Redwood Library and Athenaeum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Redwood Library and Athenaeum, is a private, subscription library in Newport, Rhode Island. Founded in 1747, it is the oldest community library still occupying its original building in the United States. Its original building was contructed in 1750 by the architect Peter Harrison. Designed as a Greek temple, it was the first classical public building built in America. The old section, today called the Harrison Room, still houses the majority of the original books that were purchased as a collection in London. The Library's modern collection now includes more than 160,000 volumes as well as a museum collection of art and artifacts.
The most famous Librarian at the Redwood was Ezra Stiles, later president of Yale University.
