Mary Willis Library

Mary Willis Library is a Georgia historical marker in Wilkes County, dedicated 2000.

204 E. Liberty Street in Washington.

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This library was Georgia's first free (without a subscription fee) public library. Founded in 1888 by Dr. Francis T. Willis in memory of his daughter, it opened in 1889. Willis also created an endowment for the library and donated his personal collection of books. Atlanta architect Edmund Lind designed the building in the Queen Anne style and the central memorial window was made by Tiffany Studios. The library operated as a privately-endowed institution until 1967 when it became part of the regional library system. Annexes were added in 1977 and 1991.

TodayHistorical map

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David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1869 · Georgia. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1895 · Gen. map VIII. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1901 · Map of South Carolina (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1903 · South Carolina. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1906 · Crawfordville, Georgia (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)

Gen. map VIII, 1895, covering the location of Mary Willis Library, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — Gen. map VIII, 1895, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

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This historical marker is part of the Georgia Historical Marker Program and was erected by the Georgia Historical Society. Marker texts and locations come from the Society's own marker database.

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