Moffat Library
Encyclopedia
The Moffat Library, officially Moffat Library of Washingtonville, serves a population of 25,000 people in the village of that name
in Orange County, New York
, as well as the surrounding towns of Blooming Grove
, Hamptonburgh
and New Windsor
. It is located in the center of town, at the intersection of NY 208
and NY 94
. It boasts two Louis Comfort Tiffany
-designed stained glass
windows, although they were not part of the library's original design.
It was named after David Moffat
, a native of Washingtonville who later made a fortune in railroads, mining and finance in Colorado
and settled in Denver. In 1885, nearing the age of 50, he decided he wanted to do something for his hometown, and so commissioned the library for the site of his boyhood home, the trading post
his father Samuel had established at the crossroads in 1811. The library would be named for his mother Catherine as well as his father. He declared its purpose to be "the diffusion of useful knowledge". New York architect
George Edward Harney designed a building in the then-popular Queen Anne style, to be built of brick
made in nearby Goshen
. The finished building included a Howard clock on the top, Greek column
s and an auditorium
with seating for 375.
The formal dedication took place on April 25, 1887. However, there was a library, but no books. The Moffat Library Association was formed to establish a library and reading room, and the following year after it had acquired bookcase
s, some books were shelved. By 1899, when the stained glass windows were installed, the library's holdings consisted of 2,000 volumes, most donated by Moffat.
In 1994, the library was added to the National Register of Historic Places
as well as its state equivalent. The next year, the Moffat Library Association changed its status from private to public. Today, the library holds more than 29,000 items with a circulation
of 170,000.
The library was forced to close and relocate its collection in 2011. Flooding from Hurricane Irene
and Tropical Storm Lee
reached the level of 6 feet (2 m) in the basement, damaging parts of the building's electrical and heating systems. A local corporation donated space for the collection to be relocated to in the two months library officials said it would take to complete repairs.
Washingtonville, New York
Washingtonville is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 5,851 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
in Orange County, New York
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
, as well as the surrounding towns of Blooming Grove
Blooming Grove, New York
Blooming Grove is a town in Orange County, New York, USA. The population was 17,351 at the 2000 census.The Town of Blooming Grove is in the central part of the county, located southwest of Newburgh.- History :...
, Hamptonburgh
Hamptonburgh, New York
Hamptonburgh is a town located in the northern part of Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 4,686 at the 2000 census. The name was provided by an early settler, William Bull....
and New Windsor
New Windsor, New York
New Windsor is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was estimated at 25,244 in 2010 by the US Census.The Town of New Windsor is in the eastern part of the county, bordering the Town of Newburgh and the City of Newburgh....
. It is located in the center of town, at the intersection of NY 208
New York State Route 208
New York State Route 208 is a state highway located in southern New York in the United States. The southern terminus is at an intersection with NY 17M in the Orange County village of Monroe...
and NY 94
New York State Route 94
New York State Route 94 is a state highway entirely within Orange County in southern New York. The western terminus is at the New York-New Jersey state line, where it continues as NJ 94 for another to Columbia, New Jersey. Its eastern terminus is located at U.S. Route 9W in New Windsor....
. It boasts two Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is the American artist most associated with the Art Nouveau and Aesthetic movements...
-designed stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows, although they were not part of the library's original design.
It was named after David Moffat
David Moffat
David Halliday Moffat was an American financier and industrialist.Moffat was one of Denver's most important financiers and industrialists in late 19th and early 20th century Colorado, and he was responsible for the development of the Middle Park area. He served as president, treasurer and as a...
, a native of Washingtonville who later made a fortune in railroads, mining and finance in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and settled in Denver. In 1885, nearing the age of 50, he decided he wanted to do something for his hometown, and so commissioned the library for the site of his boyhood home, the trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
his father Samuel had established at the crossroads in 1811. The library would be named for his mother Catherine as well as his father. He declared its purpose to be "the diffusion of useful knowledge". New York architect
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
George Edward Harney designed a building in the then-popular Queen Anne style, to be built of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
made in nearby Goshen
Goshen (village), New York
Goshen is a village in and the county seat of Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 5,676 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
. The finished building included a Howard clock on the top, Greek column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s and an auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
with seating for 375.
The formal dedication took place on April 25, 1887. However, there was a library, but no books. The Moffat Library Association was formed to establish a library and reading room, and the following year after it had acquired bookcase
Bookcase
A bookcase, or bookshelf, is a piece of furniture, almost always with horizontal shelves, used to store books. A bookcase consists of a unit including two or more shelves which may not all be used to contain books or other printed materials. Shelves may be fixed or adjustable to different positions...
s, some books were shelved. By 1899, when the stained glass windows were installed, the library's holdings consisted of 2,000 volumes, most donated by Moffat.
In 1994, the library was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as well as its state equivalent. The next year, the Moffat Library Association changed its status from private to public. Today, the library holds more than 29,000 items with a circulation
Library circulation
Library circulation or library lending comprises the activities around the lending of library books and other material to users of a lending library. A circulation or lending department is one of the key departments of a library....
of 170,000.
The library was forced to close and relocate its collection in 2011. Flooding from Hurricane Irene
Hurricane Irene (2011)
Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in 2011...
and Tropical Storm Lee
Tropical Storm Lee
The name Tropical Storm Lee may refer to:In the Atlantic, it is on the modern six-year lists, where it replaced the name "Lenny":* Tropical Storm Lee , a short-lived, minimal tropical storm...
reached the level of 6 feet (2 m) in the basement, damaging parts of the building's electrical and heating systems. A local corporation donated space for the collection to be relocated to in the two months library officials said it would take to complete repairs.