Contest #813 – Brumback Library, Van Wert, Ohio, USA

This imposing castle in the middle of rural Ohio is the home of the oldest county library in the United States. The library was initially formed as a private book lending society in 1890, subsidised by city taxes and made public in 1896. In 1901, with funding from John Brumback, a local businessman and owner of the town’s bank, this building was opened and access to the library was made available to the entire county. His son then went to the Ohio Legislature and got a law passed that enshrined the county library system all over the state. Soon, other states followed.

Today, the county-owned library paradigm is found all over the United States.

Those who checked this place out were:

  • Garfield
  • Eloy Cano
  • Lighthouse
  • hhgygy
  • zorro the fox
  • Phil Ower

And after the hint:

  • Paul Voestermans
  • Bas van Limpt
  • Martin de Bock
  • Graham Hedley