From Our 125th Celebration Committee

Posted on June 5, 2013

If you've looked in our Reading Room recently, you may have noticed a mannequin wearing an old-fashioned dress. This is a representation of Mrs. S. Maretta Thrall, the famous local philanthropist after whom our library is named. From her father she inherited a large amount of property in Middletown. She gifted Thrall Park to the city and later contributed to the building of Thrall Hospital.

When she died, she left a considerable sum of money for the city to build a public library. The original Thrall Library stood on Orchard Street, at the site of an old school which served as one of Middletown's first public libraries. Even though we're located in another building, her legacy of supporting the public good continues to be felt throughout the city!

In addition to our history-themed displays, you can see her likeness (performed by Thrall Board Member Tonia Crown) walking with other board members, Thrall staff, Friends of Thrall, and relatives in the City's 125th Anniversary Parade (on Saturday, June 29th at 3 PM in Downtown Middletown) all dressed as literary characters from the past 125 years!

We hope you will partake in the festivities this June!

Please visit this link (www.thrall.org/mid125) for more details.

To learn more about Mrs. Thrall and Middletown's rich history please feel free to come to the Reference Department and ask to see Middletown: A Biography by Franklin B. Williams, Portrait and Biographical Record of Orange County, New York by Chapman Publishing Company, or Middletown: A Photographic History by Peter Laskaris. We also have many interesting books about the region at Reference and even more in our Local History Room!