William B Ogden Free Library

About

William B. Ogden was born in Walton, in 1805. He grew up in Walton and worked as a postmaster. Later he traveled west and helped establish the city of Chicago, Illinois, serving as its first mayor. When Ogden died in 1877, he left some money to his hometown. Mr. William Wheeler, one of the trustees of Mr. Ogden’s estate, traveled to Walton in 1892 and talked to a few people in the community about the best way to use the money. They suggested that the money be used to build a library. Native bluestone was taken from quarries on Marvin Hollow and on Shepard Hill, at a cost of $13,500. Construction began in 1896. The library was designed by the firm Morris and Walker, of New York City, and was built by Alexander Carman, of Binghamton.

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