This Week in History’s Attic – Libraries on the Rosebud
Most every town developed in the Rosebud had some sort of book depository. Maybe someone’s home, or a community space if lucky the town fathers saw a need and built a building just for use as a library.
Dallas was lucky to have such a town, but it was also the home of all the Jackson brother families. The Jackson wives were considered the upper crust of the town. In the old town of Dallas, Joe Vosika’s only job was to keep a horse and buggy ready at all times for the Jackson wives to use. And it is said in new Dallas they were often seen dressed in the finery riding side saddle around town. I would guess they were a major influence for the town applying for a Carnegie Library Grant in 1913 of $5,000 which they were awarded. (Nearly $150,000 in today’s money)
[It was built using] “The Carnegie formula,” which nearly all of Carnegie’s were built to. It required financial commitments for maintenance and operations from the town that received the donation. Carnegie required public support rather than making endowments because, as he wrote an endowed institution is liable to become the prey of a clique, the public ceases to take interest in it, or, rather, never acquires interest in it. Also, I would guess there was still lingering resentment toward the town of Gregory, and what a great way to put a stick in their eye by getting a cultural grant of this size.
G.C. Miller of Chicago designed and G.E. Townsend of Dallas constructed the building. Townsend also built the brick Dallas school to the west of the library (that in the 50s burned to the ground). There was always folklore stories of there being a tunnel between the school and library. But around 20 years ago I did some extensive repair on the library’s foundation and did some investigating. It was true the library was heated by a steam pipe from the school across the street. But I never found any evidence of a tunnel, just a capped off steam pipe.
Dallas has kept up the building nicely, as they have received several grants for roof and eave repair. And it’s still in use. Of the nearly 1,800 libraries Carnegie built, 800 are still in use as libraries, and another 350 or so serve other purposes. The library was listed on the National Register in 1976 and the above photo shows it in 1975.
Recently I did read that the new Amish farmers in the area are using the Dallas Library extensively. It’s ironic 110 years later the new Homesteaders of the area are picking up what the old homesteaders saw as a vital need to the communities.
Author Richard Papousek, November 2023