Beaman Memorial Public Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Beaman Memorial Public Library
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 8 Newton St., West Boylston, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Architect | Briggs, Lucius |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 16000251 |
| Added to NRHP | May 16, 2016 |
The Beaman Memorial Public Library is the main public library in West Boylston, Massachusetts. It's a really cool old building located at 8 Newton Street, right near the town common. This special building was finished in 1912. It was designed by an architect named Lucius Briggs from Worcester. Because of its unique design, the library was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
Contents
Exploring the Library's Design and Past
The Beaman Memorial Public Library stands at the northern end of West Boylston's town center. It's on a piece of land shaped like a triangle, with Newton and Central Streets on two sides.
What Does the Library Look Like?
This library is a two-story building made of brick. It has fancy marble trim and a strong granite foundation. The roof is made of green slate and is shaped like a hip roof. The front of the building is very balanced and has three main sections. The sections on the sides have three windows each. These windows are set in arched openings with special panels below them.
The main entrance is in the middle. It has a beautiful marble frame around it. A marble line separates the first and second floors. There's also a decorative wooden trim under the roof.
The Library's Modern Addition
Behind the original building, a large addition was built in 1999. Even though it's made of concrete blocks, they were colored to match the old brick. Other parts of the outside were designed to fit in with the original building's style. This helps the new part look like it belongs with the old.
How Did the Library Start?
West Boylston's public library first opened in 1874. It was started thanks to a gift from David Lee Rice. At first, the library was just one room in the high school. Over time, it grew and moved to other places.
A New Home for the Town
In the early 1900s, the entire town center had to move. This happened because the Wachusett Reservoir was being built. This huge reservoir needed a lot of land. So, the town had to build new buildings in a new spot. The current library building was part of this big construction project. It was a gift to the town from George Calvin Rice.
Who Designed This Special Building?
The library was designed by Lucius Briggs, an architect from Worcester. It's the only building in West Boylston that shows the "Colonial Revival" style in such a grand way. This building was also an important early project for Briggs and the builder, E.F. Cross. They worked together on many other important buildings after this one. The library is named after Ezra Beaman, who was George Calvin Rice's grandfather.
