Tue., May 21◊Hours:
9:00-8:00
Bayard Room
The permanent art displays in Willard Library have stories of their own to tell. Click on the pieces below to learn more about them.
Cane-Seated Chairs
These cane-seated chairs were part of the Library’s original furnishings.
Oak Table
The expandable oak table was acquired in 1983 to accommodate meetings of the Library’s board of trustees.
Photograph of Charles H. Butterfield
Charles H. Butterfield, secretary of the Library’s board of trustees from 1876 to 1897, delivered remarks on behalf of the board at the Library’s dedication ceremony on March 28, 1885.
The photographer is unknown.
Photograph of Martha Orr Bayard
Martha Orr Bayard was a library benefactor who donated her husband’s collection of fine books to the Library after his death. She is also known for giving Bayard Park to the City of Evansville.
The photographer is unknown.
Photograph of Samuel Bayard
The photographer is unknown. The Library’s second-floor Bayard Room is named for Samuel Bayard, and houses his collection of books, donated by his wife.
Photograph of Willard Carpenter
This hand-tinted photograph of Library founder Willard Carpenter, taken by an unknown photographer, is displayed in an oval frame.
Portrait of Henry F. Blount, 1910
Painted by James Henry Moser, the portrait of Henry F. Blount was a gift to the Library from Blount in 1911. Blount had been selected by Willard Carpenter as one of the Library’s original trustees, and may have also been the board’s first president. His tenure on the board ended in 1891, when he moved to Washington, D.C.
Sampler, 1846
The sampler was created by artist Mary Grainger Phar (then Mary Grainger) when she was a girl. It was presented to Willard Library in 2007 by the artist’s granddaughter, Mary Legler Wilson, in memory of her mother, Eva Phar Legler, and her grandmother.
Secretary-Desk, 1870s
This circa 1870s secretary-desk was presented to Willard Library in the 1970s by the heirs of Anton Baronowsky, the maker of the piece.