The Carnegie Library
The Ridge Farm library holds a distinct place in history. Ridge Farm was home the to smallest town in the United States with a Carnegie library in operation in 1910. A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 1,689 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929,The initial grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation was awarded to the city of Ridge Farm on April 28, 1909 in the amount of $9,000. The Ridge Farm Carnegie Library was completed in 1910.
Abraham Smith, a venturous farmer, moved his farm from Tennessee to the glacial ridge in 1839 and called it his "Farm on the Ridge" or "Ridge Farm." He opened a post office, blacksmith shop, inn, tavern and a general store.