New London Public Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Public Library of New London
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New London Public Library in December 2018
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 63 Huntington St. New London, Connecticut |
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| Built | 1889-92 |
| Architect | Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge George Warren Cole, project supervisor |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000712 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1970 |
The Public Library of New London is a special old library building in New London, Connecticut. You can find it at 63 Huntington Street. A kind person named Henry Philomen Haven gave the library to the city. It was built between 1889 and 1892. The famous architects Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge designed it in a style called Richardsonian Romanesque. George Warren Cole helped supervise the building work.
This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. This means it is an important place worth protecting.
How the Library Was Designed
The idea for the library came from Henry P. Haven, a wealthy merchant. When he passed away in 1876, part of his money was set aside. This money was meant for "charitable and benevolent purposes."
In 1882, the people in charge of Haven's money decided to use it for a public library. They hired a well-known architecture firm from Boston. This firm was called Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge.
Architects and Style
Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge were the successors to a very famous architect, Henry Hobson Richardson. They used Richardson's early ideas for the library's design. This helped keep the popular Richardsonian style. You can see this style in many other libraries built around that time.
The firm sent George Warren Cole to New London. He was the project supervisor for the library. Cole also supervised the building of the Williams Memorial Institute and the Nathan Hale School. Construction on the library began in 1889. The library was finished and opened by July 1891.
Changes and Additions Over Time
When the library was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, it had not changed much. There was possibly an elevator added, but it seemed very old.
However, the library has grown since then. In 1974, a large new section was added. This made the library much bigger. More updates happened later, finishing in March 2001. These changes created more space for offices and books. The Children's area and meeting rooms also got new updates in 2006.
