NYPL: Morrisania Branch

c. 1908 - present

The Morrisania Branch of the New York Public Library was built between 1907-1908. It was the fourth Bronx branch, and twenty-eighth of the Carneige- branch libraries opened in New York City. Built between 1902 and 1929, 67 Carnegie-branch libraries were built across New York with funds from a $5 million gift from Andrew Carnegie. It initially opened under the name of McKinley Square Branch Library, after a nearby square. The community strongly advocated to have a Carneige Library in their community, sending a petition with over 1500 signatures to the NYPL site committee. It is a Classical Revival style building, with a grand entrance that leads to a large open room where the librarian station is located. Off of this central room are two reading rooms. The Morrisania Library was a hub for the community. Photos from 1911 show the children's reading room was particularly popular with the local children. There were activities of all sorts, such as a class on homemaking in 1947, hosting multiple movie nights over the years, and a poetry reading from Greg Bates of his poem "Hustler's Son" in 1984. Dr. Von Deuring, of Morrisania Library Societies, was even elected to a committee to plan activities for the reception of Prince Henry of Prussia in January 1902. In 1996, the Morrisania Branch was designated a New York City Indivdual Landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Photograph of the exterior of the Morrisania Branch of the NYPL, taken by Wurts Bros., New York, NY
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Details

Category
Library
Audience
All Ages
Founder(s)
Andrew Carnegie
Corporate Body
New York Public Library
Tags
communityvoices, community, library, COVID, entertainment, historicalsite, architecture, language

Location

  • 610 E 169th St, Bronx, NY 10456, USA
    ? - ?

Archival Collections

References

  1. CLASSES PLANNED FOR HOMEMAKERS: SHOPPING, DECORATING AMONG SUBJECTS TO BE TAUGHT IN SPECIAL EVENING SERIES. (1947, Jan 14). New York Times (1923-) http://ezproxy.cul.columbia.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/classes-planned-homemakers/docview/107878434/se-2?accountid=10226
  2. GERMAN AMERICANS MEET: DISCUSS PLANS FOR ENTERTAINMENT OF PRINCE HENRY. DELEGATES PRESENT REPRESENTING ABOUT 250,000 OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN AND NEARLY ALL TEUTONIC SOCIETIES HERE. (1902, Jan 20). New York Times (1857-1922) http://ezproxy.cul.columbia.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/german-americans-meet/docview/96195346/se-2?accountid=10226
  3. Going On in New York: Forum Tomorrow On Youth, Narcotics. (1951, Jan 22). New York Herald Tribune (1926-1962) http://ezproxy.cul.columbia.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/going-on-new-york/docview/1322422443/se-2?accountid=10226
  4. Historic Districts Council. (2019, October 29). Bronx Carnegie Library: Morrisania Branch. HDC. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from https://hdc.org/buildings/morrisania-branch/
  5. Morris, A. (1984, Dec 01). Theatre Briefs. New York Amsterdam News (1962-) http://ezproxy.cul.columbia.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/theatre-briefs/docview/226475273/se-2?accountid=10226
  6. Morrisania Branch, NYPL, the Bronx: Historic Districts Council's six to celebrate. Historic Districts Councils Six to Celebrate. (n.d.). Retrieved April 26, 2022, from https://6tocelebrate.org/site/morrisania-branch-nypl-the-bronx/
  7. Morrisania Library. The New York Public Library. (2022). Retrieved April 26, 2022, from https://www.nypl.org/locations/morrisania
  8. New York Public Library Archives, The New York Public Library. Morrisania Branch, Children's room, Apr. 25, 1911. Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-3e60-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
  9. New York Public Library Archives, The New York Public Library. Morrisania Branch, readers in reading room, Apr. 25, 1911. Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-3e5e-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
  10. Maloney, J. (2013, July 7). Rethinking Andrew Carnegie's Library Gift to New York City. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 9, 2022, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324507404578591901331381768.