The Westerly Library first opened its doors on Aug. 15, 1894. Owned and operated by the Memorial and Library Association, the library was a longtime dream of Stephen Wilcox, a local industrialist, inventor, and cofounder of the Babcock and Wilcox Company. Wilcox donated property and initial funds for a building that would stand as a “living memorial” for Civil War soldiers, while also serving the communities of Westerly and Pawcatuck. In the 127 years since we first opened our doors, there have certainly been a lot of changes to the building (and surrounding areas!), but the dedication to our community has remained the same.
On our opening day, the library had a collection of approximately 5,000 volumes, and the building was open 24 hours each week….
