Lenox Library

About this property

The Lenox Library is a municipal public library in Lenox, Massachusetts. It was managed by the non-profit Lenox Library Association, founded in 1856, until it became a department of the Town of Lenox in 2018. The town-owned historic library building is located at 18 Main Street, in the former Berkshire County Courthouse that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The library was incorporated in 1856 and in 1874 moved into its current home, the former Berkshire County courthouse which was constructed in 1815–1816. In 1973, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places and is one of several such locations in Lenox. In the early 20th century, novelist Edith Wharton worked in the library and befriended Kate Spencer, who served as partial inspiration for her 1911 novel Ethan Frome. The Lenox Library belongs to the C/W MARS library consortium, which allows patrons to request books and other materials from other libraries located across the state. The Lenox Library is also a member of the Massachusetts Library System which is a State-supported collaborative that provides leadership and services to foster cooperation, communication, and sharing among member libraries of all types. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Lenox spent 1.56% ($241,452) of its budget on its public library—some $47 per person. The Lenox Library building occupies a prominent site in downtown Lenox, on the east side of Main Street between Walker and Housatonic Streets. It is a 2+1⁄2-story masonry structure, built out of brick with stone and wooden trim. Its front facade is dominated by monumental two-story pillars and pilasters, which articulate the three bays. The main entrance is in the center bay, topped by a segmented-arch transom window. The building cornice is studded with modillion blocks, as is the gable supported by the pillars above the entrance. The hip roof is encircled by a lower balustrade, and is crowned by an open belfry and cupola. A substantially larger addition, made in 1889, extends to the rear of the building; it is also topped by a hip roof with cupola. The main block was built in 1815–16 to a design by Isaac Damon of Northampton, and served as the Berkshire County Courthouse until 1869, when that function was moved to Pittsfield. Although the library moved into the building in 1874, it did not fully occupy the premises immediately. Additional tenants during the late 19th century included the offices of lawyers and politicians, and the town's first telephone exchange. The rear addition, known as Sedgwick Hall, was the scene of social events, lectures, and concerts.

Location

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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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