Octavia Fellin Public Library

The year 2022 marks the centennial anniversary of Gallup's Public Library, with a showcase of America's rich diversity within. As expressed by local scholar Sally Noe, “Wary partnerships between autonomous Native American cultures and the immigrants of the last 450 years have adopted, adapted, and sometimes, rejected the influences brought into the region over the last several centuries.”* Octavia Fellin Public Library (OFPL) is one such uniquely American institution; with a treasure trove of visual storytelling.

Website

Mapped location of Octavia Fellin Public Library

Address

115 W Hill Ave Gallup, New Mexico 87301

Phone

(505) 863-1291

OFPL houses nearly 200 pieces of artwork that highlight the Southwest aesthetic and the history and heritage of Gallup, McKinley County, and the surrounding region. 29 are of special significance, as they were produced under the auspices of the Work Projects Administration (WPA) between 1935 and 1943 and include 26 paintings, a sculpture, and two “trusteros” (traditional Hispanic hand-carved armoires). Also on display are historic materials from the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, contemporary paintings by local artists, and rotating exhibitions.

*Noe, Sally. Gallup, New Mexico, USA: our story: (1997). The Donning Company Publishers. p13