BATH — The Coastal Journal is not the only organization celebrating an anniversary. 2016 marks 125 years of the Patten Free Library in its current location on Summer Street, too.

As our “Then” picture shows, it didn’t always look like it does today. The older photo shows construction of the newest wing of the library, built in 1998. The new wing incorporated the children’s and young-adult areas, expanded the nonfiction stacks, and added a new history and genealogy room.

At the same time, the original building was restored to its historical glory.

The photo shows the state of construction as of Jan. 8, 1998. It wouldn’t be completed until September of that year.

Construction of the original building began in 1889 and was completed in 1890. Designed by George Harding, it was intended from the start to be a library for the community.

The library itself has existed for even longer. Originally, the Patten Library Association was founded in 1847, and existed for a number of years before Galen C. Moses donated $10,000 for the construction of the new building.

To this day some of the older books from the library are still held within the original building, albeit in cases closed to casual browsing. A much more detailed history of the library is available in the Sagadahoc History and Genealogy Room.