Education
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John James, Hoquiam's first settler, was in effect Hoquiam's first librarian when his small home collection of books in the 1860s helped answer questions from local people about subjects such as the moon, tides, and ocean travel. By 1908, the Young Men's Progressive Club made a Carnegie Library its primary improvement project for Hoquiam, with timberman and industrialist Frank Lamb chairing the effort and a committee drawn from the City Council, School Board, Commercial Club, and Woman's Club exploring how to establish the new library. In October 1908, under City Council authorization, the mayor appointed Hoquiam's first Library Board of Trustees, and Lamb soon began corresponding with Andrew Carnegie's secretary, James Bertram, who oversaw Carnegie's library building program. While awaiting a decision on Carnegie funding, Hoquiam's Public Library opened in the former home of R.D. Merrill at 7th and K Streets. In May 1910, Carnegie granted the city $20,000 to build a new library on the Merrill home site, Hoquiam contractor Fred Knack won the construction bid, and the new prairie-style building was formally dedicated on August 25, 1911.
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Hoquiam, Washington · United States
