Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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August 29, 2010

Princeton proudly opens doors to new library

By BILL ARCHER Bluefield Daily Telegraph

PRINCETON —  Hundreds of people came out Saturday morning to witness a “miracle” on Mercer Street as the city dedicated and opened its new library in the stately building that housed the city’s post office for many of its 80-year history.

The new library represents a culmination of the personal drive of Dink Stafford and the late Emilie Holroyd, the financial support of the H.P. Hunnicutt Foundation, the H.I. Shott Jr., Foundation, the Stafford family, Kendrick family, Bowling family, Carper family, City of Princeton, the West Virginia USDA Rural Development and John Q. Public, according to Robert Holroyd, who addressed the crowd during the opening ceremony.

“We meet here today in what must be considered by most of us to be a miracle,” Holroyd said. “We, who have ridden past this magnificent building on the old streetcars atop the brick streets framed by the wooden sidewalks, marvel at what has been accomplished in this almost 80-year-old building.”

Built in the 1930s, the Alex Mahood designed building has undergone an incredible transformation. With Holroyd and Stafford — a pair of unlikely allies given their opposing political persuasions, Democrat and Republican respectively — joining forces, combined with the infectious enthusiasm of Connie Shumate, library director, the seemingly impossible task became a miraculous reality in a few short years.

“Dink,” Holroyd said in reference to Stafford who was unable to attend the ceremony: “There is not a person in this community you haven’t touched — and I don’t mean just for a contribution for the library fund. Your work and this facility will continue to influence the life of this community for generations. If it weren’t for you, we simply wouldn’t be here today.”

Holroyd also expressed appreciation to Princeton Mayor Dewey Russell, and the library board including Gina Boggess, Bob Shumaker, Roger Kimble and Pam Stafford. “Connie Shumate went far beyond the call of duty and basically dedicated her life to make this a reality,” Holroyd said.

On a tour of the facility just prior to the start of the ceremony, Todd Boggess of E.T. Boggess Architects of Princeton, the architects who directed the transformation, said it was “a blessing,” to be able to work with contractors, suppliers and firms in Mercer County to bring the renovation to fruition. “This was all local people on this project,” Boggess said. “I think everybody stepped up and did a great job.”

In terms of the adaptive re-use of a historic building, Boggess said that the building meets all the requirements of achieving designation on the National Register of Historic Buildings. “I think it represents a great combination of the old and the new,” Boggess said as he walked through the facility, pointing to design elements that manage the acoustic balance in the structure while still highlighting the architectural components that were state-of-the-art in the 1930s.

Both levels of the structure incorporate subtle indirect lighting techniques like those pioneered by Frank Lloyd Wright in his masterpiece, Falling Water. However, the facility also boasts of modern communications equipment second to none in the Mountain State.

“We owe a great debt of gratitude to Rick and Ken Kendrick for providing the funding for this state-of-the-art technical equipment,” Boggess said. “It’s the best in the state. Also, Jack Fredeking has committed so much of his personal time to this project. It has been amazing.”

“Fancy Nancy,” Olivia Boggess, daughter of Todd and Sharon Boggess said as she looked out on the young people’s section of the library. The library also features a nursery as well as a place especially designed for teenagers complete with booth-style seating.

“This has been a team effort,” Wayne Shumate, Princeton City Manager said.

“We built the concept around making the library open to children,” Connie Shumate said. “Libraries should be places where young people can come and feel comfortable.”

Robert D. “Bobby” Lewis, state director of the USDA Rural Development smiled as he observed all the people attending the dedication. Lewis said the state provided $80,000 at the start of the project and returned with an additional $80,000 this year from the federal stimulus funds.

“It’s been a great community project ... a great gift to the future,” Robert Farley, president and chief executive officer of the Princeton-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce said.

Father Paul Warton delivered the library blessing and Will Stafford conducted the unveiling of the sign on the library, naming the building in honor of his mother, Dink Stafford. “I want to thank all of you,” he said.

“Believe it or not, it pays to dream,” Dewey Russell said. “We’re blessed to live in a community that is benevolent.”

– Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com

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