By Deborah Bier, Concord Magazine editor. Through the month of October, the Concord Free Public Library is celebrating its 125th anniversary and the man who most made it possible: William Munroe.
During the years preceding the actual October 1, 1873 opening of Concord's grand new library, William Munroe worked toward this goal with focused, unwavering intent. Despite his poor health, he involved himself with every aspect of the process. One might think there is as much William Munroe in each piece of timber used in the construction as there is wood.
Born in Concord in 1806, he was the oldest of the Munroe children and the son of William Monroe of pencil-making fame. He became wealthy from the importation and sale of dry goods. Though he also lived in Boston as well as New York and London, he never lost his love for Concord, summering here for years. When he returned to live here full-time, he did so at the corner of Academy Lane and Main Street...just down the block from where his library was to be built.
The creation of the library meant much more than the erection of a building. Munroe honed a vision, purpose and scope for a library worthy of the town he was so proud of. Funding had to be obtained to supplement his generous endowment. He had to create insurance for the future soundness of the institution. The current collection had to be moved from the pre-existing Town Library (established in 1851). And a thousand other aspect of the project were all personally overseen by Munroe. And it didn't stop with the dedication of the new library: right up until he died in April of 1877, he was planning for a future expansion.Munroe endowed much more than a building when he saw the library through to completion. His initiation of the tradition of doing great works for the town -- both in terms of financial contribution and personal service -- has helped shape the ethos of Concord and greatly affects the quality of life here.
One of the most lasting physical contributions the library-building project made to Concord is not immediately obvious. Photographs and drawings of Main Street between Walden Street and Sudbury Road before the erection of the library are confusing to those who are used to how this area looks now. The way the road narrowed and turned, it obstructed the Main Street view of the library property. This now well-known sight would be unfamiliar to modern Concordians.
With the consent of the town and county, the widening and straightening of Main Street gave the town not only an improved central boulevard, but it also created an uninterrupted view of the library from anywhere on the downtown section of the street.
Reading the 1871 report of the Committee on the Widening of Main Street, we see there are several good arguments brought forth for the recommended changes. Improvement of the condition of the road surface, its drainage, and the wish to unbottle congestion at that location are discussed in detail. That it would provide a grand and unobstructed view of the library is presented somewhat parenthetically. While we cannot be certain that the widening of Main Street occurred in large part for the library's sake, some may choose to read between the lines and say at the very least, the timing of the roadwork certainly was extremely convenient for that purpose.
Widening and straightening the street at this point required moving a building and taking down some trees, but it was accomplished nonetheless. Like the Avenue des Champs Elysees was planned as the grand processional to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the first two blocks of Main Street, Concord present a noble prelude to the library.
Sources:
Annual Reports of the Officers of the Town of Concord, March 1, 1871-March 1, 1972.
Memoirs of Members of the Social Circle in Concord, Fourth Series, 1909.
William Munroe's Vision, Exhibition Text, October 1998, Leslie Perrin Wilson
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Taking the Library for Granted
After living anywhere a while, it's so easy to take for granted exceptional aspects of your home town. And one of those for us in Concord is the Free Public Library.  And few small town libraries can compare when it comes to Special Collections, this library's archive of primary and secondary source materials documenting Concord history, literature, and life from the 17th century to the present day. These serve local, regional, national, and international researchers. "Usually, special collections of the caliber we have are found in only in large urban and university libraries," says curator Leslie Perrin Wilson. "This is part of William Munroe's vision when he oversaw the creation of the library."
The library has been especially helpful to this publication. They really understand the spirit of the Web and the type of information we make available to the public. We are grateful for the help and support they have provided us.
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Text: ©1998 The Concord, MA Homepage.
All photographs are from the Special Collections at the Concord Free Public Library. The 1873 photo of library interior is by A.H. Folson of Roxbury. Photo of Munroe is originally a cabinet card by Allen & Rowell of Boston. The exterior photo of the library is unattributed.
Background and other art by JaguarWoman, rendered from details of unattributed tapestry borders from the 18th Century.
