Jefferson Market Library facts for kids
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Jefferson Market Library
(Third Judicial District Courthouse) |
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(2006)
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| Location | 425 Avenue of the Americas Manhattan, New York City |
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| Built | 1874-1877 |
| Architect | Frederick Clarke Withers |
| Architectural style | High Victorian Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000875 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 9, 1972 |
| Designated NHL | December 22, 1977 |
The Jefferson Market Branch of the New York Public Library is a very unique building. It's located at 425 Avenue of the Americas in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City. This historic building was first built between 1874 and 1877. It was originally known as the Third Judicial District Courthouse.
The courthouse was designed by a talented architect named Frederick Clarke Withers. In 1958, the building was almost torn down. But people in the community spoke up and saved it! Thanks to their efforts, it was turned into a branch of the New York Public Library. Today, the Jefferson Market Library is a National Historic Landmark. It's also part of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Many people think it's one of New York City's most amazing buildings. It looks like a fairy tale castle with its towers, pointed roofs, and colorful decorations.
Contents
Building a Landmark: Early History
Before the courthouse, there was a tall wooden fire lookout tower on this spot. It was built around 1833. This area was a busy market called Jefferson Market. Court meetings were held in rooms above the market stalls. Later, the old tower and market buildings were taken down. This made space for the new courthouse. It was part of a larger plan that included a prison and new market housing. Only the courthouse building remains today.
Designing the Courthouse
The job of designing the new courthouse went to the firm of Vaux and Withers. However, Calvert Vaux was busy with other big projects. So, his partner, Frederick Clarke Withers, took charge of the design. Withers was from England, just like Vaux. His design for the courthouse was in the High Victorian Gothic style. This style often used many different colors and materials.
The Jefferson Market Courthouse uses red brick, black stone, white granite, and yellow sandstone. Even the roof slates have different colors! Withers knew that a building with a clock tower would look a bit like a church. So, he added some church-like details. But he made sure they had non-religious meanings. For example, a carving above the entrance shows a scene from The Merchant of Venice. This is different from the usual religious scenes found on churches. The building also has beautiful stained glass windows and a fountain with birds and animals.
The courthouse was finished in 1877. In 1885, a group of American architects voted it the fifth most beautiful building in America!
From Courthouse to Library: A New Purpose
The building was very busy as a courthouse. It served the Third Judicial District, which included a lively entertainment area called The Tenderloin. So many cases came through that the country's first night court started there. This meant the court stayed open at night to handle all the legal matters.
Saving the Building
In 1945, the building stopped being used as a courthouse. Its future was uncertain, and it was in danger of being torn down. But a group of people who loved history and their community stepped in. Leaders like Margot Gayle and Ruth Wittenberg formed a committee. They worked hard to save the building and turn it into a library.
In 1961, the New York Public Library agreed to their plan. An architect named Giorgio Cavaglieri was hired. He worked to restore the outside of the building. He also redesigned the inside to make it work as a library. This project was one of the first "adaptive reuse" projects in the United States. This means giving an old building a new purpose instead of tearing it down. It was a very important moment for saving historic buildings. The restoration cost about $1.4 million.
The library opened its doors in 1967. The old police court became the Children's Reading Room. The Civil Court became the Adult Reading Room. In 1974, there were plans to close the library due to budget cuts. But once again, the community spoke up. The decision was changed just one month later.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It was then named a National Historic Landmark in 1977. In 1994, the building received more restoration work by architect Joseph Pell Lombardi.
Recent History and the Bell
In 1996, a special fire bell in the tower, nicknamed "Ol' Jeff," rang again. It had been silent for 135 years! This happened thanks to the efforts of Margot Gayle, Cynthia Crane, and Marilyn Dorato. The bell now strikes the hours from 9 AM to 10 PM. The New York Times wrote in 1997 that the bell helps connect the community. It reminds everyone of the importance of saving historic buildings.
You can often take tours of the tower during the Open House New York weekend in October.
Around 2012, the building's outside needed more work. Damaged decorations were re-carved. The tower's railings and top ornament were fixed. Missing roof slates were replaced, and a new copper drainage system was put in. The bricks and stones were cleaned and repaired. The team that worked on this restoration received an award in 2014.
Images for kids
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Jefferson Market Court in 1935, with the IRT Sixth Avenue Line in front of it. Photograph by Berenice Abbott (1935)
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See also
In Spanish: Biblioteca Jefferson Market para niños
