A Look Back

A Look Back, Aug. 26: A brief history of Dennis Library

By WAYNE T. McCABE
Sussex County Historian
Posted: Aug. 26, 2018 12:01 am

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, some communities in Sussex County were blessed to find they had magnanimous individuals who were able to bestow sufficient funds for major projects that would not otherwise be available; Newton was one of those communities.

In November 1866, Alfred L. Dennis, who was residing in Newark, determined that he wanted to finance a major project for Newton, his hometown. Dennis offered the town $25,000 for the erection of a town hall and public library. The offer was predicated on the condition that the residents of the town raise $5,000 for that same project.

On April 2, 1867, the Newton Library Association was incorporated. Martin Ryerson, George Neldon, Thomas Anderson and Franklin Smith served as the incorporators. It was not until October of 1870 that 201 shares of stock in the association had been sold at $25 each and the required funds were raised.

A lot on High Street was originally selected for the building. However, a groundswell of public opinion forced a change in location and the site where the current post office is located was deemed the best site. A building on that site that had been a drug store was removed before the new brick structure could be built.

The library was designed by architect J.V. Nichols and was erected by local contractors Andrew Price and Robert Baughan for a total of $18,500. Numerous sub-contractors were responsible for manufacturing the furnishings and other appointments throughout the building. The building, designed in the Second Empire style of architecture with a projecting central bay and Mansard roof, was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1872.

The building did not include offices for the town staff, but did include the post office and the offices and printing plant of the New Jersey Herald on the first floor. The public library and reading rooms were situated on the second floor. The third floor was a public hall that could accommodate 500 people.

In 1869, the Board of Directors of the Dennis Library decided that there was a pressing need to expand their facilities. They embarked on a capital finance campaign that permitted them more rooms on the second and third floors. A second round of expansion took place in 1903 with a two-story addition to the rear of the building, giving the New Jersey Herald an additional 20-foot by 22-foot area for an engine to drive the printing presses of the newspaper.

Having again outgrown the facilities in this building, the Library Association acquired a building lot on the corner of Main and Elm streets. The new building's cornerstone was laid on Sept. 30, 1939. The library was designed in the Georgian Revival style, was two stories in height with a central hall entrance, and had a broken-arched pediment set over the double entrance doors. Local builder William I. Houghton erected this building.

Identifying features of this style of architecture included: Renaissance-inspired classical symmetry, two rooms deep, two floors high (four over four plan), central or end chimneys, classical detailing, transom lights, pilasters (flat, attached columns) around the main entrance with a full or broken pediment over the door(s) and a side-gable roof.

The new building featured a grand winding staircase flanked by tall arches the led into a children's area on the right and the adult reading room on the left. The service desk is in the foyer at the foot of the winding stairs.

At the top of the grand staircase was a large reference room and included built-in bookcases set around the walls that contained the private library of leather bound books that belonged to Dr. Frederick S. Dennis.

The Dennis Library is one of the many branch libraries that now make up the Sussex County Library system.

•••

Sussex County Historian Wayne T. McCabe may be contacted at sussexhistorian@juno.com.

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