Building History

An article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer covered the ground-breaking ceremony for the new King County Library System's Mercer Island Branch in 1955: "A three year old dream was realized Sunday when ground was broken for the new Mercer Island Library, at 88th Ave. S.E., and S.E. 44th St., on the island. Island residents have raised more than $8,000 for the new library during the past three years, leaving $1,500 to be raised. Materials valued at more than $1,000 have been donated. Paul Daniels of O.B. Daniels and Son, contractors, and Jesse Wilkins of Wortman and Wilkins, architects, have donated their services. Until the new building is completed, the library will continue in the Guild Hall in East Seattle, the use of which Emmanuel Episcopal Church has donated to the Mercer Island Library. The Mercer Island Branch Library ranks high in book use per capita among the 40 branch libraries in King County. During the past year, 24,000 books were used from this library by the 9,000 residents." (See "Ground Broken for Library on Mercer Island," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 02/14/1955, p. 6S.)

PCAD id: 22925