History:
The library was founded as "The Citizen's Library of Jefferson in 1883 by the Women's Christian Temperance Union. It was housed on the first floor of the Town Hall in Southwest corner. The library was sustained by contributions of books and money from several local organizations. By 1898, the library had outgrown its space and was moved to the new Fire Hall Building. Up until 1934, representatives of the library board appeared before the Town Council to request funds for operation. After that year, the library joined the County Library Association and opened its doors to all county residents so that they were eligible to receive funding from tax income.
In 1966, the library board recommended that the library be housed in its own separate building. When Lloyd C. Henderson died in 1968, he bequeathed his estate of nearly 1/4 million in investments, securities and real estate to his sister, Ora. His will provided that should Miss Henderson refuse the assets, they were to go to the Citizen’s Public Library Association of Jefferson for the construction and maintenance of a new library building.
Ora Henderson renounced her right to the assets on April 23, 1969 and transferred her share of land in Kansas and other land at Grigg’s Corners to the library association. The new library building, built as a memorial to their parents, was dedicated on November 1, 1972.
