HEERMANCE LIBRARY

Inscription

HEERMANCE LIBRARY
HOME OF ELEANORE HEERMANCE.
ENDOWED UPON HER DEATH
IN 1907 AS A FREE LIBRARY
FOR THE USE AND BENEFIT
OF LOCAL CITIZENS.
WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2020

Prior to 1907, the community of Coxsackie, New York did not have a library. On March 15, 1897 prominent Coxsackie resident Eleanore Heermance made out her last will and testament, leaving a sizable amount of money to various individuals and organizations. She wanted to benefit the community where she lived, as indicated by the following statement from her will:

I desire to establish a public circulating and reference library and reading room for the benefit of the residents of the Town of Coxsackie Greene Co N.Y. and its vicinity to be known as the Heermance Memorial Library.

Heermance’s will also stipulated that this new library would be housed in her family’s home. Upon her death on February 27, 1907 the Heermance Library was established. As of 2020, Eleanore’s legacy continues to benefit residents of Coxsackie to this day.