The West End Library in Unionville, Connecticut, was a Carnegie-funded library built in 1917. It housed the town library until the 1960s and has been home to the Unionville Museum since 1984.

In 1912, after several failed attempts by various community members, local newspaper owner Nathan Bill secured an $8,500 grant from Andrew Carnegie.

Architect: Edward L. Tilton
Builder: Richard F. Jones

I was in the neighborhood on a Thursday when the building was not open. I hope to return someday to see the inside, which I’ve read looks much like when it first opened in 1917. One significant interior change is the floor: the original was cork, used to reduce noise.

A millstone anchors the sign. The plaque reads, “Stone from Richard’s Grist Mill River Road, Gift of Richard Condon Rourke, Sr. and Family 1995.”

The building was added to The National Register of Historic Places in 1999. It’s an important representative of late 19th to early 20th century library architecture.

I peeked through the front door into the enclosed portico, added in the 1930s. Through the glare on the glass, you can just make out the red brick fireplace.

Tall windows and clerestory windows let in a lot of light. Round arch windows are a feature of the Italian Renaissance Revival style.

Upon seeing me taking photos, a local man walked over and chatted with me for a while. He told me that volunteers take care of the landscaping and flowers.

Richard Benoit built this charming model and donated it in 2022.

Close-up of Benoit’s model.

Roofline detail. The roofing material is red terra cotta tile. A Hartford Courant article speculated that the roof would “probably” be green tile (Dec 1, 1915, Page 4).

The back of the library. On the roof, in front of the chimney, is a skylight.

Architect Edward L. Tilton left banking to apprentice at McKim, Mead & White, who designed many now iconic buildings, including the Boston Public Library. If you look at the list of libraries Titlon designed, you’ll see he regularly repeated this design, usually on a grander scale.

• Above left: The Boston Public Library, designed by Charles Follen McKim of McKim, Mead & White, opened in 1895. The Sainte-Geneviève Library at Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris inspired McKim.
• Above middle: Elizabeth Public Library, New Jersey, designed by Tilton. Opened 1912.
• Above right: Night Memorial Library, Providence, Rhode Island, designed by Tilton. Opened 1924.
• These three photos are from Wikipedia.

It’s such an attractive building. From this side view, the added portico does throw off its balance. But what an important addition it is for a one room building, especially on cold, blustery New England winter days.

Portico detail.

Below is a photo of the library from the 1920s prior to the portico addition. There is a fan-shaped transom window above the original doorway which you can see in the first and last photos of this post.

Read more about the library building on the Unionville Museum’s website.

As the photo below shows, whoever designed the portico did a good job — the balance and look of the original facade are maintained. It is as if a small room telescoped out of the entrance.

The community obviously loves this beautiful building. It put me in high spirits to see it so well-maintained.

West End Library
Now the Unionville Museum
15 School Street
Unionville, CT
unionvillemuseum.org

---

View Library Visits organized by state

---