Some came for the memories, some for curiosity, some for history and some for bricks.

Whatever their reasons, people spread out in the now nearly empty spaces of the Powell Library building on East Third Street last Thursday for an unusual open house held by library staff to give people one last chance to see the old building before it’s demolished.

Park County Library Director Karen Horner said demolition could happen in roughly a month.

The new facility is planned as a modern, 14,000 square foot building that will offer both more features for the community and staff, but also better infrastructure to avoid some of the issues that have plagued the current building, such as water leaks, as Horner pointed out to people as they looked up at the rafters.

Powell Library Branch Manager Roseanne Spiering and Horner were more than happy to show people the various issues with the building, which is actually three buildings, meaning there rooflines and floors, cobbled together. In one section near the non ADA accessible break room known as the dungeon, there are very serious issues.

“The building is sinking,” Horner said, pointing to a depression of the ground near a back door.

Longtime friends Kay Townsend and Suzanne Patterson were two of the first people to enter, and spent time walking around and figuring out where different features used to be.

Others asked for materials from the old building, especially a souvenir brick or two. Horner said that’s now for contractor Groathouse Construction to determine as she said library staff determined a proposal to sell souvenir bricks would be more costly — in terms of carefully removing bricks one at a time — than it would gain in donations.

The building is being paid for by a $8.4 million grant from the state, $3.2 million from the county and funds donated and raised by the library foundation. While a complete timetable is up in the air until building plans are further along, Horner said they have to be finished by the end of 2026 to satisfy the state grant requirements, which also require construction work to start in October following demolition.

Until then, the library is all set up at the Park County Fairgrounds at Homesteader Hall.