By Beth David, Editor
Fairhaven is known for its precious old buildings, our “architectural wonders,” that were donated by town benefactor, Henry Huttleston Rogers. A quick walk in the center will often leave visitors agape with awe, heads turned upward, many saying, “wow.” And when they tour the high school? Yowsa!
But it’s no secret that those old buildings, built in the late 1800s and early 1900s, need a lot of maintenance. And maintenance is more expensive on historic buildings to keep them looking historic.
To complicate matters more, the Millicent Library has collections, artifacts, and historical archives that all need temperature control. Something the building does not adequately have. During summers, the building has to close because of the heat. This past week, it had to close because of the cold.
A new heating system has been installed, but there is no air conditioning, which means next summer the building will have to close periodically. This past summer, it closed more than seven days.
The public library in Fairhaven has a unique financial arrangement. The building, a gift from town benefactor, Henry Huttleston Rogers, is owned by the town, but a deed restriction requires it to be run as a library by a nonprofit corporation separate from the town, The Millicent Library Corporation. Funding was originally from the water company owned by HHR and given to the library. When the town of Fairhaven decided to buy the water company to provide water to residents in 1966, a formula was worked out through the state that provides funding for the Millicent. The town pays to fund the library, but the state sets the rate based on population.
Millicent Library Corp. Treasurer, Bob Kenworthy, said the formula sometimes works out great for the library, and sometimes it barely makes the minimum required for them to be part of the larger (SAILS) network.
The Trustees have been working on the temperature problem for years, and have made a lot of progress getting the building ready to be able to handle a modern HVAC system without the building’s historic character being compromised.
The library needs almost $2 million. The trustees hope to convince Town Meeting to borrow the money.
Meanwhile Community Preservation Act funds, as recommended by the Community Preservation Committee and appropriated by Town Meeting, have paid for a variety of smaller projects over the years.
The library has also embarked on a vigorous capital fundraising campaign that has raised more than $400K towards a total goal of $2.5 for the whole project.
The Italian Renaissance-style building was designed by famed architect Charles Brigham, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1892 and dedicated in 1893.
It has ornamental features and enriching characteristics in each of the original rooms, including stained glass windows, hand carved banisters, paintings, and other artifacts.
All of those paintings, many of the artifacts, and the building’s interior are showing signs of deterioration because of the lack of temperature control. The wide swings in temperature, especially in the summer, create humidity and moisture, causing damage throughout the building.
In the Lewin Reference Room, named after Charles Lewin, who was a “lifelong friend” of the town and the library, and was editor of the New Bedford Standard Times, the paint and plaster on the ceiling are peeling off. Similar spots can be found throughout the library.
The paintings are also suffering from the temperature swings, with cracks and peeling evident in many of them. Other artifacts are fading.
Library Director, Kyle DeCicco-Carey pointed to areas in a display of Mark Twain’s handwritten original manuscript of his speech at the dedication of the Town Hall. The famous humor writer was a close friend of HHR, and spent a lot of time in Fairhaven (https://millicentlibrary.org/RogersandTwain).
The archives room also has artifacts that are suffering from the lack of temperature control. Mr. DeCicco-Carey showed a very old map that had been laminated, which, apparently, is a bad thing to do to begin with. The laminate was cracked and peeling and causing damage to the orignal paper.
Visitors and tourists from all over the world visit the building, including people who are interested in the Manjiro Nakahama story (https://whitfield-manjiro.org/john-manjiros-story); the Millicent is on the Manjiro Trail. People who are visiting the area often enter just to see the inside.
Timothy Johnston from New Jersey has visited family in the area plenty of times. But he had never been inside the library. A rainy Friday, seemed like a good time, said his tour guides, Sue and Mike McCann.
“It’s beautiful,” said Mr. Johnston. “It’s just amazing.”
He said he loved the town.
“There’s so much history here,” he said, adding people should use the library. “It’s very unique.”
The library offers a full array of services, including internet access, children’s programs, story times, etc.
The children’s room even has a mascot, “Atlas,” a bearded dragon lizard.
“The kids love him,” said Assistant Director Allie Thiel. “And he loves his bath time.”
The library is located at 45 Center Street in Fairhaven and is open Monday through Saturday. Visit www. millicentlibrary.org for more information or call 508-992-5342, or email millicent@sailsinc.org. Due to the historic nature of the building, the stacks on the upper floors are not accessible. Learn more about the Millicent at https://millicentlibrary.org. Donate to the project at https://givebutter.com/MillicentLibrary
A donor has pledged matching donations up to $40,000 for any donations made through 11/30/26/
The Millicent Library is a 501(c)3, so all donations are tax deductible.
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- The ceiling around the chimney in the Lewin Room shows signs of moisture damage due to a lack of temperature control at the Millicent Library in Fairhaven on 10/16/26. Photo by Beth David.
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- The ceiling in he lobby shows signs of moisture damage due to a lack of temperature control at the Millicent Library in Fairhaven on 10/16/26. Photo by Beth David.
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- The railing on the spiral staircase at the Millicent Library in Fairhaven is hand carved, while the walls around it are in need of repair on 10/16/26. Photo by Beth David.
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- Millicent Library Director, Kyle DeCicco-Carey points out areas of deterioration on Mark Twain’s original manuscript of his 1894 speech dedicating Fairhaven Town Hall, and on display at the Millicent, during a tour of the library on 10/16/26. Photo by Beth David.
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- Stained glass windows in the entryway of the Millicent Library in Fairhaven show signs of warping, due to the lack of temperature controls, in this photo from 10/16/26. Photo by Beth David.
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- Joan Bisby staffs the desk at the Millicent Library in Fairhaven in this view of the lobby on 10/16/26. Photo by Beth David.
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- The Millicent Library building has some interesting hidden spaces, including this spot for hundreds of books tucked away in a back staircase, on 10/16/26. Photo by Beth David.
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- This stained glass window by Clayton and Bell of London depicts Millicent as the Muse of Poetry, and sends an eerie glow to the outside at night when the lights are on in the Millicent Library in Fairhaven, on 10/16/26. Photo by Beth David.
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- Timothy Johnston, visiting Fairhaven from New Jersey, finds where he is staying in town on an old map at the Millicent Library on 10/16/26. Photo by Beth David.
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- Joan Bisby staffs the desk at the Millicent Library in Fairhaven in this view from the stacks on the second level on 10/16/26. Photo by Beth David.
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- Allie Thiel, Assistant Director of the Millicent Library in Fairhaven, and the Children’s Room mascot, Atlas, a bearded dragon lizard, share a special moment on 10/16/26. Photo by Beth David..
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Click here to download the 10/29/26 issue: 10-29-26 Horribles
Click here to download Mr. Trapilo’s letter: TrapiloResponse
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