Lackawanna County Children's Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lackawanna County Children's Library
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The former church in 2013
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 520 Vine St., Scranton, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1915 |
| Architect | Albert J. Ward |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000467 |
| Added to NRHP | May 9, 1988 |
The Lackawanna County Children's Library is a special place for kids to read and learn. It's located in Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, at 520 Vine Street. This building was first built in 1915. It was designed in a style called Classical Revival architecture, which looks a bit like ancient Greek or Roman buildings.
The Library's Story
A religion called Christian Science started in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1879. It quickly spread to Pennsylvania. The first big group in Pennsylvania was formed in Scranton. Judge S. J. Hanna was their pastor, or religious leader.
Judge Hanna and his family moved to Boston in 1892. There, he became the editor of a magazine called the Christian Science Journal. Another important member of the religion in Scranton was Col. Louis A. Watres. He had been the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, a high-ranking state official.
Hanna and Watres worked together to raise money for a new church in Scranton. It was called the First Church of Christ, Scientist. Albert J. Ward designed the building. The church was built using Indiana limestone. It had beautiful stained glass windows on the outside. Inside, there was fancy wood and plaster decoration. The church officially opened on February 21, 1915.
By 1981, the group of people attending the church had become very small. They decided the building was too big for their needs. So, they moved their services to a different building. The church building was then put up for sale.
Many people in the community had ideas for what the building could become. Some thought it could be a museum, an art gallery, or a place for performances. Others wanted the city to buy it to store important historical items.
In April 1985, Lackawanna County bought the old church building. They planned to turn it into a library. In August 1986, the Lackawanna County Library System received money to change the church into a library.
During the construction, workers found interesting items in the building's cornerstone. These included bibles, a copy of The Christian Science Monitor newspaper, and other books. Over the next year, the church was completely changed into the Lackawanna County Children’s Library. On May 9, 1988, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
See also
- Scranton Public Library
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
- List of former Christian Science churches, societies and buildings
