The earliest form of the Fairhaven Library was started by four men who passed the hat to raise money for a reading room in Fairhaven…. so that men would have someplace to go to spend their evenings other than the saloon.

The first reading room was in the Fairhaven Bank building (in the Waldron Block). Unfortunately, this building went broke (only the first floor was ever completed) and in 1891 the reading room was moved to two rooms in the Mason Block (Marketplace building).

The four men with foresight? Cyrus Gates, C.X. Larrabee, Major Wilkins and E.M Wilson. Women were involved as well, giving teas and socials to raise money for magazines and other reading materials. They were: Mrs. P.W. Strader; Mrs. C.X. Larrabee; Mrs. J.J. Donovan; Mrs. E.H. Holbrook; and Mrs. C.W. Christopher.

In November of 1891 Larrabee and Cornwall offered to donate the land and materials to build an adjoining library on the boundary between Bellingham and Fairhaven, but the panic of 1892 brought that idea to a halt.

By the end of 1892 the City of Fairhaven, newly incorporated, took over the little library and the city council designated fifty dollars a month for its support. Times were hard though, and the amount was not increased. In 1894 Larrabee and two of the board members resigned, followed by the rest in 1895. The little library continued to struggle along anyway.

In 1902 Laura Shaw was appointed as the first librarian at a salary of twenty dollars a month. She would remain in this position until 1920 when she was replaced by Edith Carhart.

1903 brought consolidation of the two libraries. By this time, Fairhaven had applied for, and been given, a Carnegie grant for a new building. The land was donated by C.X. Larrabee on the condition that a pleasant room for reading would be provided for the working man. Somehow, West and Elliot, architects from Seattle, decided on a southwest design for the building in the far northwest. It was a style known as “Mexican Renaissance.” and would be built of red brick and Chuckanut sandstone. In addition to the merging of the collections, card catalogs and so forth, consolidation meant there would be four thousand dollars designated annually for the libraries.

December 22, 1903, at 3:15 in the afternoon, ground was broken for the new library. The building was completed in 1904 and dedicated in July of 1905. (At which time a portrait of the benefactor, Andrew Carnegie, was presented).

In 1970 there was an unsuccessful bond issue to replace the old Fairhaven Carnegie building. Money was finally acquired to remodel the main floor. It was hoped that at some point in the future the ground and top floors would also be renovated.

A 1974 re-model brought in new furniture and carpets. Pillars were added to bolster the upper floor which meant the second floor auditorium could once again be used (and would no longer be a haven for dead starlings). An elevator was added at this time as well.

Threats to close the Fairhaven branch in 1986 and again in 1992 resulted in the formation of the Friends of the Fairhaven Library. The Fairhaven Friends are actively involved in keeping the library open and enhancing the library collection through gifts.