The first library in the town of Uxbridge was the Uxbridge Social and Instructive Library (1775-1812), managed by George Southwick at his store in the Quaker City section of South Uxbridge. Most of these small libraries were subscription libraries that required dues and assessments. None of these were free to the public so in 1873 voters of the town passed four articles and six trustees were elec
ted in 1874 to organize themselves and the Uxbridge Free Public Library. It opened in the FW Barnes jewelry store on South Main Street on January 20, 1875. After five crowded years they moved into the Town Hall. Fourteen years later it again outgrew itself. On June 20, 1894 in the Town Hall came the Proceedings and Dedication of the Thayer Memorial Building. Edward Carrington Thayer, a local businessman and banker, built it as a gift to Uxbridge and in memory of his parents, Joseph and Chloe Taft Thayer. It became home to the Uxbridge Free Public Library. The building was designed by Fuller & Delano of Worcester as architects and the building contract to Urgel Jacques of Worcester. Thayer spent a total of $33,500.00; $28,000.00 for the building, $4,000.00 for the land and $1,500.00 for furnishings.
