Wright Memorial Library
Encyclopedia
Wright Memorial Library, more commonly known as the "Wright Building," is an historic library at 147 St. George Street in Duxbury, Massachusetts.
style. Other projects by Chandler include the Frederic Adams Library
in Kingston, Massachusetts
and the restoration of the Paul Revere House
in Boston, Massachusetts. The cornerstone was laid in 1907 and the building completed in 1909. A newspaper reporter present at the dedication noted some of the library’s impressive features, including electric lighting and a reading room paneled in black cypress with gilded accents.
, Community Preservation Funds
were appropriated and the Town of Duxbury undertook the extensive restoration of the building. The 1909 portion of the library was outfitted for use by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society
for their Drew Archival Library where historic documents are preserved. The 1968 addition was refurbished for use by the Duxbury Student Union Association. The Wright Building was re-dedicated on September 22, 2007, just slightly over one hundred years after the cornerstone was laid.
Historic significance
The Wright Building was donated to the Town of Duxbury by Georgianna Wright (1837–1919), an influential citizen of Duxbury and philanthropist. In 1890, Wright had donated her guest house to serve as the first Duxbury Free Library. The wooden building soon grew too cramped and by 1906, Wright decided to fund the construction of a new building. Sparing no expense, she hired a well-known architect, Joseph Everett Chandler, to design a brick library in the colonial revivalColonial Revival architecture
The Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
style. Other projects by Chandler include the Frederic Adams Library
Frederic C. Adams Public Library
Frederic C. Adams Public Library is a building at 33 Summer Street in Kingston, Massachusetts.Designed by Joseph Everett Chandler , a major proponent of the Colonial Revival style, the library was built in 1898 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001...
in Kingston, Massachusetts
Kingston, Massachusetts
Kingston is a coastal town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, it had a population of 12,629.-History:Before European settlers arrived in Kingston it was within the tribal home to the Wampanoag people...
and the restoration of the Paul Revere House
Paul Revere House
The Paul Revere House is the colonial home of American patriot Paul Revere during the time of the American Revolution. It is located at 19 North Square, Boston, Massachusetts, in the city's North End, and is now operated as a nonprofit museum by the Paul Revere Memorial Association. A small...
in Boston, Massachusetts. The cornerstone was laid in 1907 and the building completed in 1909. A newspaper reporter present at the dedication noted some of the library’s impressive features, including electric lighting and a reading room paneled in black cypress with gilded accents.
Restoration
In 1997, the Duxbury Free Library moved to new quarters, leaving the Wright Building empty. Used sporadically by various organizations for a few years, by 2004 the Wright Building was vacant and suffering decay. By a vote of Duxbury Town MeetingTown meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
, Community Preservation Funds
Community Preservation Act
The Community Preservation Act is a Massachusetts state law passed in 2000. It enables adopting communities to raise funds to create a local dedicated fund for open space preservation, preservation of historic resources, development of affordable housing, and the acquisition and development of...
were appropriated and the Town of Duxbury undertook the extensive restoration of the building. The 1909 portion of the library was outfitted for use by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society
Duxbury Rural and Historical Society
The Duxbury Rural and Historical Society is a non-profit organization in Duxbury, Massachusetts founded in 1883. Its mission is to "preserve and promote the heritage and rural character of the town of Duxbury and its environs." The DRHS owns several historic buildings, operates a library and...
for their Drew Archival Library where historic documents are preserved. The 1968 addition was refurbished for use by the Duxbury Student Union Association. The Wright Building was re-dedicated on September 22, 2007, just slightly over one hundred years after the cornerstone was laid.