History of the Wadsworth Public Library
In 1816 the Connecticut pioneering family of Judge Frederick Brown arrived at their recently purchased property near the future center of downtown Wadsworth. A log cabin was constructed near the northern intersection of today’s Broad and North Lyman Streets. At one point, Judge Brown returned to Connecticut in his covered wagon and returned with a load of books to ensure his children developed their reading skills. He also ‘loaned’ these books to friends and neighbors of the family.
The log cabin was eventually replaced with a wood framed house. The house became the property of George Lyman when he purchased the farm. In the 1900’s the house was owned by the George Parmelee family. The home that once faced Broad Street was moved to the north on North Lyman Street and pivoted to face east. In its old location, Welty’s Filling Station was built. This later became Mantz’s Gulf Station.
The Dentist Thomas Leiter’s house was located adjacent and west of the filling station. In 1925, Ella M. Everhard, the widow of the late Dr. N. S. Everhard, purchased the house and donated to the village of Wadsworth for a public library. An addition at the rear of the house became the home of Theodore Wolbach’s collection of native American and Civil War items. A small outbuilding building behind the house became the Girl Scout House.
The library house was replaced in the mid 1950’s with a modern brick structure. Over the next 60 years and to this day the library has increased in size and absorbed the filling station property, the Parmelee property and several properties to the west. A parking area was built at the NE corner of N. Lyman and Broad Street where once Dr. George Pardee built a medical school. It was later known as the Lytle House until it was razed and replaced with a gas station.
The buildings that were located to the west of the original library were razed for a parking area for the library. In the 1800’s there were houses located in this area. The Rasor House & Hotel was one of these. In the 1900’s businesses included Bill’s Diner, later named Larry’s Diner & The Question Mark Restaurant. Jack Sommer Sales was replaced by Weltzein’s C & I Auto Parts in a brick building immediately west of library.
It can be said that the NW corner of Broad Street and North Lyman has offered library services for over 200 years!