General Info

The Skowhegan Free Public Library had its early origins in the Canaan Social Library ( Skowhegan was originally part of Canaan ), which provided services from 1798-1830. From 1830 until 1867, townspeople depended on private or social lending. Skowhegan Library Association was incorporated in 1867 providing library services to the town of Skowhegan In 1887, Skowhegan resident and former Maine Governor Abner Coburn bequeathed the sum of $30, 000 to the trustees of Bloomfield Academy to be used for a public library. The town of Skowhegan was required to furnish 25% of the cost of the new library to be used for a Memorial Room in honor of the men of the town who served in the Civil War. Gardiner architect, Edwin E. Lewis, designed the Queen Anne style building overlooking the Kennebec River. The red brick building featured turrets, stained and leaded glass windows, and unusual design decoration in the facade. The interior consisted of large reading and reference rooms and a two story stack room in the rear. The second floor of the main section consisted of "parlors" for local club meetings. Upon completion of the building Skowhegan Library Association donated their entire collection of over 4000 volumes to the trustees of Bloomfield Academy.