First Public Library Building in Kansas

 

 

I recently acquired a postcard (shown above) which claims to show the "First public Library building in Kansas erected 1879 at Peabody". The article in Wikipedia for the Peabody Historical Library Museum (which is now housed in the the Library building on the postcard) indicates that the building was built in 1875. According to the Wikipedia article the Kansas State Legislature authorized the Township of Peabody to levy a tax to support the Library in 1876. The Peabody Township Library claims to be "the first free library in Kansas". In 1914 the 1875 building was replaced with a building made possible by a grant from Andrew Carnegie. The first library building was relocated a couple of times but is now located next to the Carnegie building which still houses the Peabody Township Library.