CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Charleston native Norma Sams said she was looking to give her family a place to come back to when she purchased sidewalk stones leading from the Clara Drinkwater Newnam Library at 105 E. Marshall St. nearly four years ago.
"I like reunions and keeping in touch with people," Sams said about buying the stones. "It's just a great thing. So many things change through the years. You think, 'whatever happened to this building?' ... and now it's gone, but this is sort of one of those things where people's names are written in stone and they last forever."
Sams purchased several stones, including one personalized with her name, her husband's and their two sons' names; one with their three grandchildren's names and one with her parents' and grandparents' and her husband's parents' and grandparents' names.
The Charleston public library recently began selling sidewalk stones and, so far, four have been sold.
"We are very excited to start offering the sidewalk stones again," said Stephanie Bledsoe, director of the Mississippi County Library District. "We have patrons purchasing stones for a memorial, in honor of or dedication to or with family members' names listed on the stone."
Some stones have also been purchased to represent Charleston High School classes, Bledsoe said. "People are always out on the walk looking for familiar names. It is a wonderful asset to our community," Bledsoe said.
The stones project was initiated by the library's previous director, and since Bledsoe has been on board people continue to ask when the next sidewalk stones would be offered, she said. In spring 2004, a reading room was added onto the library, and last year a memorial garden was planted leading out from the reading room, Bledsoe said.
"It all started with a staff member who lost her husband, and the library decided to plant a tree in memory of her husband," Bledsoe said about the memorial garden. "And when we did that, we decided to put in a whole garden."
Lasting reminder
The projects were paid for through the library's memorial trust fund, which is made up of general donations made from the community, Bledsoe said. "Once we do the [second] sidewalk, we will put in a little bench for people to go out and sit out there," Bledsoe said.
Stones cost $35 and will be made by Bell Monument Co. in Cairo, Ill. They can contain 17 spaces on a line with up to three lines on each stone.
"It's pretty reasonable. It's a good donation. It stays here, and the stones will be there forever," Bledsoe said.
Sams agreed.
"When our family comes into town, once in a while they'll go and just walk along and see their names. It's something they'll remember because they've been away for years. ... It kind of anchors them here," Sams said.
Forms are available at the library, and those who live out of town and are interested in purchasing a stone, can have forms mailed to them, Bledsoe said.
For more information, call the library at 573-683-6748 or come to the library to fill out forms. Patrons approve all stones before they're completed.
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.