-Chapter V- GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
County Services - Murray County Library
The Murray County Library was established more than 60 years ago due to the efforts of the Chatsworth Woman's Club. In 1920 the local newspaper mentioned that a "library fund" was "being raised" by the club. "Col. & Mrs. W.C. Martin of Dalton headed the list with a donation of $25." Within a year or two the library opened, staffed by voluntary club members. Townspeople who remember the early days say that most of the ladies kept the library going while they were raising families. They divided up the week and took turns running the facility-"even if it meant lugging a small child to the building on Market Street" (at the corner of First Avenue).
The club often struggled to keep the library opened and received no outside help until the 1930's when the Works Progress Administration (WPA) provided funds to pay a librarian. Finally, the library got someone's attention and Mrs. Johnnie Pierce Hartley became the first librarian.
Affectionately known as "Miss Johnnie," Mrs. Hartley served the library for about 30 years. She worked for practically no pay for many years just so Murray County could have a library. A resident of Eton, Miss Johnnie was active in the Eastern Star, the Methodist Church, and the Red Cross. She died in 1979 at the age of 91—just months before the new library opened.
During Miss Johnnie's tenure the Murray library became a part of the Dalton Regional Library System. Following Miss Johnnie's retirement, Bonnie Gudger and Edna Sampler Dunford served as librarians with members of the Woman's Club filling in at times.
In 1977 plans were made for a new library, since the building on Market and First was too small. The Murray County Board of Education provided land on which to build the new 4,000-square-feet structure. (The land was part of a gift made to the Board by V.C. Pickering some 40 years before.) A $160,000 grant through the Appalachian Regional Commission provided most of the funding for the library on Old Ellijay Road across from the Murray County Hospital, A construction contract for the new building was signed in January, 1979 and by December the library had moved in. Harold Bishop, a Summerville contractor, constructed the new facility. Dedication ceremonies and an open house were held on January 20, 1980. Participants in the program included County Commissioner Kirby Patterson, Regional Library Board Treasurer James H. Phillips, County School Superintendent Doug Griffin, Mayor Zeke Hufstetler, and Regional Library Director Eugenia Cavender. Members of the Woman's Club were recognized for all their work and acted as hostesses for the open house. State School Superintendent Charles McDaniel was the guest speaker. Members of the Murray Library Board were Chairman Larry Sampson, Vice-Chairman Marie Kelly, Secretary-Treasurer Robbie Cowart, Caroline Amis, and Frances Heartsell. Theda Sampler has been librarian for several years. Renda Stafford is her assistant.
Murray County Heritage