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Bookmobile Travels through Washington County

Friends in need between Trego and Sample's Manor

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The 1916-1921 bookmobile is pulled out of the mud... somewhere between Trego and Sample's Manor, in southern Washington County. Another photograph shows a horse doing the work to pull it out.

Keedysville station

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The Keedysville deposit station was in Roy Line's store for a number of years.

A small collection of books was housed in the general store and open one day a week with a local custodian.

The first motorized bookmobile -1912

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This bookmobile was in use 1912 to 1916.

In March of 1912 an IHC Autobuggy with body by Thomas White was delivered by the International Harvester Company. It had a specially constructed top with shelves for 300 books and storage room for four deposit station cases.

The ladies of Boonsboro

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Ladies reading in the Boonsboro Reading Room. This was an outgrowth of the deposit station established there. Certain volumes which had belonged to Major Pierce were donated and a Library Association with Harvey S. Bomberger as President was formed.

(From 50th anniversary booklet)

The 1960s bookmobile visits Tilghmanton

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The bookmobile 1957-1969.

The Studebaker was sold for $320 and replaced by a GMC with automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, and a 206 HP, V-8 engine. The body was manufactured by Gerstenslager of Wooster, OH. The unit cost $12,895 and had a capacity for 2,800 books. The green and white GMC served Washington County until the late 1960's.

A mischievous group near Mountain Locke

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The women at the back of the bookmobile hold books, while a group of four boys in knickerbockers stands by the door of the vehicle.

Reverse : 1916 Koehler Bookmobile "on the road". Mountain Locke is on the C and O canal near Dargan.

Bookmobile outside the library in Hagerstown

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The bookmobile parked outside the Washington County Free Library on Summit Avenue, Hagerstown. This was the original library building and was in use until the 1960s.

Beulah K. Eyerly is seated next to the driver. She was an Assistant Librarian from 1912.