More than a dozen longtime Folsom residents turned out Friday night to visit the unveiling of the newly-renovated old library building behind the Giddy Up Coffee Shop. They shared memories of "Aunt Decie" Pittman's Library and how it opened up the world of reading for so many young people.
Here are several pictures of the get together, during which there were plenty of trips down memory lane, even to recalling the specific books they checked out on the weekly visits from the school children.
Click on the images to make them larger.
A large group turned out to visit the newly renovated building
Visitors packed inside to see the renovated interior, complete with the original bookshelves.
Recalling memories of meeting with childhood friends at the library
Looking at a group library photo they were in back in the fourth grade
The sign
Aunt Decie's great grandson Jay and grandson David Pittman
A pen and ink sketch of the original little library
Left to right Gay Core Lazare, Sue Ellen Armitage Eyre, Karen Sharp Pearson, and Leatte McLain Sharp
They remembered walking to the old library from the Folsom Elementary School to look over the books and check out their favorites. For a while the little library was only open on Friday afternoons, then it began opening on Mondays also, and finally it was open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Jon G. Laiche was also on hand. A historian, he provided much historical information about the library in anticipation of getting it designated a historic landmark. He hopes to add more books to the shelves as plans are finalized for the little building.
"This library gave me my love for reading," one visitor said.
According to David Pittman, the building was originally a mechanics shop and storage for Clyde Pittman's business. Folsom had been served by a bookmobile for years before the Aunt Decie's Library came along in the early 1950's. "Kids from Folsom Consolidated School's third grade would walk to the library, get their books, and read them on the benches outside. They would only let five kids in at a time. That was a big thing on Friday to walk to the library," he said.
The building that housed Aunt Decie's library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Sept. 29, 2022.
See also:
First Folsom Library Building Renovated
Old Folsom Library Updated
Giddy Up Concert, Art Show and Sunset
The History of Folsom
J.C. Pittman Memorial Fire Station Dedicated
Folsom Village Officials Group Portraits
In one of the above photographs is a framed copy of my 1995 cartoon map of Folsom hanging on the wall in the background. Here is a close up of that map.
