County by County: Celebrating the 150-year-old Black River Falls Library
BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – This week, we’re spotlighting the people, places, and things that make Jackson County a unique part of our area in the latest edition of our County By County series. Here’s something you may not know. Jackson County is home to Wisconsin’s first established public library. Now, more than 150 years later, First News at Nine’s Kim Leadholm tells us how the library continues its mission to serve its community.
Works from Stephen King, Agatha Christie and Nicholas Sparks fill the shelves of the Black River Falls Public Library. Black River Falls Public Library Director, Cara Hart, says, “We have over 25,000 items including cake pans and senior connection kits.”
It’s a collection bound to grow, with such a long history, “That is 152 years now.” 152 years of serving the community, providing a variety of books for enjoyment, and information to learn from. “We try very hard to meet our community needs. Whatever they may be.”
One way to do that is through a glimpse into the past. Black River Falls Public Library Historian, Mary Woods, “People still come and want to look at old newspapers. They want to look at those family histories that aren’t available.”
Family history is what Jeffrey Jones came looking for, “I know that my family, my great grandparents moved here in 1868. I’m here to try to find out. More about what happened then where they lived. If their houses are still in existence.”
Jones lives in Sarasota, Florida. He came to Wisconsin to speak in Milwaukee. So, while he’s in the Badger State… “I thought we just have to get back to Black River Falls with too much of A connection there.”
The Black River Falls Public Library is no longer in the same building it started, but the impact of its presence and resources persist. Jones says, “The resources… this connection with my family roots… there’s an emotion involved in that that I don’t get anywhere else. I just feel much more connected. And that also gives me a greater sense of me.”
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