THE HISTORY OF ECORSE PUBLIC LIBRARY 

On Sunday, December 12, 1948, Ecorse Public Library was formally opened and dedicated by Mayor William Vosine. The Ecorse Public Library was designed by Dearborn architects Bennett and Straight and was voted one of the finest small libraries in the country by the American Library Association.  The library was built from funds accumulated during the war for permanent post-war improvements.  Many county and state officials attended the dedication, such as Councilman Ormal Goodell; Councilman Theodore Marcott; Judge Alger Salliotte; Arthu r Erickson, Chairman of Ecorse Library Commission; William Van Dyke, Chairman of Wayne County Public Library Board; and Reverend Leonard Duckett, Pastor of the Ecorse Presbyterian Church.

The b uilding, which was made completely fire proof, was constructed of stone and brick and cost with its equipment $150,000.00.  The main floor was divided into an adult section and a children’s section and in the basement, an auditorium was built. The old Ecorse Public Library was located in the DeWallot building.

In 1922, public library books were first made available in the Village of Ecorse.  Under the direction of Mrs. Loleta Dawson Fyan, then county librarian, a small collection of books from the Wayne County Library Service was placed in a corner of Loveland’s Pharmacy to be submerged under by seasonal tides of Christmas cards, Easter candies, and firecrackers.  In 1923, Burt Loveland decided to move his business into larger quarters and he provided space for the library.

In 1925, the Ecorse Public Library service was discontinued due to inadequate space for an increased book collection.  It was reestablished on March 22, 1926; for the first time the public library was housed in separate quarters.  The library moved into the DeWallot building with a collection of 600 volumes and Mrs. Ada B. Saunders was appointed branch librarian.  By 1929, there were four members in the library staff.

Later, Mrs. Saunder and Mrs. Fyan opened two other local libraries: one in the Municipal building and one on Visger Road. 

1945, the first Ecorse Library Commission was appointed by Acting Mayor Theodore Marcott.  When William Vosine became mayor in 1945, he promised citizens of Ecorse a new, modern public library and he kept his promise, by making sure money was appropriated from the Post-War fund for its construction.