Happy birthday: Historic Hayner building turns 125

The Genealogy and Local History Library building celebrates 125 years. The Genealogy and Local History Library building celebrates 125 years. Photo: Photos By Vicki Bennington|For The Telegraph Photo: Photos By Vicki Bennington|For The Telegraph Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Happy birthday: Historic Hayner building turns 125 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

A few facelifts, some expansions here and there, and what is now the Genealogy and Local History Library building has reached the impressive age of 125 stronger and better than ever.

In recognition of the structure’s quasquicentennial, beginning at 1 p.m., Saturday, an architectural talk by genealogy and local history manager Lacy McDonald will highlight the origins of the building originally christened the Jennie D. Hayner Memorial Library, the architect who built it, the changes it has gone through and the services currently offered at the State Street location.

In 1852, the roots of what is now the Hayner Public Library District began as the Alton Library Association. Jennie D. Hayner was very active in the association, but it never really had a place to call home, moving here and there to various places in Downtown Alton. After Jennie died, her husband, John, memorialized her in the form of a permanent home for the library. He commissioned architect Theodore Link, well-known for designing the St. Louis Union Station Railroad Depot building. Link’s old English, Gothic-style structure opened as Alton’s first permanent library in May 1891.

In 1906, Hayner’s grandson, John Haskell, provided funds to add an annex to the building, which had become too small for the library’s burgeoning collections. He commissioned U.S. Nixon, who had worked as the contractor on the original portion of the building, to design it.

In 1970, the adult collection was moved to the Belle Street building, which the library had acquired, and the Jennie D. Hayner building became the Hayner Children’s Library. In the 1990s, renovations were made for the 100th anniversary of the building, and in 2011, it underwent another overhaul, transforming to the Genealogy and Local History Library, which it remains today.

With the fires burning and music playing by two Alton High School chamber groups amidst fresh holiday greenery by Kinzels Flower Shop, the Dec. 10 celebratory portion of the day runs from 2 to 4 p.m. with crafts to make magnetic picture frames and gift tags, and free books for those who stop by for the festivities. Folios for different types of genealogy research will be distributed, with refreshments on hand in the foyer.

Patrons can browse through books in the Illinois Room, and peruse the exhibits in the nine museum display cases throughout the building’s main room and annex.

The genealogy library contains a plethora of reference materials, including city directories and nearly all Alton High School yearbooks from 1905 to 2016; yearbooks from Marquette Catholic High School, Western Military Academy, and Shurtleff and Monticello Seminary colleges, as well as some elementary schools. Many of the materials also are digitized, a service provided free to libraries through the Record Conversion Department at Oklahoma Correctional Industries. The library is in the process of making the digitized versions available at www.archive.org.

The Illinois Room houses the genealogy and local history collection that includes more than 5,000 books. People come from all over the United States to use the collection, and the staff has corresponded with researchers all over the world. Case in point, McDonald recently found two obituaries sought by a researcher from Sweden.

“It’s exciting to help people find just what they were looking for,” McDonald said. “And when we can take it a step further, it’s even more exciting — for them and us.

“We have so many books and materials, but one of my favorite books — that’s very informative — is ‘Artwork of Madison County,’ which is actually full of photographs of Alton buildings in 1893.”

The museum display cases contain permanent exhibits, such as the Hayner family history, and special pieces, such as a sword from Western Military Academy and the family Bible of Enoch Long, a supporter of freedom of the press, along with Elijah P. Lovejoy. Other current exhibits highlight Western Military Academy, Illinois Glass Co. and Alton postcards.

The library also houses an art collection, including five important pieces of artwork. A self-guided audio tour is available at any time for patrons who want to explore the full history of the building and collections.

Periodic “branching out” classes are held at the genealogy library that help patrons learn how to conduct genealogy research themselves. Or one-on-one appointments can be made with McDonald, Beth Phillips, Reneè Johnson, Pam Bierman or George Fuller. All have been trained in genealogy research.

About four times a year, various historians present talks in the genealogy building about historical figures and/or structures in the area, including an upcoming talk in March on Sen. Lyman Trumbull, who was from Alton and was co-author of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

McDonald has a master’s in library and information science from the University of Illinois, as well as a graduate certificate in special collections and rare book librarianship.

Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, McDonald married Godfrey resident Jeff McDonald and moved to Alton when he returned to the area to practice law in Jerseyville.

“I started working at the library and I’m thrilled to be doing what I wanted to do — working with genealogy and history,” she said.

The library was originally supported by donations, then became a part of the city of Alton in the 1950s. In the 1970s, it became a tax-supported district serving Alton, Godfrey and Fosterburg townships.

The Genealogy and Local History building is located at 401 State St. McDonald’s architectural talk begins at 1 p.m., Saturday. To register for the talk, call 800-613-3163. The celebration of the building’s 125th birthday runs from 2 to 4 p.m. Registration is not necessary for the celebration. The Hayner Public Library District’s main branch is located at 326 Belle St., with another location at Alton Square Mall. The Genealogy and Local History building also houses administrative offices.

Visit www.haynerlibrary.org or the Hayner Public Library District’s Facebook page for more information.

Reach writer Vicki Bennington at vbennington@sbcglobal.net and Twitter @vicben1.