VALENTINE, Neb. - The Cherry County Board of Commissioners will be looking into the feasibility of turning an unused, historic building in Valentine into a makers’ market.

The Sawyer Memorial Library on Main Street—listed on the National Register of Historic Places—has been vacant for several years. During Tuesday’s commissioner meeting, Valentine Economic Development Director Mark Hagge suggested repurposing the building as a shared creative space.

“One of the things our local artists have always talked about is a space where they can practice their craft, along with a makers’ market where they could sell their wares and crafts without having their own building,” said Hagge.

Board members expressed interest but said they need a clearer understanding of the costs to make the building usable again.

“This is a great idea. I love where you’re going with this,” Commissioner Martin DeNaeyer said. “It’s a beautiful building, and this would be a great purpose. We just have to know what type of investment is needed before making a decision.”

Commissioners agreed to revisit the proposal in January after more research is completed on the scope and cost of needed renovations.

News Channel Nebraska reported on the building a few weeks ago as economic development leaders from across the Sandhills and Panhandle gathered in Valentine to share ideas and learn from each other’s successes. The group visited the Sawyer Memorial Library, which houses a mural painted by artist Kady Faulkner during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal era. The mural sparked significant local debate when it was unveiled, with residents critiquing everything from the number of trees depicted to which river was shown.

That controversy ultimately contributed to the building’s placement on the National Register of Historic Places.