Miner Memorial Library facts for kids
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First Universalist Chapel
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3 Second New Hampshire Turnpike, Lempster, New Hampshire |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1845 |
| Architect | Parker, William B. |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 06001130 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 12, 2006 |
The Miner Memorial Library is the public library for the town of Lempster, New Hampshire. It is located at 3 Second New Hampshire Turnpike. This building started its life in 1845 as a church for a group called the Universalists. Even though it has changed a lot to become a library, it is still a great example of old church architecture in Sullivan County. The building is also known as the First Universalist Chapel. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in December 2006 and the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in January 2006.
The Story of the Old Church Building
The Miner Memorial Library is in the middle of East Lempster village. You can find it at the corner of New Hampshire Route 10 and the 2nd New Hampshire Turnpike. It's a wooden building with one and a half stories. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboards. The building looks very neat and well-kept. It has a special fan-shaped window in the front, which is a design often seen in the Federal style of architecture. The main front of the building has three sections, with the main door in the middle. This door has simple wooden decorations around it.
From Church to Library
The building was first built in 1845 for a Universalist church group. This group had likely been meeting since the 1830s. While the church owned the building, not many changes were made to it. Some windows were added, and electricity was put in during 1941. In 1927, the building was officially named in memory of Alonzo Ames Miner. He was born in Lempster and became a very important Universalist minister. He was also the president of Tufts College.
By the late 1940s, fewer and fewer people were attending the church. Services were only held there during the summer months. In 1964, the church leaders offered the building to the town of Lempster. The town decided to use it as its public library, giving this historic building a new purpose.
