1870 Community Libraries
1870 Principal Libraries (exclusive of those connected to colleges), Report of the Commissioner of Education
Library Name | Library City | Library State | When Founded | Number of Volumes | Annual increase | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
San Francisco Mercantile Library | San Francisco | California | 1853 | 25,000 | 2,000 | |
Hartford Young Men's Institute | Hartford | Connecticut | 1838 | 20,755 | 1,040 | |
Connecticut Historical Society | Hartford | Connecticut | 1839 | 12,000 | ||
Connecticut State Library | Hartford | Connecticut | ||||
New Haven Young Men's Institute | New Haven | Connecticut | 1826 | 10,000 | 250 | |
Wilmington Young Men's Institute | Wilmington | Delaware | 1788 | 7,589 | 350 | |
Savannah Historical Society | Savannah | Georgia | 1839 | 7,500 | 200 | |
Chicago Historical Society | Chicago | Illinois | 1856 | 15,000 | ||
Chicago Young Men's Association | Chicago | Illinois | 1841 | 10,870 | 600 | |
Indiana State Library | Indianapolis | Indiana | 1831 | 25,000 | 250 | |
Catholic Diocesan Library | Vincennes | Indiana | 1835 | 12,000 | ||
Keokuk Library Association | Keokuk | Iowa | 1863 | 5,500 | 600 | |
Dubuque Library | Dubuque | Iowa | 8,000 | |||
Lexington City Library | Lexington | Kentucky | 14,000 | |||
Louisiana State Library | Baton Rouge | Louisiana | 1838 | 14,000 | ||
Lyceum Library | New Orleans | Louisiana | 1844 | 12,000 | ||
Mechanics' Library | New Orleans | Louisiana | 15,000 | |||
Maine State Library | Augusta | Maine | 1839 | 30,000 | 750 | |
Skowhegan Library | Skowhegan | Maine | 1867 | 2,315 | ||
Maryland State Library | Annapolis | Maryland | 1827 | 27,000 | 500 | |
Baltimore Peabody Library | Baltimore | Maryland | 1862 | 34,588 | 4,132 | |
Baltimore Mercantile Library | Baltimore | Maryland | 1839 | 22,975 | 900 | |
Maryland Historical Society | Baltimore | Maryland | 1843 | 17,000 | ||
Maryland Institute Library | Baltimore | Maryland | 1847 | 16,000 | 1,000 | |
Odd Fellows' Library | Baltimore | Maryland | 1840 | 13,000 | ||
Arlington Public Library | Arlington | Massachusetts | 1853 | 2,005 | 50 | |
Barnstable Sturgis Library | Barnstable | Massachusetts | 1867 | 1,845 | ||
Beverly Public Library | Beverly | Massachusetts | 1855 | 4,610 | 100 | |
Bolton Public Library | Bolton | Massachusetts | 1859 | 1,200 | 50 | |
American Congregational Library | Boston | Massachusetts | 1853 | 8,000 | 1,000 | |
Boston Athenaeum | Boston | Massachusetts | 1807 | 100,000 | 2,438 | |
Boston Library | Boston | Massachusetts | 1794 | 19,000 | 400 | |
Massachusetts Historical Society | Boston | Massachusetts | 1791 | 18,500 | 400 | |
Mattapan Literary Association | Boston | Massachusetts | 1848 | 3,000 | ||
Mercantile Library | Boston | Massachusetts | 1820 | 19,555 | 700 | |
Natural History Society | Boston | Massachusetts | 1831 | 12,000 | 500 | |
New Church Library | Boston | Massachusetts | 1864 | 1,000 | 150 | |
Massachusetts State Library | Boston | Massachusetts | 1826 | 20,050 | 1,200 | |
Young Men's Christian Association | Boston | Massachusetts | 1857 | 4,610 | 310 | |
North Bridgewater | North Bridgewater | Massachusetts | 1867 | 2,667 | 400 | |
Brighton Holton Library | Brighton | Massachusetts | 1864 | 5,008 | 530 | |
Brookfield Merrick Public Library | Brookfield | Massachusetts | 1867 | 1,847 | 175 | |
Brookline Public Library | Brookline | Massachusetts | 1857 | 10,000 | 1,000 | |
Dana Library | Cambridge | Massachusetts | 1837 | 4,000 | 300 | |
Charlestown Public Library | Charlestown | Massachusetts | 1860 | 10,155 | 480 | |
Chelsea Public Library | Chelsea | Massachusetts | 1869 | 2,345 | ||
Chicopee Public Library | Chicopee | Massachusetts | 2,600 | 100 | ||
Bigelow Library | Clinton | Massachusetts | ||||
Concord Public Library | Concord | Massachusetts | 1851 | 5,584 | 200 | |
Peabody Institute | Danvers | Massachusetts | 1866 | 140 | ||
Deerfield Library Association | Deerfield | Massachusetts | 1810 | 2,000 | 50 | |
Fall River Public Library | Fall River | Massachusetts | 1861 | 5,033 | 400 | |
Fitchburg Public Library | Fitchburg | Massachusetts | 1839 | 7,500 | 450 | |
