One of the first groups ever organized in the town was the Library Association. It existed for a number of years but, eventually, expired, and the books were scattered. In 1868, a new Library Association was formed which remained active until the 1940’s. The members of the Association paid annual dues (50 cents in 1940), sponsored money-raising activities, and selected books. Money was usually appropriated at town meetings for support of the library, and other organizations and individuals contributed to it. For a number of years, including 1883 and 1912, the Ladies Sewing Circle donated $20.00. On June 1, 1900, there was an entertainment in the Town Hall for benefit of the Library. A part of the program was the representation of a railroad car (The Washington County Railroad had come to Dennysville in 1989). For several years during the 1930’s, Nellie Kilby (Mrs. Keith) sponsored Silver Teas, the proceeds from which were given to the Library. In the early part of the 20th century several descendants of Theodore Lincoln, represented by Alice Tinkham, offered to finance the construction of a library building as a Lincoln Memorial. At an adjourned town meeting, held during the evening of April 22, 1912, it was voted to accept Miss Tinkham’s proposition. By June the construction was well underway with progress having been made with the hollow tile walls. By December the building was complete on the lot by the schoolhouse, which was originally the location of Capt. John Smith’s home, and gravel was being hauled in to level the ground around it. The books, which had previously been kept in the back room of Gardner’s store and later in the vestry, now had a home of their own. The attractive building not only was a convenient repository for various volumes, but provided ample space and pleasant surroundings for townspeople who wished to study, read for pleasure, or sign out books for home use. The dedication exercises of the Lincoln Memorial Library were held June 19, 1913, partly in the new building and partly in the Congregational Church. A reception followed in the Town Hall in the evening in honor of Miss Alice S. Tinkham who represented the donors. In November, 1913, a trench was dug by Millard Lyons and Emery Seeley at the Library preparatory to placing a cement walk in the spring. That walk, which masons from St. Stephen laid in May 12-16, 1914, remains in almost perfect condition today. They did their work well! Although records do not indicate by whom the event was sponsored, there was a flag raising on the “Library Green” following the church service on Sunday, May 6, 1917. The same flagpole displayed the fag on that spot until within memory of present senior citizens. In 1976 a metal pole and American flag were erected in the same location by Mr. and Mrs. Donald Phinney in memory of their son, Franklin, who was serving as selectman at the time of his death. In 1931, five years after electric lighting was made available for homes and other buildings in Dennysville, the citizens voted that the town should bear the expense of lighting at the Lincoln Memorial Library, provided the lights be installed without expense to the town. Miss Jennie Kilby, librarian for many years, was succeeded by Almeda Gardner (Mrs. Ralph) and Dorothy Stevens (Mrs. Glen). For many years, following the 1940’s the Library the Association was dormant, and the books remained idle on the shelves, while the building was used as a Town Office. With a resurgence of interest following the celebration of the town’s Bicentennial in 1986 the Library Association was reactivated, with Miss Rebecca Hobart volunteering to serve as Librarian, assisted by Mrs. Barbara (Brown) Lingley, Miss Amy Savage, and others. With volunteer labor, special gifts, and support from the Town and the County Commissioners on behalf of the Unorganized Territories, the building was renovated and returned to its original function of serving the community as a Library. Since that time, improvements including new furnishings, computers, and copying machines, have added much to the enjoyment and usefulness of the building, which has remained essentially unchanged since it was constructed in 1912. The Board of Trustees of what is now the Lincoln Memorial Public Library is developing plans for a modern entrance and addition to benefit the people of the area for the twenty-first century. Drawn from Rebecca W. Hobart, Dennysville 1786-1986 . . . and Edmunds, Too!, 2nd Edition, Dennys River Historical Society, 1993. p. 24, see also p. 117.

Contemporary Photographs of the Dennys River AreaPhotos for Map

Dennysville Lincoln Library website