McCreless Branch Library

History:   

McCreless Branch Library was designed to serve as a resource center for residents throughout the Southeast part of San Antonio and Bexar County. The site for this library was donated to the City by Mr. S.E. McCreless and Mr. G.S. McCreless. The 5, 800 square foot library building was constructed in 1966 for a cost of $98,000, with a 30,000 volume collection and 6.5 FTE staff serving an estimated population of 60,000 people. The library was named for G. Sealie and Sollie E. McCreless. These two were twins. At birth, they weighed three pounds each. Their mother kept them in two shoeboxes on top of a wood-burning stove to keep them warm. The babies were so small she could slip her wedding ring over their hands to their wrists. The tiny twins thrived, growing up to eventually build the McCreless Mall in 1963 and to donate the land to build the McCreless Branch Library. After some 30 years, the McCreless Branch closed for much-needed renovation. Construction began on October 2, 1995 and the doors reopened on December 15, 1996 at a cost of $1,169,080. The new addition included a meeting room.