History

The need for a community library was first brought forth by the Mt. Vernon Key Club, a local women’s group, in January 1977. In just a few months, the library was bursting at the seams with donated books and quickly out grew the small one-room building in which it was started.

In December of 1977, the First National Bank of Mt. Vernon deeded the historic old bank building (circa 1913) to the county for use as the county library. In January of 1979, the library opened the downstairs of its current location and in 1980 the library expanded to the second floor. There have been several renovations made throughout the years, the latest in 1997.

Now, the beautifully restored building blends its unique history with a full-service modern library. The ornate handcrafted ceiling, marble counters and original vault doors add to the beauty of this historic site. In February of 1992, Franklin County Library was featured in an article of Texas Highways magazine entitled “Libraries that Speak Volumes”.