The Kemp (1300 Lamar Street) was built in 1917 at the request of Flora Kemp who, when asked by her husband Joseph what she would like for her birthday, suggested a public library. The library opened its doors in 1918 with a donation of 4000 books provided by the community. In 1998, the City of Wichita Falls leased the then-defunct historic building to the Arts Council, which began an extensive renovation project to restore the building. The result was The Kemp Center for the Arts, which opened it’s doors in 2002.