In 1895 a group of area women formed a reading circle. They decided to call themselves the Tuesday Club (because they met the first Tuesday of each month) and in 1901 began taking steps to start a community library. The Tuesday Club Library received its official charter in 1906.  This library had many temporary homes, the last being the site of the old County Clerk’s Office from 1910 until 1961.

Meanwhile, Emma K. Tourgee, widow of Judge Albion W. Tourgee and a Tuesday Club member, bequeathed much of her estate to the library. After all conditions of the estate were met, the Tuesday Club Library was given the parcel of property on which today’s library is located.  It is on the corner of Evans and South Erie Street, immediately next door to the Thorheim; the original home of Judge Tourgee and his family.

In 1960, a new library building was constructed on this site. The Tuesday Club Library moved into this location in 1961 and in 1962 changed their name officially to the Mayville Library.

For more details of our library’s history, read Devon Taylor’s book: Mayville, “A View Through Time”.  It may be borrowed or purchased from the library.