LaGrange Bear Creek Unity Library

View our list of books, videos, magazines, etc that we have available at the library.
- If you are looking for a specific item you can do a search in the file to find it easier.

SUMMBER READING 2024

DRAGONS!!
Mondays & Thursdays in June.

LaGrange-Bear Creek Unity Association is offering grant money for community projects!

- Download Application

The LaGrange Community Endowment fund was established in 2009, started with donations to the Mrs. Archie (Kathy) Johnson memorial fund. This “designated” LaGrange Community Endowment Fund is invested as part of the Wyoming Community Foundation’s portfolio with the earnings from this fund being disbursed annually to the LaGrange-Bear Creek Unity Association to address the priorities established by the Unity Board of Directors. Because it is an endowed fund, only the earnings are distributed to Unity, enabling the Fund to exist in perpetuity.

One of the priorities set forth by the LaGrange-Bear Creek Unity Association’s Board of Directors is to distribute a portion of the earnings to nonprofit and service organizations within the LaGrange-Bear Creek community in the form of grants for projects that will enhance the quality of life in and for this community

If your nonprofit or service organization wishes to apply for this LaGrange community grant, read more about it on this link or pick up a packet at Unity Library or at the LaGrange Town Hall. The grant application deadline is November 1, 2018. The decision will be announced after January 21, 2019. Grant awards will be made based on the availability of endowment distributions from Wyoming Community Foundation. All decisions will be at the sole discretion of the Unity Board of Directors, and not necessarily on an annual basis.

Fall Round-Up

Dear Unity Friends: Greetings from the impressive LaGrange Heritage Square, Home of LaGrange-Bear Creek Community Library & Museum! . . ." Click here to read more about Unity's accomplishments in 2017.

New Library Hours (updated 3/26/24)

Mon 3:00-5:00pm
Tues 10:00-12:00 & 1:00-2:30pm
Wed 12:30pm - 2:00pm
Thurs Baby Books 12:30 - 2:00pm
Fri 10:30am-11:30 am

Also open at random times. Call ahead or watch for the OPEN sign in the
window.

Library's phone number- 307-834-9309.

All times are thanks to the selfless dedication of our volunteer staff.

Hosts Needed
More volunteers are needed. Please leave your contact information at
the Library, or call Cheryl at 834-2459.

Next Meeting Date: April 9th @ 7pm Unity meetings will be held the 1st Monday of each month.

Interested community members are welcome!

LaGrange-Bear Creek Unity Association was founded in 1992 with the express purposes of providing a library, preserving local history, and promoting appreciation of our community. With the support of the LaGrange Town Council, Unity Association founded the LaGrange-Bear Creek Community Library in the previous Town Hall. In keeping with the association's purposes, and in support of the historic preservation of the former LaGrange High School building, renamed LaGrange Heritage Square, the Community Library will soon be moving into the new LaGrange Heritage Square. LaGrange Heritage Square

In addition, Unity Association, being a
501-C-3 non-profit corporation, has agreed to serve as the administrator of the newly established LaGrange Community Endowment Fund. Donations for the Endowment Fund have been made as gifts and memorials in honor of cherished community members or as instruments to continue the legacy of LaGrange for future generations. The Endowment Funds will provide a safe, secure way to develop and maintain LaGrange Heritage Square, which in turn provides a home for our library, preserves local history, and promotes our community. As the Endowment Fund grows through continued charitable giving, LaGrange-Bear Creek Unity Association will direct the use of the endowment earnings to the support of LaGrange-Bear Creek Community Library and History Center, LaGrange Heritage Square, and other beneficial community needs, in line with Unity's purposes.

You may read more about LaGrange-Bear Creek Unity Association and the LaGrange Endowment Fund by clicking on the related links. Donations to these causes are deeply appreciated. A gift to the endowment fund will have far-reaching benefits: preserving our heritage, giving back to your community, and passing LaGrange's legacy to future generations. Your support can make these dreams a reality.

Unity's Year At a Glance

January - Curl up with a good book! All ages welcome: Preschoolers to Out-of-schoolers.
February - Open House/Annual Meeting/Soup Night
Spring - Easter Egg Hunt/Story Time/Book Sale
Summer - Summer Reading for Kids
Closure for Summer Reading - Family Night Celebration and Awards
Fall Round-Up - Fund Drive
Winter - Planning and Corporation Matters
All Year - Provide a library. Preserve history. Promote Awarenenss & Appreciation for our Community.

A Peek into the Past - Over 100 Years Ago

Excerpt from Trails, Rails, and Travails, The LaGrange History Book

°We came to Wyoming Territory August, 1888. I was just a girl at that time. It seemed so lonesome, so far from one place to another, nothing but hills and stock.
°We came by train to Pine bluffs . . . . We were met with a team and farm wagon, . . . drove all day, and arrived at the old Whitehead Ranch about sundown. This ranch was just across the creek west of where Jelmer Johnson now lives.
°The trip over the divide was all new to me. We drove miles without seeing a home. Then they were small log or sod buildings with a dirt roof and some dirt floors. It was all open range at that time, not a gate to open or lane to follow. When we got to the creek we found there were ranches all up and down it.
. . . .
°The Texas Trail herds were brought through every summer from fifteen to twenty hundred in a bunch. . . .²
. . . .
°The fall of 1889, the first school house of LaGrange was built, one small log room, having four small windows. The walls were just logs with plaster to fill in the cracks, no ceiling and a low dirt roof. A big wood stove stood in the center, pipe reaching through the roof. Miss Mattie Thomas better known as Mrs. Winnie was the first teacher. . . .
°The most of the pupils had to ride to school, either horseback or in a cart. They brought long ropes and a picket pin and staked their ponies out till school closed. . . .
°Near Christmas 1889, every one favored having a Christmas tree and short program. The school teachers gave readings, had a few songs, then Santa appeared. . . . Besides the ornaments, the tree was loaded with gifts for old and young. . . . After the program, there was a dance and all that cared to stayed the remainder of the night. . . .²

Continue enjoying this history by Miss Dema Tremain found on pages 5-8. Purchase your copies of Trails, Rails, and Travails for $20 to support the library.

Fine, hard-bound copies of the LaGrange community history book, full of fascinating local pioneers and families, are available for $20. Proceeds go to support Unity's library and historic preservation projects.

Making leather bookmarks to go with the western Summer Reading theme.	Summer Reading Water Fight! Watch out for sharpshooters Sheriff Ham and Deputy Scott!
Unity Easter Egg Hunt candy stuffers.	Summer Reading kids cheer for awards!
To promote literacy and community spirit, Unity hosts the annual Easter Egg Hunt, followed by story time and snacks	Kids enjoy the Unity Easter Egg hunt.
Waving flags, Summer Readers and supporters greeted the historic Union Pacific train.	Historic UP passenger train stopped in LaGrange to present T-shirts to the Summer Reading children.