Cumberland & North Yarmouth

Annie L. and Carroll D. Prince Bequest
The death of Carroll D. Prince on September 5, 1920, and of his wife, Annie Lincoln Prince, on October 10, 1920, resulted in a bequest of $35,000 for the construction of a public library in Carroll's birthplace of Cumberland. The Prince Memorial Library was incorporated on November 7, 1921. In February 1922, Maud Merrill Thomes, a native of Cumberland and the wife of Dr. John B. Thomes of Pittsfield, MA, granted the corporation a plot of land on Main Street to be used for a public library. The land was the site of the home of Benjamin Sweetser prior to its destruction in a 1906 fire.

January 7, 1923 Opening
Architect George Chase Emery of Waltham, MA, was chosen to design the library. The Maine Sunday Telegram reported the building would be "of the simple colonial style, with Hallowell granite trimmings and roof of slate. The approach to the library will be between two venerable elm trees that have stood there since the early Colonial days." Contractor F. A. Rummery of Portland built the library for $15,578, and an additional $2,179 was spent on furnishings. Prince Memorial Library opened to the public on January 7, 1923, with Mrs. Cecil Wilson Adams in attendance as librarian and more than 600 books from the earlier Cumberland Library on the shelves.

Merrill Addition (1959)
In 1959, contractor Clifford L. Weeks of Portland constructed a 40-by-20-foot addition to the library, a gift of Paul E. Merrill in memory of his parents, Wallace L. and Harriet C. Merrill. Harriet Merrill was chairman of Prince Memorial Library's book committee from 1922 until her death in 1957, and twice served as interim librarian. The original building was renovated, a new heating plant was added and the library grounds were landscaped at the same time the addition was constructed.

Cumberland Wing (1987)
In 1985, a consultant's report recommended expanding the library, and Cumberland voters and the Cumberland Town Council authorized a $700,000 bond issue. Terrien Architects of Portland designed the 8,100-square-foot addition, and contractor Arthur C. Dudley of Standish received the construction bid. Groundbreaking occurred on October 10, 1986, and the new Cumberland Wing was dedicated on October 1, 1987. The Children's Room was moved out of the basement of the original building into the new wing, as were all books and other materials. The original building was renovated and renamed the Prince Room, and is now used as a community meeting space.

Young Adult Room (1996)
The Prince Memorial Library Young Adult Challenge was launched on January 18, 1995, when an anonymous resident of Cumberland, later identified as Bruce Poliquin, pledged $35,000, provided equal amounts could be raised from the Town of Cumberland and the residents of Cumberland and North Yarmouth. The Town of Cumberland matched the $35,000, and private contributions amounted to an additional $45,745. The 728-square-foot Young Adult Room was dedicated on April 3, 1996, in memory of Jane Carpenter Poliquin. All funds remaining from the Young Adult Challenge were used to purchase furnishings and materials for the new space.

Sources:
Beautiful in all its details: the architecture of Maine's public library buildings, 1878-1942 by Kirk F. Mohney
Maine Public Library Profile 2008 http://www.state.me.us/msl/libs/statistics/fy2008/profile.htm

Text by Thomas C. Bennett