National Register of Historic Places

Peabody Library

Thetford, Orange County, Vermont
Listed
September 26, 1984
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
84003466

About this property

The Peabody Library is one of two public libraries buildings in Thetford, Vermont, USA. Serving the village of Post Mills, it was built in 1867, and is the oldest active library in the state federation of public libraries. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The Peabody Library stands near the western end of the dispersed rural village of Post Mills in northern Thetford, just south of the junction of Vermont Routes 113 and 244. It is a modest single-story wood-frame building, with a gabled roof and clapboarded exterior. It is well decorated with Greek Revival and early Italianate features, including quoined corners, tall windows topped by corniced lintels and a recessed front porch supported by paneled pilasters. Above the porch is a fully pedimented gable with oculus window at the center. The interior has a single large chamber, which includes a narrow mezzanine level accessed by winding stairs near the front corners. The library was a gift to the community of Post Mills by George Peabody, one of the first great American philanthropists. Peabody spent some time in Post Mills as a teenager, where his maternal grandfather lived. Peabody's grant of $5,000 paid for purchase of the land, construction of the building and acquisition of 1,100 volumes. The Thetford library system also includes the more modern Latham Library, located in Thetford Hill. National Register of Historic Places listings in Orange County, Vermont

Location

Thetford, Orange County, Vermont
43.88533, -72.26065

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

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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Nearby Historic Sites

Post Mills Church
Industrial
0.5 mi
Camp Billings
Civil War
1.4 mi
Camp Wyoda
Civil War
1.6 mi
Aloha Hive Camp
Civil War
2.3 mi
Thetford Center Covered Bridge
Industrial
3.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Peabody Library listed on the National Register?

Peabody Library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 26, 1984.

What type of historic resource is Peabody Library?

Peabody Library is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Peabody Library?

The period of significance for Peabody Library is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Peabody Library?

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