord and Saviour who went about doing good."
Mrs. Thomas Foster, Anna Keasbey's mother
Even though the letter helped encouraged the women of the WCTU, they felt overwhelmed with the controversy they faced. As a result, they returned all the money to their contributors.
The Ambler Public Library Part 2: A New Beginning
On March 9, 1890, a fire broke out at the building with the library books inside. Fortunately, a $2,500 insurance was enabled by the library directors to buy new books and interest. The following year, the books were moved to the second floor of the Ambler Opera House, owned by the Keasbey & Mattison Company.
Fun Fact # 3: Dr. Richard V. Mattison served at the library's president for 38 years since the library relocated to the Opera House in 1895.
Emily Houghton served as the librarian for one year until Eliza J. Davis succeeded her as the next librarian who served for 37 years.
Fast forward to Valentine's Day 1923 when former school teacher Mary B. Russell (1874-1940) began the movement to establish a public library for the Colony Club of Ambler. The first meeting was held at Miss. Henszey's school on Lindenwold Avenue.
Fun Fact # 4: Mary B. Russell never lost interest in the children and books. She said this: "Happy indeed is a child with a good book."
There were originally 12 books purchased and presented to the club:
This Freedom by A.S.M. Hutchinson
Wonder of the Wasteland by Jane Grey
Rough Hewn by Dorothy Canfield
The Cathedral by Hugh Walpole
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth, a pseudonym
One of Ours by Willa Cather
Fair Harbor by Joseph C. Lincoln
Where the Blue Begins by Christopher Morley
Memories of a Hostess by M.A. DeWolfe Howe
Old Crow by Alice Brown
Pippin by Archibald Marshall
The Lost Mr. Lincheratie by J.S. Fletcher
Members rented these books for 10 cents per week. When enough money was raised, they'd be able to buy new books. Within 3 months, the Colony Club of Ambler could no longer hold too many books. They decided to move to a new space, thanks to the North Penn Community Centre, making it their first home for the library books. Their headquarter was located on 11 Main Street.
As the number of books began to grow (up to 5,000 books), the club and the North Penn Community Centre moved to a larger facility around Ambler until they found a permanent home at the former Knights of Malta Hall on Race Street and Ridge Avenue.
Fun Fact # 5: The children's books were free to use, and the library was rated at Harrisburg as a "Free Public Library for Children."
"You will remember how the library has been financed by entertainments such as the Russisan Dancers, sales of linens from Berea College, card parties, chain luncheons, magazines suscriptions and tag days. During the last six months of 1933, the library did not earn half of the money necessary for maintenance. All the books whose copyright was more than two years old had been put on the free list. Realizing that the financial burden was too great for the Colony Club to cotinue to assume, a meeting of representative citizens was called in November, 1933, to discuss the affairs of the library. At this meeting a Board of Directors was selected to assume control of the library. Mr. Thomas A. Foulke was elected the first president of this Board of Directors numbering more than sixty persons..."
- Mary B. Russell's notes
The library was charted in 1934, resulting in the emergence of the old Union Library of Upper Dublin with the newly established Ambler Public Library.
From the financial difficulties the library faced, the Library Fund Campaign was organzied, and the library received $800 from the campaign. The Ambler Borough Council made contributions to help support the library as well as the American Chemical Paint Company.
In 1935, a bill written by Thomas A. Foulke, and instigated by the Ambler Public Library, was passed in Harrisburg to help maintain public libraries. Since its passing, the school boards of Ambler, Upper Dublin, and Lower Gwynedd began contributing to the library.
Fun Fact # 6: Mary Russell's son Robert M. Russell (1913-1992) asked marine artist Alphonse Joseph Shelton to paint a portrait of his late mother in her honor. Mary and her husband William H. Russell (1867-1945) were acquainted with the artist while spending time in Maine.
The Ambler-Whitpain Libraries Merge!
The second half of the 20th century brought new changes in the Wissahickon Valley Region, and that included the suburban developments outside of Philadelphia, and the establishment of the Wissahickon School District, combining the Ambler Borough, Whitpain and Lower Gwynedd Townships. Meanwhile, Upper Dublin formed their own school district and their own library. The new Ambler Public Library was built and opened on Race Street on September 11, 1961.
With Ambler's library rising, the Women’s Club of Whitpain began a plan to establish a new library in their area, calling it "Library of Whitpain." The Wissahickon School District not only supported the Ambler Public Library for many years, they also began to support the Library of Whitpain. The school district provided a space for the Library of Whitpain on the second floor of the 1895 School House.
With continued support, the Wissahickon School District suggested merging both the Ambler and Whitpain libraries, similar to how Montgomery County and Norristown libraries merged. Thus, in 1969, the Wissahickon Valley Public Library was born!
As the room in the 1895 school house was crammed, the community and the WVPL board established a captial fund to find a new permanent home for the library. They were fortunate to find out about the available 23,000 square feet space at the former skating rink at 650 Skippack Pike. The KCBA Architects were responsible for the design of the new library.
The new library was adaptively reused and opened on May 7, 1994. Due to its huge size, the Whitpain library became the Main library while the Ambler library became the Branch library of the WVPL.
Bibliography
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Bellavance, Russ. "YESTERYEAR A Sneak Peek Into Blue Bell’s Past" Blue Bell’s Finest. December 2015. https://www.wvalleyhs.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/A-Sneak-Into-Blue-Bells-Past-Wissahickon-Valley-Public-Library-December-2015.pdf.
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Smith, J.L. Montgomery County 1893, Ambler Borough, 1893.
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"Whittock's Whitpain." Wissahickon Valley Historical Society. Accessed November 12, 2023. https://www.wvalleyhs.org/whittocks-whitpain/.
"Wissahickon Valley Public Library." MCLINC. Accessed November 12, 2023. https://www.mclinc.org/member-libraries/blue-bell/.
"WVPL History." Wissahickon Valley Public Library. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://wvpl.org/about-us/history.
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