Brandon Public Library

117 E. Main St.
Brandon, WI 53919
Phone: 920-346-2350
Fax: 920-346-5895

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Community Information

The Village Hall is located at 115 N. Center. The Library is still located in the facility at 117 E. Main St. This building with the bell tower was once a warehouse, then a harness shop, and a place to keep the fire wagons. The building remains looking very much as it did in the early 1900's, but computer networks allow us to connect to the world beyond Brandon.

COMMUNITY CABLE CHANNEL

BRAT STOP

THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The museum has an excellent collection of Brandon History. The society receives email and surface mail from all over the United States and the world inquiring about genealogical matters.

Brandon Community History Site is part of an excellent collection of materials on the Fond du Lac History site at Fond du Lac County History

WHO'S WHO?

Library Board Members: Karey Schmidt (Pres.), Carolyn Dahlke, Kevin DeCramer, Vicky TeBeest, Marvin Kiesow, and Village Liaison, Richard Roeming.

BRANDON LIBRARY HISTORY

On April 19, 1961 National Library Week was observed by having open house at the library. The librarian, assisted by Mrs. Robert Austin, prepared a Civil War Centennial display of pictures, documents, and war material.

Over 50 persons registered besides three classes of children accompanied by their teachers. Punch and cookies were served by Mmes. Glen Dahl, Iva Brown, and Anna Meenk.

The following brief history of the Brandon Public Library was prepared by Mrs. Wilbur Tabbert, assisted by others.

The records having been lost, the following notes are as near as Anthony Pallister could give them. He was a member of the Protective Co. and also the first President of the Library board.

At a meeting of the Metomen Protective Co. and also the first President of the Library board.

At a meeting of the Metomen Protective Co. on July 5, 1913 it was voted to disband the organization and give the use of the $200 left in the treasury to the Brandon Public Library, the same to be invested in good security, and the interest only to be used to purchase books and supplies for said library.

Should the library be abandoned or cease to exist, the $200 was to go to the public school of Brandon, the interest to be used for the purchase of apparatus to be used on the playground for the grades below high school.

In March 1913 the Brandon Free Public Library was organized under the state library association. Anthony Pallister was elected president, G. B. Weinstock, secretary and Mrs. Jennie Foster, treasurer. The board elected Miss Elsie Weinstock as librarian.

The front part of the Village Hall was obtained for the library. H.R. Tavs replaced Mr. Weinstock as secretary and in 1918 A. T. Whitton was elected. Mrs. Ethel Shuart replaced Mrs. Foster. Miss Margie Smims followed Miss Elsie Weinstock as Librarian and later Miss Louise Watson took over.

In 1920, Mrs Blodgett left the board $100 the interest to be used to purchase books and supplies for the library. 1924 officers were: Pres. Anthony Pallister, F. T. Norris, vice pres; A. T. Whitton Sec, and Mrs. Shuart, treas. Mrs Ethel Shuart resigned in 1924. Mrs. Nellie Jones took her place.

Anthony Pallister died in 1931 and Mrs. Ida J. Brown was elected to the Presidency. Frank Humphrey replaced Ward Williams.

Mrs. Jennie Root offered the library some books in 1932. A new set of bylaws were drafted since the old ones had been lost.

The school principal was always a member of the library board and a trustee was appointed from the village board.

In 1935 Mrs. J. Edwin (Aggie) Jones was president with Mrs.Everett (Pearl) Jones, J.C. Bush, Earl Starkey, A.T. Whitton, and Librarian Louise Watson

In 1938 E. Hobkirk left $200. An electric clock was purchased.

Mrs. Harmon Hull replaced Aggie Jones in 1941 as president. Mrs. Maude Tank replaced Louise Watson as librarian. In 1941 Mrs. Shaykett left $500 to the library. In 1942 there were 1700 books in the library.

Sometime before 1915 the Thursday Club took the sponsorship of the library. Its members donated 20 volumes in 1915 and soon added 10 more volumes. In 1921 they sponsored a book shower which brought 100 books. 700 cards were issued to readers that year. Since 1923 the club has made many donations for magazines, books, etc.

In 1960 the village voted to to remodel the interior and put in a gas heating unit and two members of the board were made responsible.

In 1961 a new library board was formed. President, Mrs. Glen Dahl, Sec. Robert Austin; Treas, Mrs. Pearl Jones; village board consultant, Walter Henker; librarian, Mrs. August Kohls.

In 1961 a Mrs. Lewis Ralph Jones left $1000 to be invested. This is know as the Lewis Ralph Jones Fund.

Other donations are: Brandon Homemakers $20 for which books on Alaska and Hawaii have been purchased. Thursday Club $15. Congregational Women's Society a book "Pasteur and the Invisible Giants" Mrs Anna Lawson a group of books from her library including a set of 10 volumes of "Literature of All Nations and All Ages."

The Association if very grateful for all these and thank the donors.

A new filing cabinet and a bulletin board were purchased by the Library board.

I wish to take this opportunity to thank all who helped make our first open house a success--signed Mrs. August Kohls, Librarian.

Former Brandon Librarians from 1913 to 2004. If anyone reading this has information about others who have served here, please let us know.

Elsie Weinstock (1st librarian), Margie Sims, Louise Watson, Maude Tank, Bernice Kohls, Carolyn Dahlke, Alice Bremer, Joyce VerMeer, Lynn Sallee, Nancy Paul.