Visiting
the town of Olean, NY, viewers discover an area filled with community
pride. On a gorgeous autumn day, viewers visit the town’s parks and
schools, stop at an old-fashioned cider mill, and tour St. Bonaventure
University. From visiting the city mural to meeting many of the town’s
citizens, viewers discover the beautiful scenery and diverse people of
Olean, NY.
Feature Segment:
A visit to Olean’s Old Library Restaurant
The Old
Library Restaurant lies in the heart of downtown Olean. With its old-fashioned
façade, one would guess it to be one of the town’s oldest
eateries. Surprisingly, this restaurant of Victorian-style décor,
complete with deep-colored walls, several chandeliers, and a large
wooden bar, was once the town’s public library.
Olean
resident Joann McAndrew remembers a time when this gorgeous structure
was a place to borrow books, rather than order meals. "I went
to the library a lot, to meet friends, to do homework, and basically
grow up in," says McAndrew. "When the library was moved
to its new location, it was great to see our old library enhanced
and turned into a restaurant." The restaurant’s owner
and founder, Mary Barbara Mara, gives viewers a tour of the Old
Library Restaurant and brief history sketch. "A number of years
ago, in 1909, Andrew Carnegie gave money to the town to develop
this library. The building was constructed in 1908, and opened as
a library in 1909. It remained the library until 1974, when the
city decided to move the library down the street. From 1974 though
1982, the old library sat vacant, until my husband, Louie Mara,
and I purchased it and developed it into the restaurant. It took
a year of renovating, and we opened it in June of 1983."
Visiting
the town of Olean, NY, viewers discover an area filled with community
pride. On a gorgeous autumn day, viewers visit the town’s parks and
schools, stop at an old-fashioned cider mill, and tour St. Bonaventure
University. From visiting the city mural to meeting many of the town’s
citizens, viewers discover the beautiful scenery and diverse people of
Olean, NY.
Olean
resident Joann McAndrew remembers a time when this gorgeous structure
was a place to borrow books, rather than order meals. "I went
to the library a lot, to meet friends, to do homework, and basically
grow up in," says McAndrew. "When the library was moved
to its new location, it was great to see our old library enhanced
and turned into a restaurant." The restaurant’s owner
and founder, Mary Barbara Mara, gives viewers a tour of the Old
Library Restaurant and brief history sketch. "A number of years
ago, in 1909, Andrew Carnegie gave money to the town to develop
this library. The building was constructed in 1908, and opened as
a library in 1909. It remained the library until 1974, when the
city decided to move the library down the street. From 1974 though
1982, the old library sat vacant, until my husband, Louie Mara,
and I purchased it and developed it into the restaurant. It took
a year of renovating, and we opened it in June of 1983."