Dunham Hall Library

The third floor of the museum is where the beautiful Dunham Hall Library is located.  It  has two fireplaces and vaulted timbered ceilings.  The Library houses a unique collection of resources, children’s titles, craft books and much more in a reading room setting.  There are materials on mills, immigration, textiles, and local and Connecticut history.

• Named after Austin Dunham – Mill Founder & Owner

• Willimantic’s First Library

• Opened March 2nd 1878

• It was uncommon to have a library and to educate the masses

• Built with Civil War profits

• Built to benefit the workers

• Benevolent project for the whole community

• Used as a night school to teach English lesson , singing classes, reading & writing

• Used for research

• Reflects wealth & influence after Civil War

• An important part of Americanization of immigrant mill workers

• Also used as an Episcopalian Chapel to try to shake the Irish from their Catholic habits