This Maine Public Library is Housed in What Looks Like a Tiny Castle
West Paris, Maine is a small town north of South Paris. There is a North Paris, which is part of West Paris. There's a Paris, Maine, which is the official name of Paris and South Paris but there's no East Paris. Confused? Yeah, I get it. That's not my point though.
I grew up in South Paris and for fourth through sixth grade, I went to Agnes Gray Elementary School, which is now sadly closed due to disrepair. I rode bus #32 which drove right through the village of West Paris past a small castle that I was always fascinated by.
This is the West Paris Public Library and it's in a very unique building that looks like a castle.
According to the West Paris Library's website, it was discovered that Lewis M.Mann, whose family had lived in West Paris for a very long time through several generations, had left a plot of land along with $5000 for the construction of a new library to replace the current library at the time that had run of space.
Lewis Mann's son Edwin doubled the $5000 to make sure his father's dream of a new library came true, which happened on September 4th, 1926.
The castle-like look was designed by Gibbs & Pulsifer of Lewiston. The stone is broken fieldstone gathered from fields in West Paris. The main entrance still has its original oak door with iron hinges. Over the door is a large granite block with the words "Arthur L. Mann Memorial Library" inscribed into it.
In 2005, the library was running out of space again and a modern addition was built and the castle design stayed intact.
Arthur L. Mann Memorial Library will be 100 years old in 2026. There's no doubt there'll be a big celebration in West Paris on that day for this unique piece of architecture.
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