This photograph postcard shows the Rumford Public Library as it appeared around 1948. The Rumford Public Library was built in 1903 with an Andrew Carnegie grant.

The Andrew Carnegie grant was given in response to a request by Payson Smith Esquire. In 1903 the Carnegie agreed to give Rumford a grant to build a library under the following conditions. The Carnegie foundation would give ten thousand dollars for the construction of a free library if the people of Rumford would maintain the library at a cost of one thousand dollars a year, or more, and provide a location for the library building.

The Chisholm family donated the first books. An addition was built in 1969. Both adult and children’s library continue to be a busy place.