Valley Girl Views: When Thomas Beaver Built A Library For Danville, Pa

The Library and original YMCA building in Danville Pa were a generous gift by Thomas Beaver, in 1886.

Philadelphia Times, July 1886

The cornerstone for the Thomas Beaver Free Library was laid on July 5th 1886. Gen. James Adams Beaver, a nephew of Thomas, attended the exercises.

The Mahoning Presbyterian Church wanted to add a reading room to their current building. Beaver however, envisioned a separate building. His vision included a living space for young men on an upper floor, but that eventually evolved into plans for an annex next door, which would be the Young Mans Christian Association, or YMCA. James Beaver, Thomas' nephew, was an advocate for the Y.M.C.A, and may have been instrumental in this decision.

James Beaver, nephew of Thomas, became Governor of Pennsylvania in 1887. He was acting president of Penn State University from 1906-1908, and Beaver Stadium at Penn State is named in his honor

The land Thomas Beaver purchased for the buildings was at the northwest corner of East Market and Ferry streets, the side of the old Danville hotel.

Dedication ceremonies were held in July of 1886.

"Despite the excessive heat, Danville was crowded with people from all parts of the country on Monday, to participate in the laying of the corner stone by the Masonic fraternity, of the library building, the gift of Mr Thomas Beaver to the people of Danville." North'd Democrat, July 1886

The parade, which coincided with the 4th of July Celebration, was quite large.

"For such a large crowd of people, the good order that prevailed was extraordinary. Not a disturbance was raised nor an arrest made during the entire day." Northumberland Democrat, July 1886

Inside a box in the cornerstone was placed:

One Silver Dollar, 1886

One Silver Quarter 1876

One Silver Dime 1876

One Nickel and 3 cent piece 1882

One copper cent 1882

Copies of the Danville Intelligencer, National Record and Daily Sun

Programms of the Citizens Demonstration of the Masonic exercises, laying of the cornerstone, and the badge

A photograph of Thomas Beaver

Roll of officers representing the Grand Lodge of PA

Copy of the By Laws of Danville Lodge No. 224, and roll of members

Copy of the By Laws of The Mahoning Lodge No 516 and roll of members

The Thomas Beaver Free Library opened to the public on August 29th 1888.

"At 9'oclock the library was thrown open. The event was signalized by prolonged ringing of the bells and blowing of all steam whistles in the town. The stores were closed during the greater part of the day.

At 10 o'clock a procession of citizens, fire companies, and military organizations of the town marched to the Beaver mansion and escorted Mr. Beaver to the Opera House, where the ceremonies of the occasion were held. By 11 o'clock, 1,000 persona had crowds into the building.

At the ceremony, which included music and speeches, the library charter was handed over to the library trustees. According to the agreement, the board of trustees was composed of residents of Danville, one from each church in town.

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Thomas Beaver

Born in 1814, Thomas Beaver took a job at a store owned by his father in New Berlin Pa. From there he went to work for Reverend Jasper Bennet in Williamsport. For that job, Beaver frequently made trips to Philadelphia, where he met many prominent merchants. Through those connections, he soon landed a job at Bray and Bancoft in Philadelphia, where he became a full partner in just three years time.

In 1857 Beaver became trustee of the Danville Iron and Steel works. In 1859, he and fellow trustee Isaac Wertman purchase the works.

Beaver not only build the library and YMCA, he also donated 6,000 volumes to fill its shelves, and gave the library a trust fund of $100,000 [ nearly 3 million dollars today]. In his will, he left the library an additional $50,000.

Other Area Donations Made By Thomas Beaver:
Howard Clock on the tower of St Joseph's Catholic Church, Danville PA
Pipe Organ to Mahoning Presbyterian Church [1882]

Thomas Beaver died in 1891, and is buried in Lewisburg Pa.

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Archibald Voris, Builder

"The Thomas Beaver Free Library and Danville YMCA Building were finished in 1886 and have functioned as Danville's town library and recreation center ever since. The buildings are excellent representatives of both the architecture of the period and the ideals of their founder and patron, Thomas Beaver.

Designed by Danville architect Charles Wetzel, who left a powerful impression on the face of Danville and maintained a wide practice in the region, they are finely detailed examples of Victorian Eclectic architecture influenced by Second Empire and Queen Anne design. The Beaver Library in particular uses the finest building materials both inside and outside; next to the monumental Beaux Arts Style James Brown Library (1915) in Williamsport, it is the grandest library in the area.

Thomas Beaver was Danville's leading industrialist/philanthropist, and example of that fine Victorian tradition which yoked great commercial success with a Christian sense of duty to improve the common good. His contribution to the Library included the land, building, furnishings and books, along with a $100,000 endowment; an additional $50,000 was provided far the YMCA. Thomas Beaver (1814-1891) was born in Perry County, the son of a minister. At work by the age of thirteen, he never acquired formal schooling. After some years working in stores in Lewisburg and New Berlin, Beaver moved to Danville in 1857, managing the failing Montour Iron Works for its creditors. Beaver and his partner I.S. Waterman purchased the works in 1859, and Beaver was involved in the now profitable operation until 1876. By 1883, he owned the Danville Stove and Manufacturing Co.; this concern is remembered for its cast-iron letter boxes, which bore the likeness of a beaver and could be found on city streets nationwide. Though his various interests employed thousands and earned Beaver a fortune, he is best remembered for his generosity, especially toward his adopted hometown. Beaver is said to have spent half his fortune on charitable, educational and religious projects. He donated a $30,000 scholarship to Dickinson College for the aid of poor students, bought a clock tower for St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Danville and paid for improvements in his own beloved Mahoning Presbyterian Church.

But his most generous projects took place in the late 1880's when he built the Thomas Beaver Free Library and Danville YMCA Building and the Beaver Memorial Church in Lewisburg. When Reverand Stewart, who was pastor of Mahoning Presbyterian, proposed an addition to the church to house reading rooms for the young men of Danville, Beaver immediately became involved. The simple plan evolved in Beaver's hands into an entire library.

Charles Wetzel prepared a design for a brick building with meeting rooms on the third floor for the young men. At the cornerstone ceremonies, James A. Beaver, Thomas's nephew, convinced the older man that attic rooms for the young men might be less than satisfactory. Wetzel's plan was expanded to include a connecting YMCA building and brick gave way to ornate stone work for the facades. The complex was built at a cost to Thomas Beaver of between one and two hundred thousand dollars and was dedicated in August of 1886. Beaver endowed both institutions with extensive trust funds ($100,000 for the Library, $50,000 for the YMCA),insuring their financial health for the forseeable future. "

From the Application For The National Register Of Historic Places

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There's a peacock mounted in the library, in 2020 the Library's Facebook page asked if anyone can remember why he lives there - his history appears to have been lost.

https://www.facebook.com/ThomasBeaverFreeLibrary/photos/a.1943811432422384/1937022316434629/

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"A stained glass window portraying a full length figure of a Muse graces the stair landing."

There is also a large stained glass dome in the library.

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Floor Plan of the Library, from the application for the National Register Of Historic Places

Note - I've been reading through quite a few of the 1970s applications for the National Register of Historic Places. In most cases, the committee in charge of approvals was... lets say "not impressed" with the applications from our area. From the comments in the approval forms, it's surprising so many of our buildings were ever approved. However, that is NOT the case with this application. This 1986 application for the Beaver Free library was prepared by Douglas McMinn, and edited by Greg Ramsey. It is by FAR the most comprehensive, informative, and articulate application I have read so far. Many of the photos in this post were part of the application.