Converse_Memorial_Library

Converse Memorial Library

Converse Memorial Library

United States historic place

The Converse Memorial Library – also known as Converse Memorial Building – is a historically significant building designed by noted American architect Henry Hobson Richardson. From 1885 to 1996, it housed the Malden Public Library, which now occupies a modern building adjacent to it. The former library is located at 36 Salem Street, Malden, Massachusetts.

Quick Facts Location, Coordinates ...

The building was a gift of Elisha S. and Mary D. Converse in memory of their murdered son, Frank Eugene Converse, who was the victim of the first bank robbery/murder in North America. It was constructed 1883-1885 in an overall L-shape, with a facade of brown Longmeadow sandstone, a tower rising from the L's inner corner, and a heavily arched entry porch set within the L's short arm. The main library room is 50 x 36 feet and finished in elaborately carved white oak with a high, vaulted ceiling. Its furniture was designed by Richardson and manufactured by the Boston firm of A. H. Davenport and Company.[3]

In 1896 two additions were made to the building, designed by Richardson's successor firm, Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge. One gable-roofed wing extends the building to the rear, along Park Street, following the same general lines of the existing structure. The other addition was a flat-roofed rectangular stack area also attached to the rear. An octagonal gallery space further extended the rear in 1916, designed by Newhall & Blevins.[3]

The Converse Memorial Building was the last of Richardson's library designs, and is generally considered among his finest works. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.[2][3]

The interior of the library's historic wing provided the setting for a scene in the movie Ted 2, starring Mark Wahlberg and Amanda Seyfried.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. [2]
    "Converse Memorial Library". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on June 6, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2008.
  3. [3]
    Carolyn Pitts. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Converse Memorial Library / Malden Public Library" (pdf). National Park Service. (includes plans and drawings) and Accompanying six photos, exterior and interior, from 1888, 1895, 1905, 1985 (32 KB)
  • General view from street
  • End view
  • Facade decorations
  • Tower detail
  • Columns
  • Detail
  • Ornament
  • 1885 illustrations of the library
Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Converse_Memorial_Library, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.