March 6th, 1899: The Westfield Public Library building is dedicated. In 1898, the Westfield Academy trustees gave the Fowler-Gillett Homestead, located on the corner of Court and Elm Street, for the purpose of remodeling the building into a library; however, the processes involved in establishing the first library required much planning and funding before it was shaped into the building Westfield knows today.
In 1864, Dr. Emerson Davis, an educator of Westfield Academy, proposed a financial budget for the formation of the library. The cost of the building was $10,000, the book expenditure was also $10,000, and $10,000 was reserved for the library’s operating expenses. A great deal of effort was put into collecting revenue for such a large budget.
An industrialist named H.B. Smith became invested with the project and wanted to spread the word quickly in order to raise the funds for the institution. He met Samuel Mather, a retired farmer from Westfield and member of the prominent Mather family in New England. Smith laid out Dr. Davis’ plan to Mather, who was then living in Hartford, and quickly gained an ally.
Mather pledged $10,000 in government bonds toward the library fund. By the time the money was needed for the Athenaeum, the bonds had increased in value to almost $11,000. Mather is often referred to as “the founder of this institution.”
The funds from his donation would be used to pay the librarian’s salary, heating and lighting, and other operating expenses. The “Mather fund” has been kept as a separate account to continue supporting this specific application, as specified by Mather himself.
Another financial contributor was Hiram Harrison, the leader of the largest whip manufacturing company in the world. He was a man from humble origins—he lived in poverty as a boy and was offered limited opportunities for education. His support for a town library came swiftly. Although it was not the Athenaeum Library Westfield recognizes today, Harrison spent $10,000 to build a library made of brick and brownstone, located on Main Street. He presented it to the citizens of Westfield on January 9th, 1867.
In an address given in April of 1927, the Reverend Lucius H. Thayer said of the two benefactors, “It is a fact of more than passing interest that the Athenaeum owes its earlier life to two men, not because of the advantages of culture which they had enjoyed, but because they desired that others should have available things of value that had been out of their reach.”
March 6th, 1809: Westfield voted for $100 to be used to repair the Great River Bridge.
March 7th, 1889: The Y.M.C.A. Auxiliary is formed.
March 8th, 1826: A fine of $1.00 was instituted for those riding horseback on sidewalks.
March 8th, 1869: The Police Officers is established. On this same date, money is appropriated for the town clock to be set in the First Congregational Church.
March 9th, 1806: Westfield voted to have $20 used to acquire scrapers to repair the highways.
March 9th, 1896: Mrs. L. J. Bruce is selected as the first woman to serve on the School Committee board.
March 10th, 1891: The Y.M.C.A. is officially incorporated in Westfield.
