Just a few years after the new Meekins Library was built in 1896, this young girl, picturesque in her summer finery and dashing hat, posed in the sunshine with her bicycle on the metal bridge over the Mill River next to the stately building. After the recent June 2024 storm and the loss of several old trees that were planted on the lawn decades ago, the current view is strikingly similar.
The building façade of grey granite, the large, recessed windows, the two granite Ionic columns that stand on the portico are still the same. Tucked up in the corner of the photograph is the large granite monument with a sphere on top, marking the resting place of the library’s benefactor, Stephen Meekins, the tallest stone in the Village Hill Cemetery, just up the street.
This photograph is attributed to Henry Everett and is part of the Meekins Local History Collection. Stop by this summer (Tues. 10-6; Wed. 1-7; Thurs. 3-6; Sat. 9-2) and look at the many resources preserved in the library that help tell the story of our town. Daria D’Arienzo, Meekins Archivist and 2024 photographer. #throwbackthursday; #tbt.
Posted to Facebook 7/11/2024