Rushford Public Library celebrates 100 years

On Thursday, May 25, the Rushford Public Library celebrated its 100th year anniversary in the D.J. Tew Memorial Building. The celebration took place just outside the building located 101 North Mill Street in Rushford, Minn. The event was put together by library director, Beth Nelson and library board members Sonja Cook, M. Kate Welti, Marcella Hosch, Daniel Munson, Jim O’Donnell, Burton Svendsen, Troy Wilson and Brenda Bergan.

A few people shared their response to the 100th year anniversary:

Library Director Nelson excitedly shared, “I like the nostalgic of the building, with the building being 100 years old!”

A Rushford resident proudly complimented Nelson, “I think Beth is doing a phenomenal job!”

Board member Hosch stated the library to be a great asset to the community.

Board member Wilson stated, “I think it’s excellent good community support!”

Food consisting of hotdogs, chips, deserts, and beverages had been available for the public to enjoy.

Children got to participate in sand art and explore the book fair stand set up.

Adults and children listened to a live band presented by the Darr family.

A freewill donation was set up to help raise funds for a gazebo to be built in honor of previous library director, Susan Hart. The goal is to raise $70,000 to build the gazebo; prior to the event, $55,000 had been raised. Susan Hart had been the library director for Rushford Public Library 1998-2019. Hart was originally from Lake City, Minn., where she graduated Lincoln High School in 1968. Hart attended Viterbo College in La Crosse, Wis., graduating in 1972. She served in the Air Force as a First Lieutenant and registered nurse.

The public got to observe a professional painter at work. Painter Willow Gentile painted a beautiful portrait of the public library’s exterior and donated her painting to the library. Both Winona Public Library in Winona, Minn., and Chatfield Public Library in Chatfield, Minn., get to enjoy a painting done by Gentile, too, as she plans on visiting those locations as well. Gentile has always held a love for art. She states she has been drawing since the age of five and always enjoyed problem solving along with figuring things out through artistic means. Gentile is originally from Rochester, Minn., and attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where she earned a bachelor’s degree in painting.

Gentile not only painted a portrait for the Rushford Public Library but also once illustrated a children’s book entitled Let’s Celebrate! 100 Years of the Rushford Public Library. The library board paired Gentile with author Terri Karsten; together the two put together this nonfiction children’s book that details the history of Rushford Public Library. Gentile stated illustrating children’s books had been a dream of hers and that she felt excited when library director Nelson reached out to her about the opportunity to illustrate the book Let’s Celebrate!

Let’s Celebrate! 100 Years of the Rushford Public Library is narrated by Emerson the tortoise who is modeled after Rushford Public Library’s real female Greek desert tortoise that currently resides at the library.

Emerson the tortoise takes readers back to December 25, 1854, when Rushford became a city. George G. Stevens and Harriet R. Stevens opened up a small convenience store with a library in the corner. The store closed due to the Civil War. In 1896 the Stevens couple donated a brick building and land to establish a library entitled Stevens Library. In 1898 the library officially opened. By 1922, the library building was not big enough so Estelle (Tew) Sprague generously gave money for a new library to be built. The new library was named D.J. Tew Memorial Library Building, which serves as the building for today’s Rushford Public Library. The D.J. Tew Memorial Library Building opened February 8, 1923. A formal dedication of the building was held May 25, 1923.

Rushford continued to expand over the next few decades. As Rushford expanded, the library’s basement area was used by local churches, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts. The library served as a place to hold overflow classes from Rushford’s school. In 1950, Sprague again generously gave money for a new addition to be built onto the D.J. Tew Memorial Library Building. A celebration of the new addition took place with an open house held October 27, 1950. The larger basement space then served as the community center and youth center. In 1966, the addition to the library became office space for SEMCAC. In 1994, the space was remodeled prior to city hall moving in.

Emerson the tortoise brings readers back to today where Rushford Public Library serves the public. Stated in Let’s Celebrate!, Rushford Public Library has on average 2,000 patrons who visit monthly. The library offers around 25 programs that serve both adults and children throughout the year. The library holds 19,889 items available for check out: 2,746 children’s books, 2,187 juvenile books, 481 young adult books, 8,350 adult books, 933 DVDs, 883 CD books, and 364 music CDs.

Prior to May 25, the Rushford Public Library held different activities throughout the year to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of Rushford Public Library in the D.J. Tew Memorial Building. Saturday, January 28 the public got the opportunity to meet the author and illustrator of the book Let’s Celebrate! Saturday, February 11 was Patron Appreciation Day.