Blaine County Library

This week I thought I would share the history of the Blaine County Library. Because this is a long story, I will present it in two parts. Much of this history was written by Hazel Allison Pasma in 1955. It reads in part, as follows:

It was soon after my arrival at Chinook, that I was asked to join the Women’s Study Club. This group consisted of women who were interested in the affairs of the community, as well as in their efforts to advance their own personalities and education. I was a stranger in a strange town; I knew very few people and decided this would be a good way to become acquainted.

We read some of the well-known classics and became familiar with some of the lesser-known authors as well. I am not sure how the idea originated to contact the Carnegie Foundation to inquire about securing a Library for Chinook. It seemed like a colossal task for such a small group of women to undertake. But we were told by the Foundation, if we would secure a plot of ground, and a means of support, maintenance, etc. after it was built, they would put up a building for us.

Our first problem was to secure a building spot. We had no money in our treasury, so we began to cast about in our mind’s eye trying to find someone sufficiently civic minded to donate a couple of lots for the purpose. We decided a most suitable location for such a building would be on the corner across from the Methodist Church, facing the new Courthouse. We learned, after some investigation, that those lots were owned by George Putnam, an elderly bachelor, who had a great deal of property around town, as well as land and livestock in the south country, so it was agreed that we ask the gentleman to donate the two lots on the corner for the library.

I was appointed to a committee of one to interview the gentleman and present our proposition. I did not know the man, not even by sight, but I accepted the assignment, and when I told my husband about it, he laughed and said I did not know what I had let myself in for, as he was supposed to be known as a woman hater and was supposed to be pretty careful about what became of his money.

Nothing daunted, however, I was determined to carry out my assignment. All I could do was explain the situation to him and ask the man the question “Would he donate the two corner lots to the Women’s Study Club for a Carnegie Library?” He couldn’t do any more than tell me “NO.”

In the meantime, my curiosity having been aroused, I was trying to get a look at Mr. Putnam, size him up, and get an idea of how to approach a woman hater on the delicate subject of a touch on his pocketbook, find out where he might be found when he was in town, etc. Finally, I got all those things straightened out to my satisfaction and in passing Mr. Bogy’s office, I saw the object of my search inside, and decided, “Now’s the time.”

That is where I will end this week. Check back next week for part two!