Framingham Public Library | Framingham | Massachusetts | 1855 | 175 | ||
Lyceum Library | Gloucester | Massachusetts | 1854 | 3,000 | ||
Public Library | Groton | Massachusetts | 1855 | 1,665 | 50 | |
Public Library | Harvard | Massachusetts | 1,200 | 100 | ||
Public Library | Hinsdale | Massachusetts | 1868 | 2,000 | ||
Public Library | Lancaster | Massachusetts | 1862 | 4,000 | 300 | |
Public Library | Leicester | Massachusetts | 1861 | 1,853 | 105 | |
Franklin Library | Lawrence | Massachusetts | 5,200 | 107 | ||
Pacific Mills Library | Lawrence | Massachusetts | 1854 | 5,000 | 300 | |
Public Library | Leominster | Massachusetts | 1864 | 3,756 | 275 | |
Young Men's Christian Association | Lowell | Massachusetts | 1867 | 200 | ||
Lowell City Library | Lowell | Massachusetts | 13,821 | 600 | ||
Public Library | Lunenburg | Massachusetts | 1850 | 1,350 | 70 | |
Public Library | Lynn | Massachusetts | 1862 | 10,672 | 1,109 | |
Public Library | Millbury | Massachusetts | 1866 | 1,265 | 80 | |
Public Library | Natick | Massachusetts | 1837 | 2,540 | ||
Public Library | New Bedford | Massachusetts | 1852 | 21,000 | 1,000 | |
Free Library | Newburyport | Massachusetts | 1854 | 13,000 | 300 | |
Public Library | Newton | Massachusetts | 1849 | 1,800 | ||
Public Library | Northampton | Massachusetts | 1860 | 5,000 | 200 | |
Peabody Institute | Peabody | Massachusetts | 1854 | 13,300 | 500 | |
Phillips's Free Public Library | Phillipston | Massachusetts | 1862 | 1,869 | 250 | |
Pittsfield Mercantile Library | Pittsfield | Massachusetts | 1850 | 3,300 | 90 | |
Public Library | South Reading | Massachusetts | 1869 | 3,000 | 150 | |
Roxbury Athenaeum Library | Roxbury | Massachusetts | 1857 | 8,000 | 250 | |
Salem Athenaeum Library | Salem | Massachusetts | 1810 | 13,455 | 180 | |
Arms Library | Shelburne Falls | Massachusetts | 1834 | 2,737 | 300 | |
Public Library | Sherborn | Massachusetts | 1860 | 1,500 | 58 | |
Public Library | Springfield | Massachusetts | 1857 | 26,488 | 2,000 | |
Jackson Library | Stockbridge | Massachusetts | 1862 | 4,000 | ||
Public Library | Stoneham | Massachusetts | 1858 | 3,000 | 200 | |
Public Library | Saultborough | Massachusetts | 1852 | 2,511 | 70 | |
Goodenow Library | South Sudbury | Massachusetts | 1863 | 3,784 | 200 | |
Public Library | Taunton | Massachusetts | 1866 | 7,995 | 700 | |
Public Library | Waltham | Massachusetts | 1865 | 5,000 | 412 | |
Public Library | Watertown | Massachusetts | 1868 | |||
Public Library | Wayland | Massachusetts | 1850 | 3,856 | 100 | |
Public Library | Westboro | Massachusetts | 1857 | 1,442 | 100 | |
Westfield Athenaeum Library | Westfield | Massachusetts | 1868 | 2,200 | ||
Public Library | Westford | Massachusetts | 1859 | 1,544 | 66 | |
Pubic Library | Weston | Massachusetts | 1857 | 3,000 | 80 | |
Public Library | Winchendon | Massachusetts | 1867 | 1,295 | ||
Public Library | Winchester | Massachusetts | 1859 | 2,000 | 115 | |
Public Library | Woburn | Massachusetts | 1856 | 3,714 | 112 | |
Public Library | Worcester | Massachusetts | 1860 | 21,000 | 1,500 | |
American Antiquarian Society | Worcester | Massachusetts | 1812 | 50,000 | 912 | |
Public Library | Detroit | Michigan | 1865 | 15,500 | 3,000 | |
Young Men's Society | Detroit | Michigan | 1832 | 10,000 | 500 | |
Michigan State Library | Lansing | Michigan | 1828 | 25,000 | 3,509 | |
Minneapolis Athenaeum | Minneapolis | Minnesota | 1859 | 1,968 | 226 | |
Minnesota Historical Society | St. Paul | Minnesota | 1849 | 3,100 | 1,000 | |
St. Louis Public Library | St. Louis | Missouri | 1865 | 11,800 | ||
St. Louis Mercantile Library Association | St. Louis | Missouri | 1846 | 31,238 | 1,428 | |
Public City Library | Concord | New Hampshire | 1855 | 4,884 | 284 | |
City Library | Manchester | New Hampshire | 1854 | 13,100 | 600 | |
Portsmouth Athenaeum Library | Portsmouth | New Hampshire | 1817 | 10,000 | 200 | |
Newark Library Association | Newark | New Jersey | 1847 | 15,500 | 1,000 | |
Public Library | Newton | New Jersey | 1868 | |||
New York State Library | Albany | New York | 1818 | 76,000 | 7,200 | |
Young Men's Association | Albany | New York | 1833 | 11,021 | 549 | |
Brooklyn Mercantile Library | Brooklyn | New York | 1857 | 22,000 | 1,000 | |
