Eldredge Public Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Eldredge Public Library
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 Location in Cape Cod
Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Chatham, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1896 |
| Architect | Albion M. Marble |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000430 |
| Added to NRHP | April 28, 1992 |
The Eldredge Public Library is a public library located in Chatham, Massachusetts. You can find this historic building at 564 Main Street. It's a very special place, listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its unique Romanesque Revival style. A generous person from Chatham, Marcellus Eldredge, donated the money to build it. A skilled architect from Boston named A. M. Marble designed this beautiful library.
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About the Eldredge Public Library
The Eldredge Public Library is found at the corner of Main Street and Library Lane in the busy center of Chatham. It's a brick and stone building with a slate roof and a strong granite base. It looks like it has 1 and a half stories.
A Special Building Design
The library has many cool features from the Romanesque Revival style. Look for the walls that stick up at the ends, called parapets. You might also notice the curved "eyebrow" windows on the roof. The building also has brownstone decorations, like stone bands and fancy window frames. Even the corners have special stone blocks called quoins.
The inside of the library is just as impressive. The floors are made of shiny marble and warm oak wood. There's also lots of beautiful oak woodwork throughout the building.
How the Library Started
The idea for a library in Chatham began a long time ago. There was a small library in South Chatham in 1875. Later, in 1887, a library and reading room opened in Chatham village.
Marcellus Eldredge, who grew up in Chatham, became very successful as a brewer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He wanted to give back to his hometown. So, he offered to pay for a brand new library building. It was built in 1896 and cost $30,000, which was a lot of money back then!
The architect who designed it was A. M. Marble from Boston. He wasn't very well-known, but he created a wonderful building. Marcellus Eldredge also set up a special fund of $20,000 to help take care of the library for many years.
Changes Over Time
The library building has grown over the years to serve more people. In 1968, a new section was added to the back. Then, in the early 1990s (1991-1992), this addition was rebuilt. The new design was made to look more like the original beautiful building. This work was done by A. Anthony Tappe of Tappé Architects, also from Boston.
Why It's Historic
In 1992, the Eldredge Public Library was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical building because of its amazing architecture. It's the only major building in Chatham built in the Romanesque Revival style. It's also one of the very few buildings with this style in all of Barnstable County, Massachusetts.
