Excerpts from: Centennial Story 1890-1990 : McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin by Alice McCaul Hayward.

It begins with a bequest made by Thomas Blythe Scott, a former resident of Grand Rapids, who died in Merrill, Wisconsin, in 1886. Mr. Scott left five-thousand dollars to the city of Grand Rapids "for the purpose of procuring, establishing, and maintaining a library, forever free, for the use of the inhabitants thereof."

Sarah Wood Balderston, an early pioneer, later recalled the day in 1851 when Thomas Scott arrived in the Rapids. She wrote, "The coming of the stage was always a notable event. One day it brought Thomas Scott with two barrels of merchandise. Near where the Wood County Bank now stands, Thomas emptied his barrels, put boards across them, spread out his merchandise, and went into business."

After this exploratory venture, Scott settled in Grand Rapids and went into various enterprises before moving to Merrill where he conducted a highly successful lumber business.

Mr. Scott's bequest also brought into motion a second factor: tax support. By the terms of his will, the city should "provide and furnish a suitable and convenient room or building," but this stipulation created a problem. The city was already bonded to its limit to pay for the new iron bridge; it had no money for library rooms.

Three years of delay resulted in a referendum to approve the library, and eventually the Common Council rented space for it while building a city hall with four rooms to be allocated to the library. The temporary space consisted of two second-floor rooms on what became Second Street.

The third factor in the library's development - civic effort - began at the same time when a group of enthusiastic young women put on a "Paper Carnival" at Daly's Theater and used the proceeds to buy furniture for the library rooms. These women were the first in a long line of women's clubs and men's organizations that have continuously given strong support to library service.

Note: The public library in Merrill, Wisconsin is named for Mr. Scott.

...

In 1964, a retired library administrator and consultant, Dr. Joseph Wheeler, came to make his home with his daughter in Wisconsin Rapids. Without the Board's knowledge and without the slightest idea of the possible bequest, he "surveyed the library's needs" and recommended the site, design and cost of a new library.

He then presented his plans to an astonished Board. The Board could not agree with his plans, but it courteously thanked him and thought the matter was ended. Dr. Wheeler, however, took his idea to a meeting of the Rotary Club where, in his address, he challenged the Board to "release" his full report. He thus placed himself and the Board in an adversarial position.

Newspaper accounts of his speech created a storm of speculation, criticism, and curiosity. City officials were startled to hear that, seemingly, the T. B. Scott Library trustees were, without the Common Council's knowledge, planning to build a new library. The trustees immediately met with Mayor Nels Justeson and with members of the Common Council to explain the situation: they were not trying to suppress any information, but they did not want to be forced into an action that would not benefit the community.

It was Richard Brazeau who tactfully and successfully handled the situation by flying to Florida where he explained to Mrs. Burt all that had happened. After carefully listening to his report, this generous and understanding philanthropist suggested that she could solve the problem by releasing into trust, for the remainder of her life, the funds she had planned to give the library at her death.

It was her intention that the library should be a memorial to her late father, mother, and uncle. It would be in memory of the two young immigrant boys who, living in an area that was without schools, had studied by firelight the precious school books they had brought from England to Wisconsin.

It was to be in memory of the gift that her family had given to her: a love of learning that she hoped the library could give to others.

In September, 1964, Mr. Brazeau announced to the Board Mrs. Burt's gift of Consolidated Papers stock valued at half a million dollars. The preliminary work on the building project then began.

	Mary (McMillan) Burt In addition to her gift, she served on the Library Board (1927-1942)
Archie McMillan, Mary's father	George Baird McMillan, Mary's uncle
Mrs. Archie McMillan (Margaret (Courtney) Moore), Mary's mother	Anna McMillan, daughter of Archie and Margaret McMillan and sister of Mary (McMillan) Burt. She served on the Library Board (1942-1957)