Cordell had been maintaining a library over the Williamson-Garrett store in 1910 when the Cordell City Council resolved to work with the Cordell Commercial Club in securing a Carnegie Library for the City. 

            In January, 1911, a grant of $9,000 from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation had been received for a new library building.  The library was built on lots between the Baptist Church and the Hotel Iron (now the location of the post office on East 1st Street).    The building was completed except for the installation of light fixtures in the basement by December 28, 1911.  The grand opening of the library was held January 18, 1912.  The new library opened with 250 volumes.  Miss Miller was the first librarian.

            The Cordell Library became part of the Custer-Washita Multi-County Library Demonstration in March of 1966, which was named Western Plains Library System. 

            With donated funds and a few grants from private foundations, a new library building was completed in 1981.  Total cost of the new building was $280,000.  The library is located at the corner of College and Clay Streets.  The new building opened in April, 1982 and has 6,500 square feet, which includes a meeting room named for Don Alexander, Library Board Chairman who was a driving force behind the fund drives for the new facility.  

            A large stain glass window of a child reading a book was placed in the west window of the library lobby in 1986, dedicated in memory of Don Alexander, who died in 1984.

            Also in a place of honor in the lobby in the library is an antique Seth Thomas pendulum clock which was donated to the Cordell Carnegie Library in 1912 by the Cordell Chorus.  The clock still faithfully keeps time for the library patrons. 

            The original Cordell Carnegie Library building is now the home of the Washita County Museum, and Washita County Historical Society.

                                                                   Rhonda Schmidt

                                                                   Cordell Branch Librarian

                                                                    February 14, 2006

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