
The Jonathan Bourne Public Library (est. 1891) is a
public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants.
There are ...
in
Bourne, Massachusetts
Bourne ( ) is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 20,452 at the 2020 census.
For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Bourne, please see the articles on Bourne (CDP), ...
. Prior to 1891, the town lacked a public library, as it was a part of the town of Sandwich. The town of Bourne was incorporated on April 2, 1884. The Bourne library was named in honor of Jonathan Bourne (1811-1889), who was a
New Bedford
New Bedford (Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast region. Up through the 17th century, the area was the territory of the Wampanoag Native American pe ...
alderman, major investor in the
whaling business, member of executive councils of Massachusetts governors
George D. Robinson
George Dexter Robinson (born George Washington Robinson; January 20, 1834 – February 22, 1896) was an American lawyer and Republican politician from Chicopee, Massachusetts. After serving in the Massachusetts General Court and United States ...
and
Oliver Ames, and namesake of the town of Bourne. Bourne's daughter, Emily Howland Bourne, donated the library's original building in 1897.
The 1897 building, located at 30 Keene Street, served as the library until 1985. During those years, space was on a number of occasions an issue, and the building was repeatedly modified to make room for more books and services. In April 1985, the library was moved to the former Frances Stowell Grammar School at 19 Sandwich Road. The old building has been repurposed as the Jonathan Bourne Historical Center, housing town archives and the local historic society. It was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...
in 2013.
See also
*
List of public libraries in Massachusetts
This is a list of public libraries in Massachusetts, USA.
The majority (but not all) of the libraries without a consortium link, in the following counties, belong to:
*Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex and Worcester - C/W MARSbr ...
*
New Bedford Whaling Museum
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is a museum in New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States that focuses on the history, science, art, and culture of the international whaling industry, and the "Old Dartmouth" region (now the city of New Bedford and ...
, beneficiary of gift from Emily Howland Bourne, in honor of her father Jonathan Bourne.
[Old Dartmouth Historical Society. Dedication of the Jonathan Bourne Whaling Museum. 1916.]
*
References
External links
Jonathan Bourne Public LibraryJonathan Bourne Historical Center
Public libraries in Massachusetts
1891 establishments in Massachusetts
Libraries in Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Bourne, Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Barnstable County, Massachusetts
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