Murry Guggenheim House facts for kids
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Murry Guggenheim House
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Guggenheim Library
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 Location in Monmouth County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | Cedar and Norwood Avenues, West Long Branch, New Jersey |
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| Area | 7 acres (2.8 ha) |
| Built | 1903–1905 |
| Architect | Carrère and Hastings |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001778 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 28, 1978 |
The Murry Guggenheim House, also known as the Guggenheim Library, is a beautiful old building in West Long Branch, New Jersey. It was designed in a fancy style called Beaux-Arts. This grand house was built between 1903 and 1905.
It was first a summer home for a wealthy family. Today, it serves as the main library for Monmouth University. Because of its special history and design, the Murry Guggenheim House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1978. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
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Building a Grand Summer Home
In 1903, a man named Murry Guggenheim bought a large piece of land. He wanted to build a summer house there for himself and his wife, Leonie. Murry was part of the famous Guggenheim family, known for their success in mining and business.
He hired a well-known architecture firm called Carrère and Hastings. This firm was very famous. They had designed the main building for the New York Public Library in 1897. The construction of the Guggenheim mansion started in 1903 and finished in 1905.
Expanding the Library Space
Years later, in 1967, an addition was built onto the north side of the house. This new part doubled the space available for the library. Then, in 2003, the library had another big expansion. This project cost $14 million. It made the library much larger, allowing it to hold 100,000 more books!
What the House Looks Like
The Murry Guggenheim House is a two-story mansion. It has a special design called Beaux-Arts style. This style often includes grand, formal elements. The house has curved sections on its sides. It also features Palladian arcades, which are rows of arches.
The outside of the building is covered in white stucco. Inside, there's a long, impressive hallway. This corridor has tall, decorative columns known as Ionic columns.
Award-Winning Design
The architects, Carrère and Hastings, won an award for their design of this house. The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects gave them a Gold Medal in 1903. The design of the Murry Guggenheim House was inspired by the Grand Trianon. This famous building is located at the Palace of Versailles in France.
From Home to University Library
After Murry and Leonie Guggenheim passed away, their property was given to a foundation in 1959. This foundation was named after them. In September 1960, the foundation gave the house to Monmouth College. Today, that college is known as Monmouth University.
The college spent a year changing the house. They turned it into a library for students. On September 24, 1961, the building was officially opened. It was named the Murry and Leonie Guggenheim Memorial Library.
Other Buildings on the Estate
The Guggenheim estate also included other buildings. One of these was a stable and carriage house nearby. This building was also given to the college in 1961. Now, it is used as the Lauren K. Woods Theater.
