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EDITOR'S NOTE: In recognition of National Library Week, The Union will publish a series of stories spotlighting the county's libraries and the challenges they face. The series will culminate Friday with a request for donations through Friends of Nevada County Libraries.
It makes sense that walking into the Doris Foley Library for Historical Research is like stepping back into history.
After all, the Foley Library is a hotbed for historical research in a region rich with history. Not only is the architecture of the structure from a bygone era, but the furnishings and decorations have past lives.
A large walnut reference desk came from the City of Nevada City. It had originally been installed in the old Citizens Bank and later in the old city hall. A multitude of photographs, paintings, clocks and other historic items decorate the large reading rooms.
The 1907 Carnegie library was designed by William Weeks and constructed over several years. It was originally scheduled to open in 1906, but there were construction delays because of the historic San Francisco earthquake and fire.
The collection that's now housed at the Madelyn Helling County Library near the Rood Center was originally housed at the Foley library. It was rededicated in 1991 as an historical research facility.
In 1997, the facility was renamed in memory of Doris (Nightingale) Foley Larson, a local historian, writer and teacher who made outstanding contributions to the preservation of the heritage of Nevada County.
The library occupies the building's main floor. In its basement, the Friends of the Nevada County Libraries holds its monthly book sales. Since this is a research library, no materials are circulated; they must be read and referenced on site.
The collection contains a wealth of materials covering the history of the area from the early settlers and native populations through the mining era, and up to more recent history.
Many locally and nationally known authors have used the library to research books. These include: J. S. Holliday, author of “The World Rushed In”; Anne Seagraves, who wrote “High-spirited women of the West”; and JoAnn Levy, author of “They saw the elephant: women in the California gold rush.” Other locally known authors who frequented the Foley library for their books include: Orval Bronson, Maria E. Brower, Jack Clark, Dave Comstock, Steve Cottrell, Chris Enss, Wally Hagaman, Michel Janicot, Gage McKinney, Hank Meals, Max Roberts, and Bob Wyckoff.
Besides being a treasure trove for historians and genealogists, the Foley Library is also a valuable resource for anyone interested in the area. The collection includes: area cookbooks, local maps, fiction related to the area or by local authors, and histories.
Anyone curious about the gold mines in his or her backyard can find reference material with the details. Books can help patrons identify old bottles and track down high school friends or see grandparent's senior portraits from past issues of local yearbooks.
Specific collections cove census data; directories and phone books; genealogy information; indexes for cemeteries, mining, naturalizations, marriage, births, deaths, maps, militia, probate; maps; mining collection; mortuary records; Nevada County histories; newspapers; probate records; tax records; vital records; and voter registries,
The staff is available to answer questions on how to use the collection and can frequently offer insights about local history. They'll also help with research for free or perform research for a fee (depending on the difficulty of the task).
As a testament to the value of the collection, many requests for research are from people who live out of town. A number of the visitors are from out of state and some from outside the country.
The operation of this branch was taken over by the Friends of the Nevada County Libraries in May 2010. Although the library contents still belong to Nevada County, the day-to-day operations and associated costs are managed by the Friends of the Nevada County Libraries.
The building belongs to Nevada City. The Friends' knowledgeable volunteers staff the facility two days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, A third day may be added later this year.
The Friends have been operating a book sale on the bottom level of the Foley Library for many years.
What started as an annual sale in 1965 at Seaman's Lodge in Pioneer Park has grown to a monthly event that generates tens of thousands of dollars every year to support libraries in Western Nevada County.
The sale takes place on the first Saturday of each month.
Whether you want to learn more about the history of this area or delve into topics genealogical, whether you want to study some lovely architecture of the past or find some bargains at the monthly book sale, the Doris Foley Library for Historical Research is worth a visit.
Libraries first came to Nevada City in the mid-1850s, just a few years after the miners arrived. Local historian Maria Brower has covered the history of libraries in the area in two articles.
