New London Public Library

Public Library of New London

(2007)
Location 63 Huntington St.
New London, Connecticut
Coordinates 41°21′18″N 72°6′0″W / 41.35500°N 72.10000°W / 41.35500; -72.10000Coordinates: 41°21′18″N 72°6′0″W / 41.35500°N 72.10000°W / 41.35500; -72.10000
Built 1889-92
Architect Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge
George Warren Cole, project supervisor
Architectural style Richardsonian Romanesque
NRHP Reference # 70000712[1]
Added to NRHP October 15, 1970

The Public Library of New London is a historic library, located at 63 Huntington Street at the corner of State Street, in New London, Connecticut. The library, which was given to the city by Henry Philomen Haven,[2] was constructed in 1889-92,[2] and was designed by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge in the Richardsonian Romanesque style; George Warren Cole was the project supervisor.[3][4]

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

Design

In 1876, the whaling merchant Henry P. Haven died, and his money was to be split amongst his three children.[5] The third which was to be bequeathed to his son Thomas Haven, who died, was given to a trust and to be used for "charitable and benevolent purposes".[5][6][7] In 1881 the trustees deemed a public library as fitting this purpose and secured a charter in 1882. The trustees hired Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge of Boston, the successors Henry Hobson Richardson to design the library.[6][7]

The interior, showing the Children's Room

Working from Richardson's preliminary designs, Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge designed the building and retained the popular Richardsonian architecture used in other libraries.[5][8] The firm sent George Warren Cole to be the project supervisor. Cole also served as the supervisor of the Williams Memorial Institute and the Nathan Hale School.[6][7] Work commenced in 1889 and it was completed and opened by July 1891.[5]

Alteration and expansion

The 1970 National Register of Historic Places nomination stated that the building had not been altered save for "one possible exception of an elevator which although it appears to date from the nineteenth century does not appear in the plans."[8] However, in 1974 the library added a 15,000 square foot extension. Further renovations increased the space for administrative offices and collections, concluding in March 2001. Five years later, in 2006, the Children's area and meeting rooms also underwent renovations.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. 1 2 Plaque on building
  3. ↑ "Downtown New London Historic District"
  4. ↑ "Architects & Architecture: Pride of Place: The Architects who transformed New London" on the New London Landmarks website
  5. 1 2 3 4 Gay, Helen Kilduff (1907). The Benefaction of a Pioneer Alaskan Trader. Connecticut Magazine (Volume 11). pp. 139–143.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "History of the Library". New London Public Library. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 "Pride of Place: Architecture Along State Street, New London, Connecticut". New London Landmarks. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  8. 1 2 Luyster, Constance (15 October 1970). "National Register of Historic Places - New London Public Library" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
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