Ella Strong Denison, 1855-1940 started with an endowment made  in honor of her husband, Dr. Charles Denison. Mrs. Denison donated funds in 1924 for "The Charles Denison, M.D., Memorial Library." In 1935, Mrs. Denison donated more than $90,000 to build a new library building and a badly needed auditorium. The library was completed in 1937.