Winnsboro Historical Museum
100 East Broadway
A town that does not protect its history does not have a future.
Carnegie Library
Historic Sign Message
In 1909, Winnsboro received a $10,000 grant from the Carnegie Foundation for a library. A two story Greek Revival edifice was constructed here with lower floor as an opera house and upper floor as the library. Standard Club and the City provided financial support for the building. Elizabeth “Bunny” Bozeman pioneered a thirst for education as librarian from 1910-1951. The Carnegie Library closed in 1967. Today the Gilbreath Memorial Library continues to carry on the tradition of providing knowledge and a love for books.
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The history of the Winnsboro Carnegie Library began in 1908, when Mayor R.B. Howell and banker Charles Morris secured a $10,000 grant from the Carnegie Foundation. Although the Foundation initially insisted the building be used exclusively for education, the city successfully argued that planned opera productions were educational, allowing for a dual-purpose design.
The Greek Revival building, located at the corner of South Main and West Broadway, was completed in 1909 and featured elegant columns and a spacious staircase leading to the second floor. The library officially opened for book lending on September 6, 1910, with the Standard Club sponsoring a book donation to stock the shelves.
Key aspects of the library's history include:
Dual Roles: The upper floor housed the library, while the bottom floor, known as Carnegie Hall, served as an auditorium and opera house. Between 1912 and 1920, it was a popular stop for traveling theatrical troupes and vaudeville performers.
"Teen Town": In the late 1940s, the lower floor was converted into a supervised youth center called "Teen Town," providing a safe social haven for local teenagers for over 15 years.
The "Bunny" Bozeman Era: Mrs. Virginia "Bunny" Bozeman served as the librarian from the library's opening in 1910 until her retirement in 1951. She was considered the personification of the library for over 40 years.
By 1960, the building showed significant signs of neglect and decay. Despite pleas from citizens to save the historic landmark, the city sold the property for $18,000 to make room for a Brookshire’s Super Market. The Carnegie Library closed its doors for the final time on June 23, 1967, and was subsequently razed.
The proceeds from the sale, in accordance with Andrew Carnegie's original deed requirements, were used to build a new library facility at 200 West Broadway. This eventually paved the way for the construction of the Gilbreath Memorial Library in 1986, which stands today as the successor to the original Carnegie facility at 916 North Main Street.