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The Salem Athenaeum, founded in 1810, is one of the oldest membership libraries in the United States. The Athenaeum is located at 337 Essex Street in
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Catalogue of the library of the Athenaeum in Salem, Massachusetts
1842.
The Salem Athenæum, 1810–1910
by Joseph Nickerson Ashton (Berkeley Press, 1917) *
The Salem Athenaeum, founded in 1810, is one of the oldest membership libraries in the United States. The Athenaeum is located at 337 Essex Street in Salem, Massachusetts
Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports tr ...
in the McIntire Historic District
The Chestnut Street District is a historic district bounded roughly by Bridge, Lynn, Beckford, and River Streets in Salem, Massachusetts. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and enlarged slightly in 1978. The district ...
.
History
The Salem Athenaeum was founded in 1810 by the merger of two antecedent organizations: the Social Library, founded in 1760, and the Salem Philosophical Library, founded in 1781. The first president was Edward Augustus Holyoke. The Athenaeum's first permanent building was constructed in the 1850s with a large bequest from Caroline Plummer. In 1905 the Athenaeum sold that building and used the proceeds to build their current facility, which was dedicated in 1907. The collections include over 50,000 volumes on diverse topics.The Salem Athenæum, 1810–1910 by Joseph Nickerson Ashton (Berkeley press, 1917/ref>
Notable proprietors
*Frank Weston Benson
Frank Weston Benson, frequently referred to as Frank W. Benson, (March 24, 1862 – November 15, 1951) was an American artist from Salem, Massachusetts known for his Realism (arts), Realistic portraits, American Impressionism, American Impressio ...
*Nathaniel Bowditch
Nathaniel Bowditch (March 26, 1773 – March 16, 1838) was an early American mathematician remembered for his work on ocean navigation. He is often credited as the founder of modern maritime navigation; his book '' The New American Practical Navi ...
*Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion.
He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, from a family long associated with that t ...
See also
*John Tucker Daland House
The John Tucker Daland House (1851–1852) is an imposing, Italianate house designed by architect Gridley James Fox Bryant and is located at 132 Essex Street, Salem, Massachusetts, United States in the Essex Institute Historic District and now ow ...
* Salem Philosophical Library (1781–1810), predecessor to the Athenaeum
* Salem Social Library (1760–1810), predecessor to the Athenaeum
References
Further reading
Catalogue of the library of the Athenaeum in Salem, Massachusetts
1842.
The Salem Athenæum, 1810–1910
by Joseph Nickerson Ashton (Berkeley Press, 1917) *
External links
* {{Authority control Libraries in Massachusetts 1810 establishments in Massachusetts Historic preservation organizations in the United States History of Massachusetts History of New England Art museums and galleries in Massachusetts Libraries in Essex County, Massachusetts Subscription libraries in the United States Libraries established in 1810 Library buildings completed in 1907