While in Pawtucket, recently, I stopped by the Pawtucket Public Library to check it out. I had never been inside before, just driven past it many times. The library is a complex of two historical buildings, the Deborah Cook Sayles Public Library and the Gerald S. Burns Building. Both buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1898, Pawtucket's first Mayor, Frederic Clark Sayles offered to give a plot of land on Summer Street for the construction of a free public library. He traveled to Europe, looking for architectural inspiration from Europe's most majestic libraries.
The Library is not only distinctive in its architecture, but also in its service. It was one of the first libraries in the country to allow users open access to the library book stacks and one of the first to be open on Sundays, accommodating the many Pawtucket mill workers who worked six days a week.
The Sayles Building is an impressive example of Greek revival architecture. Four massive Ionic columns form a portico at the former entrance. The front doorway of this building is an exact replica of the Erechtheion, a Greek temple on the Acropolis at Athens. The panels show a comprehensive view of the world's civilizations. The panels depict scenes from Roman, Grecian, Egyptian, Latin, Anglo-Saxon, and Teutonic civilizations. The Library is known for its decorative ceilings, soaring pillars, and glass-floored North balcony.
The Gerald S. Burns Building served as the Pawtucket Post Office from 1896 to the 1940's. A dome tops its round entrance, which is located at the intersection of the streets. In 1982, the renovations of the original United States Post Office building were completed and the Deborah Cook Sayles Public Library was joined with the newly dedicated Gerald S. Burns building to become what is known today as the Pawtucket Public Library.
There were lots of people inside using the library and it was very refreshing to see their love of books and learning. A beautiful building for an up-and-coming city in Rhode Island. read more