History of the Library

The Port Townsend Public Library was established in 1898 by a group of "leading community ladies." By 1913 they had acquired the land, secured City funding, and received a grant from the Carnegie Library Foundation to construct a new building in keeping with Carnegie architectural design standards of the period. The Port Townsend Carnegie Library served its community so well that a 4,500 sq. ft. addition was added in 1990 to accommodate the high volume of use that continues to increase significantly each year. In 2014 a major renovation was completed. Click here to view a slideshow of the project.

A Source of PT Pride -- History of the Port Townsend Carnegie Library by Pam McCollum Clise