A detailed history of this magnificent library is available
here.
In brief, the library was funded by the bequest of Charles Bowers Winn, son of Jonathan Bowers Winn. The younger Winn died shortly after the elder, and left the bulk of his estate, $140,000, to the library for the construction of a grand architectural facility to be the centerpiece of the town.
The building was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson, architect of Boston's Trinity Church. Its exterior is made of Ohio sandstone and Longmeadow stone, and features a 78-foot tower. Inside, the library boasts an art gallery, featuring paintings bequeathed by Mr. Winn, a former ladies' parlor, a reading room, a study room, fine oak furniture, and many other niceties that make it a wonderful gem to visit.