The Palmers

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In 1926, Cornelia Kissam Palmer bequeathed her family's collection of books to Connecticut College as a memorial to her deceased husband, Elisha Loomis Palmer. Elisha and his younger brother, George S. Palmer, made their fortune in textile manufacturing in Montville, Connecticut after Elisha returned from the Civil War during which he was held prisoner for eighteen months. Their business success allowed Elisha to put together a unique library to which Cornelia added after his death in 1912. The subjects included printing, drama and history.

In 1923, George, an early trustee of Connecticut College and also an avid book collector, gave money to the college to build the Palmer Library, currently known as the Blaustein Humanities Center. His collection was also donated to the college, and today both collections, approximately 3000 volumes, are housed in the Palmer Room in the Charles E. Shain Library, built in 1976.