You'll find those in the bulletin of the Nevada County Historical Society, volume 61, numbers three and four, July and October 2007. Yes, the Foley Library has those volumes in its collection.
It makes sense that walking into the Doris Foley Library for Historical Research is like stepping back into history.
After all, the Foley Library is a hotbed for historical research in a region rich with history. Not only is the architecture of the structure from a bygone era, but the furnishings and decorations have past lives.
A large walnut reference desk came from the City of Nevada City. It had originally been installed in the old Citizens Bank and later in the old city hall. A multitude of photographs, paintings, clocks and other historic items decorate the large reading rooms.
The 1907 Carnegie library was designed by William Weeks and constructed over several years. It was originally scheduled to open in 1906, but there were construction delays because of the historic San Francisco earthquake and fire.
The collection that's now housed at the Madelyn Helling County Library near the Rood Center was originally housed at the Foley library. It was rededicated in 1991 as an historical research facility.
In 1997, the facility was renamed in memory of Doris (Nightingale) Foley Larson, a local historian, writer and teacher who made outstanding contributions to the preservation of the heritage of Nevada County.
The library occupies the building's main floor. In its basement, the Friends of the Nevada County Libraries holds its monthly book sales. Since this is a research library, no materials are circulated; they must be read and referenced on site.
The collection contains a wealth of materials covering the history of the area from the early settlers and native populations through the mining era, and up to more recent history.
Many locally and nationally known authors have used the library to research books. These include: J. S. Holliday, author of “The World Rushed In”; Anne Seagraves, who wrote “High-spirited women of the West”; and JoAnn Levy, author of “They saw the elephant: women in the California gold rush.” Other locally known authors who frequented the Foley library for their books include: Orval Bronson, Maria E. Brower, Jack Clark, Dave Comstock, Steve Cottrell, Chris Enss, Wally Hagaman, Michel Janicot, Gage McKinney, Hank Meals, Max Roberts, and Bob Wyckoff.
Besides being a treasure trove for historians and genealogists, the Foley Library is also a valuable resource for anyone interested in the area. The collection includes: area cookbooks, local maps, fiction related to the area or by local authors, and histories.
Anyone curious about the gold mines in his or her backyard can find reference material with the details. Books can help patrons identify old bottles and track down high school friends or see grandparent's senior portraits from past issues of local yearbooks.
Specific collections cove census data; directories and phone books; genealogy information; indexes for cemeteries, mining, naturalizations, marriage, births, deaths, maps, militia, probate; maps; mining collection; mortuary records; Nevada County histories; newspapers; probate records; tax records; vital records; and voter registries,
The staff is available to answer questions on how to use the collection and can frequently offer insights about local history. They'll also help with research for free or perform research for a fee (depending on the difficulty of the task).
As a testament to the value of the collection, many requests for research are from people who live out of town. A number of the visitors are from out of state and some from outside the country.
The operation of this branch was taken over by the Friends of the Nevada County Libraries in May 2010. Although the library contents still belong to Nevada County, the day-to-day operations and associated costs are managed by the Friends of the Nevada County Libraries.
The building belongs to Nevada City. The Friends' knowledgeable volunteers staff the facility two days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, A third day may be added later this year.
The Friends have been operating a book sale on the bottom level of the Foley Library for many years.
What started as an annual sale in 1965 at Seaman's Lodge in Pioneer Park has grown to a monthly event that generates tens of thousands of dollars every year to support libraries in Western Nevada County.
The sale takes place on the first Saturday of each month.
Whether you want to learn more about the history of this area or delve into topics genealogical, whether you want to study some lovely architecture of the past or find some bargains at the monthly book sale, the Doris Foley Library for Historical Research is worth a visit.
Libraries first came to Nevada City in the mid-1850s, just a few years after the miners arrived. Local historian Maria Brower has covered the history of libraries in the area in two articles.
You'll find those in the bulletin of the Nevada County Historical Society, volume 61, numbers three and four, July and October 2007. Yes, the Foley Library has those volumes in its collection.
