Bayard is a city in Grant County, in the Silver City metro area. The community was named for nearby Fort Bayard, which was named for Brig. Gen. George D. Bayard. The original Bayard Library is a small brick building with facetted storefront and glass block transom considered to be of historic significance. Stories indicate that the library was moved from Columbus New Mexico many years ago. Newspaper clippings about the original library building are currently stored in the library archives.
In 2007, Jamo and Denise worked with the New Mexico Mainstreet Bayard Community, the Bayard City Administration including the Mayor and City Council, the Bayard Librarian, and the State Historic Preservation Office to develop a preliminary design for the renovation of the original historic library building and a modest addition to the building on the adjacent property owned by the City. At the time of the original renovation and addition design, the City of Bayard was actively working to acquire additional adjacent land for a larger addition. In 2012, the Bayard community was finally able to acquire additional adjacent properties, and using the preliminary design drawings as a basis for fund-raising, they were able to finance construction of an expanded version of the original design through an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act loan, a grant from USDA Rural Development, a Community Development Block Grant, and additional support from the State of New Mexico Legislature. |
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