History of the Three Rivers Branch Library

On December 10, 1910, at the written request of ten Three Rivers residents, a County Library deposit station was set up in the River Inn Hotel with Mr. Ernest McAdams in charge. The entire library collection was lost when the Inn was destroyed by fire in September, 1911.

In 1912, the Three Rivers Branch reopened in the home of Mrs. J. S. Silverton. The same year, the Kaweah Branch opened in the home of Mrs. Laura Hopping who was paid $2.50 per month, the going rate for library custodians at that time. And in December 1918, the Hammond Branch was established with Mr. Lawrence Hough as custodian.

All three branches moved into the homes of succeeding custodians. In 1928 the Hammond Powerhouse was shut down and the Hammond Branch was closed. The Kaweah and Three Rivers Branches continued in the homes of successive custodians.

In June, 1959 the Three Rivers Branch was moved to the Wylie Building on Highway 198 and in August, Frankie Welch retired, having been branch librarian for 46 years. The Kaweah and Three Rivers Branches were consolidated at this location in 1960.

The present library building was built by the County and opened to the public on August 1, 1977.