Centennial Gallery

Kasvi Temperance Hall
on Eagle Street, Fairport Harbor Ohio — The first library in Fairport was on the second floor of the Kasvi Temperance Hall
on Eagle Street with 138 volumes mostly in the Finnish language

*From “The Story of Fairport: Official Souvenir Edition Commemorating Fairport’s Sesquicentennial Celebration 1796-1946”*

Superintendent, M.C. Helm, of Fairport Schools from the 1923 Fairport High School Yearbook — Superintendent, M.C. Helm, of Fairport Schools founded the Fairport Harbor Public Library in 1922 – His picture here is from the 1923 Fairport High School Yearbook

Virginia Kerr from the 1923 Fairport High School Yearbook — Virginia Kerr served as the first librarian at FHPL from 1924-1926 She is pictured here from the 1923 Fairport High School Yearbook (she also taught Spanish)

Hazel Rugg from the 1932 Fairport High School Yearbook — Hazel Rugg served as head librarian at FHPL from 1926-1948 She is pictured here from the 1932 Fairport High School Yearbook (she also taught English)

Helen Casey from the 1954 Fairport High School Yearbook — Helen Casey served as head librarian at FHPL from 1949-1957 She is pictured here from the 1954 Fairport High School Yearbook

Camille Mosher head librarian at FHPL from 1957-1967 — Camille Mosher served as head librarian at FHPL from 1957-1967 (photo from Library scrapbook)

One hundred years ago, June 8, 1922, the first class graduated from the new Fairport High School. One of the students, Alma Saari, was a Fairport Harbor Public Library Board of Trustees member from 1969 to 1980.

Photo courtesy of Anne Gleason McCreight – FHS Fairport History Source

Aid from New Deal programs was available and superintendent R.A. Greig initiated a plan to build a new library building. The library was built on land adjacent to the high school in 1933 with CWA (Civil Works Administration) furnishing the labor and materials. The library building was used by the school in the 1934-35 school year but there was not a formal opening. The new library was used as a school study hall and by the public. The cost of the new building was $15,951.55. If you look closely you can see that the back half of the building does not exist yet (it was added in 1940). Photos courtesy of Vance Todd.

Fairport Harbor Public Library 1935 — FHPL in 1935

Fairport High School Bandstand Being Constructed 1935

Students in Class at Fairport Harbor High School 1935 — Students in Class at Fairport High School 1935

**Fairport Library and High School Buildings in 1946 – Before They Were Connected.**

*From “The Story of Fairport: Official Souvenir Edition Commemorating Fairport’s Sesquicentennial Celebration 1796-1946”*

Fairport Harbor Public Library from the 1957 Fairport High School Yearbook — FHPL from the 1957 Fairport High School Yearbook

During the 1958 Mardi Gras parade the library was opened to the paraders and supplied “dressing rooms, endless drinks of water, and seats for the weary, despite a rugged day! “ At the same time “the air conditioning reversed and blew soot from the furnace all over the library that very morning.” Board Minutes of 8/19/1958

Photo from “A History Of Fairport Harbor Ohio 1976”