The Redwood Library and Athenaeum is a

subscription library A subscription library (also membership library or independent library) is a library that is financed by private funds either from membership fees or endowments. Unlike a public library, access is often restricted to members, but access rights ca ...

, museum, rare book repository and research center founded in 1747, and located at 50 Bellevue Avenue in Newport,

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

. The building, designed by Peter Harrison and completed in March 1750, was the first purposely built library in the United States, and the oldest neo-Classical building in the country. It has been in continuous use since its opening. The building is part of the Kay Street–Catherine Street–Old Beach Road Historic District, and was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

in 1960.

History

18th century

The Company of the Redwood Library was established in 1747, in Newport, Rhode Island, by Abraham Redwood and 45 colonists with the goal of making written knowledge more widely available to the Newport community. The original section of the building was constructed between 1748 and 1750 by architect Peter Harrison. Only the

Library Company of Philadelphia The Library Company of Philadelphia (LCP) is a non-profit organization based on Locust Street in Center City, Philadelphia, Center City Philadelphia. Founded as a library in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin, the Library Company of Philadelphia has a ...

is older, founded in 1731 by

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...

. The Redwood Library and Athenaeum predates the

Charleston Library Society The Library Society's first permanent address, which it occupied from 1792 to 1835, was within what is now the Charleston County Courthouse at 82 Broad St. The Library Society was located at 50 Broad St. from 1835 to 1914. The Library Society ...

(founded in 1748),

New York Society Library The New York Society Library (NYSL) is the oldest cultural institution in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the New York Society as a subscription library. During the time when New York was the capital of the United States, it was the de ...

(founded in 1754), and the

Boston Athenaeum Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and financial center of New England, a region of the Northeastern United States. It has an area of and a ...

(founded in 1807). It was the first classical public building built in America, designed in the manner of Italian Renaissance Architect

Andrea Palladio Andrea Palladio ( , ; ; 30 November 1508 – 19 August 1580) was an Italian Renaissance architect active in the Venetian Republic. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily Vitruvius, is widely considered to be on ...

, in the Georgian-

Palladian Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

style. The main facade facing Bellevue avenue is based upon a plate in Edward Hoppus' ''Andrea Palladio's Architecture'' published in 1735. The oldest section, today called the Harrison Room, still houses the majority of the original books that were purchased as a collection in London. Occupying British troops allegedly looted numerous books (many of which were later returned) prior to the

Battle of Rhode Island The Battle of Rhode Island (also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill) took place on August 29, 1778. Continental Army and Militia forces under the command of Major General John Sullivan had been besieging the British forces in Newport, Rhode Is ...

during the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

Ezra Stiles Ezra Stiles ( – May 12, 1795) was an American educator, academic, Congregationalist minister, theologian, and author. He is noted as the seventh president of Yale College (1778–1795) and one of the founders of Brown University. According ...

was one of the most prominent librarians at the Library, the influential founder of

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

and later president of

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

19th century

In 1833 the Library furthered its abilities as an institution, and re-established itself as The Company of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. By 1858, the membership and collection had grown so much that an expansion was needed. This expansion, which became known as the Roderick Terry Reading Room, was produced by George Snell of Boston. Within 10 years of the Reading Room being completed, architect

Richard Morris Hunt Richard Morris Hunt (October 31, 1827 – July 31, 1895) was an American architect of the nineteenth century and an eminent figure in the history of architecture of the United States. He helped shape New York City with his designs for the 1902 ...

was contacted to furnish another expansion for the library. His plans ultimately called for "an entirely new and enlarged structure of stone and marble shall (that) take the place of the existing wooden erections." Ultimately, Hunt's plans were rejected, although it is unclear whether that was due to monetary restriction on the part of the Redwood Library, or their disapproval of what could be construed as Hunt's irreverence for Peter Harrison's architecture. In 1875, plans did go forward to develop another expansion to the Library. The Rovensky Delivery Room was designed by famed architect George Champlin Mason. At the time, the collections were in closed stacks, and when a book was requested, the librarian would retrieve it and bring it to the member in the delivery room.

20th century

In 1915, historian and architect Norman Isham restored the eighteenth century Harrison room to what he concluded was its original appearance. The Library's modern collection now includes more than 200,000 volumes as well as a museum collection of art and artifacts. The building was designated a

in 1966.NHL listing summary, accessed June 20, 2008

Gallery

File:Historic American Buildings Survey, drawn by Pierre du Simitiere (papers in Philadelphia Library) DRAWING OF REDWOOD LIBRARY IN 1768. - Redwood Library, 50 Bellevue Avenue, Newport HABS RI,3-NEWP,15-1.tif, Drawing of Redwood Library in 1768 by Pierre Eugene du Simitiere File:Historic American Buildings Survey, 1937, REFERENCE ROOM. - Redwood Library, 50 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Newport County, RI HABS RI,3-NEWP,15-7.tif, Reference room, 1937 File:Redwood Library and Anthanaeum.jpg, The building's interior in 2004 File:2021 Redwood Library and Athenaeum side entrance, Redwood Street, Newport.jpg, The side (main) entrance at 50 Bellevue Avenue (2021)

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control Buildings and structures in Newport, Rhode Island Art museums and galleries in Rhode Island Libraries in Rhode Island Museums in Newport, Rhode Island Subscription libraries in the United States Education in Newport County, Rhode Island History of New England Libraries in British North America Pre-statehood history of Rhode Island Rhode Island culture Libraries established in 1747 1747 establishments in Rhode Island Buildings and structures completed in 1750 Library buildings completed in the 18th century Libraries on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island National Historic Landmarks in Rhode Island National Register of Historic Places in Newport, Rhode Island Historic district contributing properties in Rhode Island Historic American Buildings Survey in Rhode Island Georgian architecture in Rhode Island Palladian Revival architecture in the United States