Madison Branch

Previous to 1970 the only library facilities was that of the school systems, here in Madison Missouri.  But, following the death of Beulah Atterbury, funds from a trust fund enabled Madison to complete a beautiful new brick library that in addition to the library area had a meeting room with kitchenette, a back room with outside door, 2 big bathrooms, and a basement that could be used by the community for special functions.

Beulah Briscoe Atterbury and husband J.W. Atterbury Jr. were instrumental in (building) our Library.  They had one son, Newton.  On June 14, 1961 they set up the Atterbury Trust Fund with the original amount of $54,172. 31.  There were 3 trustees.  The Library was finished in 1970, and opened for business November 6, 1970.

There were just a handful of Branch Managers; the first was Lida Haggard, then Mary Ruth Wood, Clara Meyer, Libby Brisendine, and Carol Kroeckel.  There has been several Children’s Librarians throughout the years.

Our Atterbury stone monument started out with raised letters and it was vandalized so many times that they inscribed the words into the stone and we haven’t had any trouble with that for the last 25 years.

Madison Homemakers met monthly in the kitchen- Meeting room with more than 25-30 attending.  A Quilt and Craft show was held yearly, usually in the latter part of March, with over 100 people coming from all over Missouri, Iowa and Illinois, and Arkansas some years.  Story-time met on every Wednesday morning at 10:00am and still does.

There has been a couple of programs added that are still going on.  Coffee Club meets once a month the first Wednesday and the Madison Bookmarks Book Club meets 4^th, Thursday once a month.  Wildwood Care Center is still getting a program every month.