How the Library Began:

Our Library History

The year was 1939. The city of Loogootee, Indiana and its 2300 citizens, like the rest of the country, were grappling with the effects of the almost decade-long economic depression. Because of this, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established a program called the Works Progress Administration (WPA) which was intended to (and did) create over 8 million Public Service jobs between 1935 and 1943.

One such WPA program created Recreation Director positions for small cities and towns including those in the Martin and Daviess County areas. Organized recreational sports and the promotion of friendly competition among the towns was one benefit of the program. Baseball teams in Shoals, Loogootee, Washington and Elnora provided countless hours of recreation for the participants and even more hours of entertainment for the general public.

Another WPA program figured directly in the creation of a Public Library for Loogootee. This program funded state-level library service demonstration projects which were intended to create new areas of library services to underserved populations.

The exact motivation for the establishment of a public library, if there was one, has been lost to time but the following, taken from a 1960 College project essay by Marlene Seitz of Loogootee, offers us a glimpse into the library’s formation.

“The Library was first organized in 1939 as a WPA project, a part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal program. In that year, George Tewell was the Recreation Director for the city of Loogootee. He decided the community could well use a Library.”

Mr. Tewell, with the help of Miss Virginia Davis, a public school teacher and the library’s first secretary, got the project underway as an extension of his office. On April 18 of 1939, a request was put forth to the Loogootee City Council from Mr. Tewell’s group to rent space on the second floor above the Walker Drug Store on the Public Square. The request was approved and the library took over the room reached via the entrance on the northwest corner of the building, sharing the second floor with City offices. Mr. Tewell assumed the role as the first librarian and the next step was to build an inventory of books through donations. The Public was informed of the project and as we learned from the Marlene Seitz essay: “Various community groups, clubs and organizations made contributions for its (the library) maintenance and improvement.”

The library opened on September 2, 1939 and at the first board meeting after the opening, the meeting minutes took note of $36.19 in expenses including $3.64 paid to W. A. Walker and Co., presumably for rent. 968 books were ready to loan and an additional 180 books were received in donations within a short period of time. However, it quickly became apparent that a library established under the control of the city’s Recreation Director would be only a temporary measure. On October 28 of 1939, Mr. Tewell received a letter from the Chief of the State Library extension advising him that in order to receive books on loan from the Indiana State Library, Loogootee’s library would need to be classified as a public library.

To that end, on June 6, 1940, a Public Library Board of Directors was named with appointments made by the Circuit Court Judge’s office, the School Board and the City Council. The original Board members were as follows:

James M. Haigerty, President
George Tewell, Vice-President
Mary Hoffman, Secretary
Harriet ‘Hattie’ Ackerman
Virginia Davis
Henry Jones
Grace Ketcham
Agnes Larkin

Helen Arnold was appointed as the first librarian and by 1942, the library was circulating over 7200 items per year. We were unable to find many pictures and only a few memories of that location on the Square but this is certain; The citizens of Loogootee were to climb those dark stairs thousands of times over the next 17 years in order to visit a room filled with drama, comedy, wonder and adventure—but no public restroom—until a civic-minded lady saw fit to take the library to its next destination.

History of Board Members:

1947–1963

Leo Costello
Zelma Harris
Mary Hoffman Lett
Ruth Strickler
Kathro Williams

1977–1987

Robert B. Ackerman
Birdena Dooley
Mary Hagerty
David Harris
Mary Hoffman Lett
Margaret Letts
Jill Cittrell
Florence Olsen
Precella Prather
Lucille Strange
Martin Ward

1989–2004

Faryl Armstrong
Harold McCameron
Bill Daily
Bertis Earps
J.D. Faris
Kenny Frye
Rev. Gene Gresham
Stephanie McAtee
Marsha Street
Judy Treffinger
Debbie Truelove
Darla Wagler
Vincent Williams

2004–2014

Anne Ackerman
Carolyn Parsons-Downey
Brenda Edwards
Rev. Ed Frost
Donna Graber
Marcella Hardwick
Greg Johnson
Shirley Jeffers
Shelley Lengacher
Judy Walton
Lori Walton
Charlotte Winkler

History of Librarians:

Helen Arnold

Works Progress Administration 1940

Lila Jones

Loogootee Public Library September 1941 ~ July 1943

Mary Route

Loogootee Public Library July 1943 ~ November 1955

Veronica Nolan

Loogootee Public Library November 1955 ~ August 1956

Della Strange

Loogootee Public Library August 1956 ~ September 1975

Mary Nolan

Loogootee Public Library September 1975 ~ December 1976

Ellen Fitch

Loogootee Public Library December 1976 ~ July 1977

Vivian (Vicki) Doyle

Loogootee Public Library July 1977 ~ August 1999

Mary (Nolan) Ringwald

Loogootee Public Library August 1999 ~ September 2010

Darla Wagler

Loogootee Public Library September 2010 ~ Present

History of Library Locations:

First library was over the Drugstore on the square 1939 – 1957

Then it was moved over to Frances’ Home 1957 – 2006

Next it was moved to North Line St. 106 2006 – 2019

Finally it was moved to 504 Park St. 2019 – Present

Frances Leah Folks:

Frances Leah Folks

Frances L. Folks was born in Loogootee on October 27, 1883. She was the only child of John H. and Alice Estep Folks. She was raised in Loogootee and educated in the local schools. He father was a potter who made jars, bowls and other items from clay found in Martin County.

After graduating from high school, Fannie served as a millinery apprentice to the Feagan sisters and later opened her own shop. For over 40 years, she owned and operated a ladies’ ready-to-wear store on North Line Street on the east side of the public square in Loogootee. Fannie was known as a prominent and savvy business woman, and took buying trips to Cincinnati, Chicago and New York to purchase ladies clothing for her shop. When in New York, she was known to pretend she was Jewish in an effort to try to get the Jewish wholesalers to give her a better price. Often times they would.

She loved gum and was always chewing it… in many ways that became a “trademark” for her among local residents.

She was fond of pets and always owned a dog. During her lifetime she was known for her generosity. She made contributions to many charitable causes and to many needy people, especially children.

She died October 20, 1956. In her will she bequeathed her home to the city of Loogootee to be used as a public library. Much of her estate was left in trust for the support of the Loogootee Public Library.