The Wood Memorial Library Trust
The Wood Memorial Library Trust
Our Mission Since 1928
Care for and maintain the Wood Memorial Library
Provide for the accommodation of a free public library, assemblies and lectures, musical, literary, social and other entertainment, exhibitions, and a place of meeting or general community purposes
Undertake and execute the Trust established to support and preserve the Wood Memorial Library
A Brief Look Back
The Wood Memorial Library was built in 1927 by William R. Wood, according to his mother’s wish that the Town of South Windsor should have a public library.
Will Wood dedicated the building to the memory of his parents, Dr. William R. Wood and Mary Lyman Ellsworth Wood and he also established an endowment, the Wood Memorial Library Trust, to fund the Library’s upkeep. The Wood Memorial Library Association Inc., Trustee, oversees the administration of the Trust by an all-volunteer Board of Directors.
Wood Memorial Library served as one of South Windsor’s two public libraries from 1927 until 1968 when the Town decided to build a new facility. A group of residents, intent on preserving a much-loved community institution, incorporated as a nonprofit organization named the Friends of the Wood Memorial Library and Museum. With the partnership and support of the WML Association, the Wood’s doors were reopened to the public as a lending library and museum in 1971.
The Association and Friends together have acted as Will Wood’s two oxen: the Trust maintains the Library's building and grounds and supports rent-free use of the building by the community, and the Friends are responsible for overseeing the Library's programs.
Our wonderful Colonial Revival building houses a main reading room on the first floor, with presentation, exhibition and meeting space on the second floor and ground level. The Wood Memorial Library and Museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Windsor Farms Historic District.
The Directors of the Association serve as dedicated stewards for this beautiful brick building which houses many valuable antiques, artworks, artifacts and unique archival collections. This has been the Association’s mission for nearly a century, and we remain committed to it today. However, we need your help!
The Wood Library Timeline
1925 The Wood Memorial Library Trust is established by William R. Wood to build and fund a public library in honor of his parents, Mary Lyman Ellsworth Wood and Dr. William Wood
1926 The Wood Memorial Library's cornerstone is laid at 783 Main Street, South Windsor CT
1927 The Wood Memorial Library opens as one of South Windsor’s two public libraries
1928 The Wood Memorial Library Association is incorporated as trustee. From its' original mission statement: “To provide for the accommodation of a free public library, assemblies and lectures, musical, literary, social and other entertainment, exhibitions, and a place of meeting or general community purposes”
1964 More unique art and natural history collections are added to permanent exhibitions and the name is changed to The Wood Memorial Library & Museum
1968 The Wood is decommissioned as a town library as the Town of South Windsor plans a new centralized public library
1971 The Wood Memorial Library & Museum reopens to the public as a privately-run institution operated by the Friends of Wood Memorial Library & Museum
1976 A two story addition is built to house more books and provide office space
1990 A custom-built, climate-controlled Archive Room is created to preserve local history including photographs, family records and ephemera, and oral histories
2007 A second addition is built to provide an elevator and to make the building ADA-compliant, thanks to the Raymond, Braender and Shepard families
2022 The accessible restroom on the ground level is rebuilt and retiled
2023 West sidewalks and drainage are rebuilt, foundation is waterproofed
2024 Building-wide heat-exchanging HVAC system is installed providing museum-quality climate control, thanks to the Town of South Windsor and the State of Connecticut
2025 Friends of Wood Memorial Library rebrand as Watershed History Collective and depart the Wood to focus on Nowashe Village and other pursuits
2026 Major restoration of the front entrance is completed: granite front steps are reinstalled over a waterproofed underlayment, and the landing is rebuilt and retiled, thanks to the State of Connecticut and Nuway Tobacco/Shepard family and Raymond family.
The Wood reopens with expanded programming and community partnerships.