PUBLIC LIBRARY
74 Main St, Center Ossipee, NH
Ossipee Public Library was founded on March 14, 1899. During its early years, the library was located in a private home in Center Ossipee, directly across from where it stands today, and later moved to the local Community House.
The story of its present building began with local surveyor Frank S. Lord, who believed the library deserved a permanent home of its own.
In 1937, just five days before his death, Lord donated a parcel of land to the town on the condition that a substantial brick public library be built there.
The original plan was for the town to cover the cost of construction. After Frank Lord’s death, however, his sisters, Addie L. McIndoe and Effie Lord, chose to fund the building themselves, turning the new library into a memorial to their brother. For this reason, it was also known as the Frank S. Lord Memorial Library.
A Historic Home
Construction began in the summer of 1938. The building was designed by architect Ervin W. Hersey of Huddleston & Hersey, while the construction work was overseen by William M. Marsh of Rochester.
The library moved into its new building on May 27, 1939, although the final construction work was completed a little later that same summer.
The building was designed in the Colonial Revival style, an architectural tradition inspired by early American design. Its brick walls, raised stone foundation, symmetrical façade, classical pilasters, and decorative pediment give the relatively small building a distinctly formal presence.
The historic character of the building is especially visible inside. Two spacious reading rooms feature large decorative fireplaces with brick hearths and ornamental detailing, which remain among the most recognizable elements of the original interior.
Expansion and Modern Life
Over time, the library outgrew its historic walls. In 1990, it was significantly expanded and modernized, increasing its total area to more than 7,000 square feet.
The renovation added a dedicated children’s area, a computer room, additional spaces, and a large meeting room for community gatherings and events.
Today, this combination of old and new defines much of the library’s character: historic reading rooms and fireplaces exist alongside computers, internet access, digital collections, and spaces used for study and meetings.
Preserving the Memory of Ossipee
One of the library’s most distinctive features is its own historical and genealogical collection. The foundation of the archive was created by longtime Ossipee resident and former library employee Frank Fisher, who also served as president of the Ossipee Historical Society.
Fisher began his research with the 1790 census, gradually reconstructing the histories and family connections of local residents. His work was later continued by library staff and volunteers, and the digital collection has since grown to roughly a thousand individual items.
The archive includes genealogical records of local families, historical research related to Ossipee, old issues of the Carroll County Independent, and other materials connected specifically to the town. Among the sources used to document the library’s own history is also an unpublished manuscript scrapbook preserved in its collection.
Today, Ossipee Public Library is much more than a place to borrow books. It serves at once as a historic building, a community space, and a small archive of the town’s collective memory.
My Approach
I try not to limit myself to obvious angles or architecture alone. It is important for me to spend enough time in a space to understand its rhythm, atmosphere, and details that may not be noticeable at first glance. While photographing Ossipee Public Library, I paid attention to old books, furnishings, memorial details, light, wall textures, and small visual elements that gradually reveal the character of the place. I consider this project successful because I was able to present the library not only as a historic building, but as a place where the life, memory, and character of Ossipee can still be felt.