On June 7, 1907, Washington governor Albert E. Mead (1861-1909) dedicates the cornerstone of the Ritzville Public Library. Constructed with funds from Pittsburgh philanthropist Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), the building will house the personal collection of the late Daniel Buchanan (1820-1903), a prominent Ritzville wheat farmer.
Buchanan's Books
In 1902 Daniel Buchanan donated more than 550 volumes of his personal library to the City of Ritzville to be used as a public library for all residents of Adams County. Buchanan, born in Glasgow, Scotland, farmed 34 years in Wisconsin before arriving in Ritzville in 1884. Buchanan brought with him Adams County's first well-drilling equipment. Buchanan served as a member of the Washington constitutional convention in 1889 and for many years chaired Adams County's Republican Central Committee.
The collection was initially housed in the upper story of a local store. Ritzville residents organized the Ritzville Public Library and Improvement Association and J. D. Bassett was elected the first president. G. Reicher was hired as librarian. The Ritzville Public Library was open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
A Permanent Home
Philanthropist and steel magnate Andrew Carnegie donated $10,500 to augment local donations and fund construction of a library building. Of this, $2,500 was used to purchase Lot 6, Block 2, in downtown Ritzville, now 302 West Main. The plot of land had been in 1881 the site of the first school session held in Adams County. The session, the only one held at this location, met in a 10 x 14 foot claim shanty owned by Henry Horn. Roxanna White of McMinnville, Oregon, served as teacher.
The Spokane architectural firm of Preusse & Zittel designed the library building, a one-story brick structure in the Neoclassical style featuring a pedimented entry pavilion and a distinctive corbelled brick cornice. Ritzville contractor Schonce Schuler was responsible for construction.
The Grand Lodge of Masons laid the cornerstone on June 7, 1907. Washington Governor Albert E. Mead delivered an oration as other dignitaries and Adams County residents looked on. The History of Adams County, Washington, published in 1986, states "All secret societies were invited to be present and participate in the parade of which Sheriff Gilson was elected Grand Marshal" (p. 39). The library opened in late 1907. O. W. Hughart was the first librarian in the new facility.
The Library was renovated in 1949, 1953, and 1982. Adams County began providing the library with financial support in 1933. The building has been in continuous use as a library since its inception and served for many years as the meeting place for the Ritzville City Council and many local service organizations. On August 8, 1982, the Ritzville Public Library was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Kendrick Collection
The library is home to the A. M. "Bert" Kendrick (1896-1976) Photographic Collection. Kendrick was a native of Northport, Washington, who had lived in Ritzville as a boy but had moved away. In 1935 he returned to Ritzville and became the leading studio photographer in the region.
The images in the Kendrick Collection date from Ritzville's early years in the 1880s to Kendrick's death and depict agricultural practices in the Big Bend region, farm life, towns, and Northern Idaho wilderness. In addition to Kendick's own photographs, the collection contains much older images that Kendrick apparently took photographs of, a practice called copy-standing.
Ever since Kendrick's niece donated the images and negatives to the Ritzville Public Library shortly after his death, local residents have participated in a decades-long project to identify the faces in the many historical photographs in this important Eastern Washington collection.