Buffalo Young Men's Association | Buffalo | New York | 1835 | 15,000 | 1,500 | |
Grosvenor Library | Buffalo | New York | 1,000 | |||
Apprentices' Library | New York City | New York | 1820 | 42,740 | 2,126 | |
Astor library | New York City | New York | 1848 | 138,000 | 2,300 | |
Cooper Union | New York City | New York | 1859 | 5,000 | ||
Mercantile Library | New York City | New York | 1820 | 104,513 | 8,840 | Annual increase in 1868 |
Society Library | New York City | New York | 1839 | 28,000 | 800 | |
New York Historical Society Library | New York City | New York | 1804 | 25,000 | 1,000 | |
Rochester Athenaeum Library | Rochester | New York | 1830 | 19,000 | 700 | |
Troy Young Men's Association | Troy | New York | 1834 | 18,178 | 300 | |
Public Library | Syracuse | New York | 1858 | 7,370 | 852 | |
Cincinnati Public Library | Cincinnati | Ohio | 1867 | 21,588 | 5,382 | Annual in 1868 |
Mercantile Library | Cincinnati | Ohio | 1835 | 30,206 | 2,315 | |
Theological and Religious Library | Cincinnati | Ohio | 1863 | 3,500 | 442 | |
Ohio School Library | Cincinnati | Ohio | 1850 | 25,000 | 200 | |
Cleveland Library Association | Cleveland | Ohio | 1846 | 10,000 | 600 | |
Public Library | Cleveland | Ohio | 1868 | 2,500 | ||
Ohio State Library | Columbus | Ohio | 1817 | 31,000 | 1,070 | |
Dayton Public School Library | Dayton | Ohio | 10,000 | |||
Portland Library Association | Portland | Oregon | 1864 | 2,800 | 330 | |
Pennsylvania State Library | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | 1777 | 39,000 | 700 | |
Academy of Natural Sciences | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1812 | 21,580 | 400 | |
Philadelphia Athenaeum | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1814 | 14,500 | ||
Mechanics' Library | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1820 | 20,000 | ||
Mercantile Library | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1821 | 47,000 | 5,500 | |
Philadelphia Library Company | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1731 | 80,000 | 1,500 | |
Loganian Library | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1750 | |||
Young Men's Christian Association | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1854 | 3,000 | 300 | |
Apprentice's Library | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1821 | 20,029 | ||
American Philosophical Society | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1742 | 15,000 | ||
Pittsburg Mercantile Library | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 1847 | 9,100 | ||
Newport Public Library | Newport | Rhode Island | 1807 | 4,225 | ||
Redwood Library and Athenaeum | Newport | Rhode Island | 1730 | 17,400 | ||
Providence Athenaeum | Providence | Rhode Island | 1753 | 29,444 | ||
South Carolina State Library | Columbia | South Carolina | 1814 | 12,000 | ||
Charleston Library Society | Charleston | South Carolina | 1748 | 20,000 | ||
Tennessee State Library | Nashville | Tennessee | 1854 | 12,000 | ||
Vermont State Library | Montpelier | Vermont | 1830 | 11,165 | 512 | |
Virginia State Library | Richmond | Virginia | 1823 | 20,000 | ||
Milwaukee Young Men's Association | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | 1847 | 10,566 | 1,000 | |
Library of Congress | Washington, D.C. | District of Columbia | 1815 | 190,000 | 8,000 | Increase between 8,000 and 9,000 |
Library of House of Representatives | Washington, D.C. | District of Columbia | 25,000 | |||
Patent Office Library | Washington, D.C. | District of Columbia | 1837 | 20,598 | 1,135 | |
Library of State Department | Washington, D.C. | District of Columbia | 1789 | 18,000 | ||
Library of Treasury Department | Washington, D.C. | District of Columbia | 2,730 | |||
Washington Library | Washington, D.C. | District of Columbia | 1814 | 10,000 | ||
Library of Agricultural Department | Washington, D.C. | District of Columbia | 1862 | 7,500 | 1,000 | |
Library Name | Library City | Library State | When Founded | Number of Volumes | Annual increase | Notes |
Source: United States Department of Interior, Report of the Commissioner of Education(Government Printing Office, 1870), 541 – 542.