The Bath County Memorial Library was founded in 1949 by the Owingsville Women’s Club, and opened in January, 1950. It expanded into a bookmobile in 1953, and in 1963 moved into the old Farmer’s Bank Building at 24 W. Main St. Community response was high; a 1965 survey showed resident usage at 70%, and the library expanded again in 1996.
Both of those collections are owned by the Bath County Memorial Library, and held in their local history collection.
The two collections in Bath County’s Community Collection are both primary sources from Bath County residents.
The Gilmore diary collection spans 1944-1955 and is written by Etta Evans Gilmore.
The Young WWII letter collection was written by Bath County native Sergeant Johnston A. Young, during his time stationed in the Pacific theater during World War II.
