Our History- MCPL Timeline
- Miles City Public Library Staff
- Mar 20
- 3 min read
June 1878
Mrs. Laura Zook arrives in Miles City, known then as Milestown, by river steamer. She attended school in Milestown, taught school in the Lame Deer region, now the Northern Cheyenne reservation, and served two terms as county superintendent of schools.
Pictured: Downtown Miles City, Diamond R store, circa 1888.
Source: Huffman, L. A. (Laton Alton), 1854-1931, Main Street, Miles City. (1888). Montana History Portal, accessed 10/02/2026, https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/72213
1902
Mrs. Laura Zook secures funding from the Andrew Carnegie Estate's public library fund.
Pictured: Mrs. Laura Zook circa 1930-1944.
Source: Unidentified photographer, [Laura Zook, Librarian]. (Between 1930-1944). Montana History Portal, accessed 10/02/2026, https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/74154
1903
With funding for an all-new library secured, the Carnegie Library of Miles City finished constructing and was opened to the public for the first time.
C. S. Haire, who designed the original Holy Rosary Hospital and Ursuline Convent building, was chosen as the designer for the Carnegie Library.
Pictured: The complete, original Carnegie Library of Miles City.
June 10, 1941
Frank J. Jelinek, the former mayor of Miles City, issued a Proclamation in Appreciation to Laura Zook, marking June 10th as Mrs. Laura Zook Day.
Pictured: Proclamation in Appreciation article issued in the Miles City Star for Mrs. Laura Zook for "her labors, and for her zealous devotion to her duties, and for her uniform courtesies extended to patrons and public alike."
Source: Miles City Star
1945
Mildred Schlosser began working as the children's librarian. She is best remembered for her impact on the community, her kindness, and her original puppet show with handmade puppets that entertained kids through the 40s and 50s.
Pictured: Photo of Mildred Schlosser, taken around 1950 at the Carnegie Library.
Source: Jeanne S on Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95728458/mildred_george-schlosser/photo#view-photo=76594124
1949
Former Head Librarian, Clare M. Smith, created the historic Montana Room, a room that still exists today, and is used to archive southeastern Montana's history and culture. Mrs. Smith was well known and remembered for her love of eastern Montana history.
1960s
The Miles City Public Library went through its first major renovation. The stairs to the original building and the main entrance were removed to add space for the new expansion. The new entrance would be moved from Main Street to S. 10th Street, and the original counter would be brought down from where non-fiction and science fiction now reside, to the new building.
Pictured: Photo of the modern day Miles City Public Library Building. You will notice the contrast between the old Carnegie Library building and the 1960s.
2000s
Another major change came to the library with the construction of the new children's section, bringing the children out of the basement and onto the main floor. Wheelchair accessible bathrooms were also added in the hall to the children's section.
2025
It was an eventful year at the Miles City Public Library!
One of our biggest goals and accomplishments was following the recent US public library trend of a Library of Things. Our collection currently includes some family board games, baking and cooking tools, and children's kits. We plan on expanding the items available in the Library of Things in the next year.
Along with our new additions at the library, we made some necessary repairs and brought long-awaited updates to our historic building. The building was recarpeted, and the roof was fixed after it had been damaged.
This year, our bookshelves became ADA-compliant officially for mobile accessibility. The rows are now set wider for a more welcoming and accommodating environment for all bodies and abilities.
The Miles City Public Library partnered with the talented artists in the Custer County District High School Art Club to memorialize Miles City icon and the "father of modern vaccines", Maurice Hilleman. Read more about the life and legacy of Hilleman here.
Pictured: The CCDHS Art Club's mural of hometown hero, Maurice Hilleman.
Source: Isabel Spartz, MTN News, https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/making-a-mark-exploding-art-initiative-reimagines-downtown-miles-city
2026
In 2026, we're looking forward to making use of our recently awarded grant funding for renovations and programming to make our library more accessible and accommodating for our patrons.
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