Art and Quilts at the Hamden Public Library

Willis E. Miller 1840—1904

Miller Memorial Central Library is named for Willis E. Miller, who worked his way up from laborer to president of the Axle Works located at the head of the Sleeping Giant Mountain. He was devoted to Hamden and the New Haven region.

When Mr. Miller died in 1904, Hamden had two small libraries—the Mt. Carmel Free Public Library, sharing space with the Post Office, and Hamden Free Public Library, located in the front parlor of the rectory of Grace Episcopal Church (now Grace & St Peter’s). Mr. Miller’s wife, Mary Ann Bradley Miller, died in 1924, and left $100,000 to the Town to be used to establish a public library in honor of her late husband.

Town-wide and Town-supported library services began in 1943. The Miller Memorial Central Library and Cultural Complex opened at 2901 Dixwell Avenue in 1980. Architect August Franzoni designed the major addition and renovation of the old Centerville School that now houses the Library, the Arts Commission, Elderly Services, and Thornton Wilder Hall.

Thornton Wilder 1897-1975

Pulitzer prize-winning author and famous Hamden resident. His study is located on the library’s main floor. This bust, adjacent to Mr. Wilder’s study, was created by Anthony Bonadies, Professor of Art at Southern Connecticut State University and Hamden resident. Presented to the Library in 1986.

On exhibit in the library rotunda since 2001, this totem pole was presented to Stanley L. Mendygral for his 25 years of service to the Indian Guides program affiliated with the Hamden YMCA. Members of the Iroquois Tribe of the local Indian Guides and Princesses Program hand-carved this totem pole in his honor.

Quilts at Miller Library

Three quilts hang from the second and third level balustrades. “The Eagle Has Landed” quilt has been on loan from award-winning local quilter Sue Clark since shortly after 9/11/01. One Bicentennial Quilt depicts scenes of Hamden (chart of the quilt panels); the other Bicentennial Quilt depicts scenes from the Whitneyville section of Hamden (Word document with a chart of the quilt panels).

Gifts of Sculpture from the Miller Estate

This graceful white marble statue greets visitors to the library rotunda. It is inscribed “E.S. Bartholomew, Rome, 1857.”

This bronze sculpture is located in the Library’s Media Room. The knight stands 42 1/2 inches tall. It was made in France by “E. Picault and is inscribed “Le Cid” on the base.

Land of the Sleeping Giant” Sculpture

David Boyajian’s sculpture is prominently displayed on the Library’s south-facing wall. Commissioned by the Hamden Arts Commission, this work of public art, a wall relief with free-standing sculpture, was installed in October 2003. The sculpture is stainless steel, grounded by a huge history book atop a classical column. The book title, Land of the Sleeping Giant, is also the name of the Sculpture, and refers to Hamden’s “most precious historic natural treasure.” The wall relief portion of the sculpture consists of four lightweight aluminum archways that span a 16 foot-wide area under the building’s name and above the free-standing sculpture. Trellised forms of free falling oak leaves reflecting ambient light symbolize Hamden’s original four villages of Mt. Carmel, Whitneyville, Highwood and State Street.