Richards Memorial Library - North Attleboro, Massachusetts USA
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N 41° 59.117 W 071° 19.933
19T E 306800 N 4650772
The Richards Memorial Library is an architectural gem, and a town treasure originally paid for by three siblings to honor their parents' memory in 1894.
Waymark Code: WMZYPJ
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 01/24/2019
Views: 1
Elizabeth Mansfield, a former library trustee (1993 - 1999), in her "History of Richards Memorial Library", eloquently describes the building:
The exterior of the Richards Memorial Library is in the Renaissance
style, with the roof in the French style with two dormers, and the
details of the building in the Italian style. The foundation and steps
are Warsaw blue stone. The porch is supported by Ionic terra cotta
columns, and the walks are of brick and terra cotta with a memorial
tablet of Sienna marble set into the front facade. The front door of oak is original, still opening into a haven of knowledge and pleasure.
The Richards Memorial Library is an architectural gem. The scale envelops visitors like a child in mother's arms. It just feels like a library should. It has weight and presence. Vaulted ceilings softly bounce natural and electric light. Its substantial, semi-hexagonal Circulation desk guides patrons from the vestibule to the transept. An prominent feature is the remarkable fireplace in the area to the left of the lobby, with its darkly glazed tiles, ornate surround, and niche above.
118 North Washington Street
North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Sources:
Richards Memorial Library
History of Richards Memorial Library by Elizabeth Mansfield
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