Chelsea: Chelsea Public Library

Chelsea’s public library began as the Fitz Public Library in 1885 and was lost in the Great Chelsea Fire of 1908, along with all of its 80,000 volumes and historical records. That very same year, industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, known internationally for his support of libraries, donated $57,500 to the town of Chelsea to rebuild its library; Carnegie’s donation, in addition to $20,000 received in insurance funds, allowed for the construction of a striking, new library at the same site. In 1910, the new Public Library of the City of Chelsea was dedicated, and today, it provides a vast array of services and programming to a diverse multicultural population. For more information, visit https://www.chelseama.gov/public-library.