History of the Library

Putnam County Public Library was founded in 1926, largely due to the efforts of Myrtle Burgher Loughridge.  The County Court approved the appointments of Daisy T. Riggs, Isa McCutchen and Alene Dye to a library committee to investigate the possibilities of a public library and to make whatever start in that direction deemed necessary.  The Library Committee designated a day as Library Day, and the community and the schools responded with book donations and monetary donations.  The library was first established in the county superintendent's office in 1926 when Mrs. Loughridge's husband, Elroy, was Superintendent of Schools.  It then expanded to the basement of the courthouse and gradually grew into the present library.  The Library's success was assured on April 2, 1946, when a tax was voted on by the citizens of Putnam County to support the growing library.  Mrs. Loughridge also served on the library board from the time of its inception and was president of the board at the time of her death.