About this property
The Troy Public library is the main public library building in the city of Troy, New York, and is located across the street from Russell Sage College in downtown Troy. Currently, the library has one other location, the Lansingburgh Branch, located at 27 114th Street in Troy. The Sycaway branch was closed in January 2009 but has been closed permanently since 2011. The current building was completed in 1897 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, both in its own right and as a contributing property to the Central Troy Historic District. It is one of the oldest cultural institutions in Troy and was established by the Young Men’s Association. Funds to construct the downtown library, the Hart Memorial Building, were donated by Mary E. Hart to honor her late husband, William Howard Hart. Designed by the New York City architectural firm of Barney and Chapman, the library is an example of the American Renaissance style, which had evolved with the success of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Other examples of the style include the Villard Houses (1886), The Low Library at Columbia University (1894) and the Boston Public Library The official opening of the Lansingburgh branch of the Troy Public Library was on November 22, 1980. The Hart Memorial Building was occupied by the Troy Public Library and was constructed in 1896-97 and was at the time, “one of the finest examples of Italian Renaissance.” On January 26, 1946, Dr. Ray Palmer Baker(Dean of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at the time) was elected president of the board of directors of Troy’s Public Library at an annual meeting. January 29, 1946, books that were added totaled 1,869 and over 1,000 books withdrawn because they were either outdated or worn out. There were around 75,446 volumes in the library at this time. On February 26, 1946, Henry Christman ran a Rensselaer County Historical Society meeting where he discussed the “Anti-rent Movement in Rensselaer County. At around 1953, the Troy Public Library received approximately $50,000 per year from the city of Troy which was stated to be a municipal budget. The library received a grant in 1959 from the City of Troy in order to fulfil operating costs. On December 6th, 1980, the library representatives requested a $40,000 increase for the operating costs but it remained at $160,000 for the year. On December 9th, 1980, the Troy Public Library was at risk of closing due to unfulfilled funding requests to maintain the Library and its services for the community. For many years prior to 1980, the Lansingburgh branch of the Troy Public Library was housed at an old academy building at 144th street and 4th ave. The building was owned by the Lansingburgh School District. It was soon sold to the City. The library's operating expenses began increasing through 1971 at 15 cent per cent a year with the same influx of income. Under these conditions the Library was at risk of closing.(1887).
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
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Questions about this property
When was Troy Public Library listed on the National Register?
Troy Public Library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 17, 1973.
What type of historic resource is Troy Public Library?
Troy Public Library is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Troy Public Library?
The period of significance for Troy Public Library is recorded as the modern era.
Can I research the history near Troy Public Library?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Troy Public Library will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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