Barron Library
United States historic place
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Barron Library is a historic building located at 582 Rahway Avenue in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Formerly a public library, it is now the Barron Arts Center.[3] The building was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1976.[4] It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 11, 1977, for its significance in architecture and education.[5]
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Barron Library | |
Barron Arts Center | |
  Location within Middlesex County, New Jersey  Location within New Jersey  Location within the United States | |
| Location | 582 Rahway Avenue, Woodbridge Township, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°33′40″N 74°16′25″W |
| Area | 0.7 acres (0.28 ha) |
| Built | 1877 |
| Architect | J. Cleaveland Cady |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000886[1] |
| NJRHP No. | 1944[2] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 11, 1977 |
| Designated NJRHP | August 26, 1977 |
History and description
Thomas Barron (1790–1875) funded the construction of the building in his will. It would become the first free public library in Middlesex County. The brownstone building was designed by architect J. Cleaveland Cady in the Richardsonian Romanesque style and features a three-story clock tower. The fireplace in the Reading Room is bordered with blue and white Delft tiles, each depicting a biblical scene. The library was dedicated on September 11, 1877. In 1967, it became part of the Woodbridge Township Library System.[5] In 1977, the building became the arts center for Woodbridge Township.[3]
