Chase Library
| Chase Library | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| National Register of Historic Places | |||
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| location | West Harwich , Massachusetts , United States | ||
| Coordinates | 41 ° 40 ′ 8 ″ N , 70 ° 7 ′ 17 ″ W | ||
| surface | 5,663 ft² (526.1 m² ) | ||
| Built | 1911 | ||
| Architectural style | Arts and Crafts , Shingle Style | ||
| NRHP number | [1] 14001094 | ||
| The NRHP added | December 29, 2014 | ||
The Chase Library is a historic library in West Harwich in the state of Massachusetts of the United States . It was inscribed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
general description
The library, built in 1911 in the style of the American Arts and Crafts Movement with elements of the Shingle Style , has largely been preserved in its original state and has only been slightly modified. The comparatively small building is located directly on Massachusetts Route 28 between much larger structures.
The library is located in the rear of its 5,663 ft² (526.1 m² ) property about 40 ft (12.2 m ) from the street to which it is connected by a footpath.
architecture
The building has largely been preserved in its original state, but the former canopy on the front and dormers on the east and west sides have been removed.
Outdoor areas
The front of the one-story building faces north. It stands on a stone foundation and has a high hipped roof covered with asphalt shingles , into which a dormer window is set on the front , which also has a hipped roof. The large roof overhang with its visible rafters is a typical feature of Arts and Crafts architecture. Clad in wood shingles, the 35ft (10.7m) by 24ft (7.3m) building has a rear annex measuring 16ft (4.9m) by 22ft (6.7m) so that the overall plan is T-shaped. In 1953 a toilet facility measuring 6 ft (1.8 m) by 7 ft (2.1 m) and a pent roof was added on the east side of the extension , while an 8 ft (2.4 m) times over on the west side 8 ft (2.4 m) large storage room was created.
The front is three bays wide and features a central entrance area framed by a simply designed architrave , which is flanked by two large, 8 ft (2.4 m) wide oriels . Three concrete steps with iron railings from the 1950s lead to the entrance door. Above the door there is a sign saying “CHASE LIBRARY”. The design of the windows is a typical element of the shingle style .
Indoor areas
The interior of the building is dominated by a large room with a Classical Revival-style fireplace in the middle of the south wall . A portrait of the namesake Salome Chase hangs above the frame, supported by columns of Ionic order made of stained cypress wood. The walls and ceilings are clad with pressed metal plates. The overhead lighting is believed to date from the 1920s when the building was connected to power.
Door-high bookshelves stand along the walls, further rows form corridors in the center of the room. All wood elements in the main room are made from the same cypress wood as the surround of the fireplace, while the floors throughout the building are made from maple wood . To the west of the fireplace, a door leads into the rear annex, which was built at the same time as the main room, but its interior was changed. The ceiling was suspended, the lighting was modernized and a modern ceiling fan was installed. Here, too, there are bookshelves on the white-painted walls, which are closed at the top with a border with a sail motif.
Historical meaning
The privately owned library was the first building in Harwich to be built specifically for this purpose. Since it has only one room - which is at least supplemented by an extension - it is almost unique in the region in terms of its size and useful life. It is named after its main founders, Caleb and Salome Chase, who, as philanthropists, were part of the so-called Free Library Movement in the United States at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century . John and Ruth Nickerson, who were also involved in this direction, made the property available for building the library.
See also
literature
- Davis, Karen L .; Friedberg, Betsy: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. ( PDF ) National Park Service , October 2014, accessed on February 9, 2016 (English, accessible via the "NR" button).
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ National Register Information System . In: National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service . Retrieved April 15, 2008.
- ↑ cf. Davis / Friedberg, p. 4.
- ↑ a b c cf. Davis / Friedberg, p. 5.
- ↑ cf. Davis / Friedberg, p. 6 f.
- ↑ a b cf. Davis / Friedberg, p. 6.
- ↑ cf. Davis / Friedberg, p. 10.