Dr. Walter Chestnut Library & W.W. Craig Gallery

When I was a kid, I spent a LOT of hours in the town library. From checking out thousands of books, to participating in story times to viewing (and sometimes participating in!) gallery exhibits - the Dr Walter Chestnut Library is nothing but grand memories. The library was named after Dr. Chestnut who had a practice and served the area for over 60 years! The gallery was named after Woody Craig who founded Craig Manufacturing and was a great benefactor of Hartland.

This building was originally a National Post Office. (Long before Flat Stanley traveled in an envelope all over the world) On the third floor, there was an armory during the war. The town's pharmacy bought the building in the 60s and in 1986, the library moved in! A year later, in 1987, the Craig Gallery opened on the third floor. There is always an exhibit! My favorite addition was in 1992 when the Children's Library opened on the bottom (basement) level. It is perhaps one of the BEST Children's libraries I have seen!

We headed to the Children's library first. Flat Stanley was hoping the book that made him famous was on the shelf for a photo op. And it was! 

After an enjoyable visit with Glenda, the Children's Librarian (who told us all about an awesome adventure of a frog!), we climbed all of the stairs to the top floor to check out the current gallery exhibit. (Don't worry, an elevator was installed in 2003 for people who can not make the steep climb from level to level!)

We browsed a pretty stained glass exhibit. Flat Stanley especially loved the stained glass fiddleheads. He had no idea what fiddleheads were! Karla and I told him how fiddleheads grow in the wild here and if not picked at the perfect time, they'll unfold into big, tall ferns. 

Also in the gallery are a few permanent exhibits. One is a collection of Dr Walter Chestnut's medical tools and a few personal items including the key he was given to the Town of Hartland. 

When I was a little girl, my Papa had a friend who made little animals and figures out of rocks. His name was Ralph Day. He gave me my own rock creature - an elephant to add to my collection of elephants - and I still have it to this day! When he passed away, his wife donated the entire remaining rock collection to the gallery to be enjoyed by everyone. Flat Stanley loved it!

We signed the guest book and headed to the main floor, where the head Librarian was happy to talk to us. Jean has been at the library for a long time, and it was nice to visit with her again. She loved meeting Flat Stanley and suggested he get his very own library card!

He signed it himself and everything!

Jean gave us a couple of brochures about Hartland, and the Library and a bookmark that shows the history of the Library as well. Flat Stanley has lots of fun things to take him to Emily! He will be leaving me on Tuesday to get back to Emily in time for her school presentation. Tomorrow he will say his goodbyes to everyone and get a few more pictures before he journeys on.