The Converse Memorial Library – also known as Converse Memorial Building – is a historically significant building designed by noted American architect

Henry Hobson Richardson Henry Hobson Richardson, FAIA (September 29, 1838 – April 27, 1886) was an American architect, best known for his work in a style that became known as Richardsonian Romanesque. Along with Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright, Richardson is one ...

. From 1885 to 1996, it housed the Malden Public Library, which now occupies a modern building adjacent to it. The former library is located at 36 Salem Street,

Malden, Massachusetts Malden is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. At the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 66,263 people. History Malden is a hilly woodland area no ...

. The building was a gift of Elisha S. and Mary D. Converse in memory of their murdered son, Frank Eugene Converse, who was the victim of the first bank robbery/murder in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. It was constructed 1883-1885 in an overall L-shape, with a facade of brown Longmeadow

sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...

, a tower rising from the L's inner corner, and a heavily arched entry porch set within the L's short arm. The main library room is 50 x 36 feet and finished in elaborately carved white oak with a high, vaulted ceiling. Its furniture was designed by Richardson and manufactured by the Boston firm of A. H. Davenport and Company. In 1896 two additions were made to the building, designed by Richardson's successor firm,

Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge was a successful American architectural firm based in Boston. As the successor to the studio of Henry Hobson Richardson, they completed his unfinished work before developing their own practice, and had extensive commissi ...

. One gable-roofed wing extends the building to the rear, along Park Street, following the same general lines of the existing structure. The other addition was a flat-roofed rectangular stack area also attached to the rear. An octagonal gallery space further extended the rear in 1916, designed by

Newhall & Blevins Newhall & Blevins was an American architecture firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, active from 1903 to 1933. It was the partnership of architects Louis C. Newhall (1869–1925) and Albert H. Blevins (1874–1946). Newhall established a practice ...

. The Converse Memorial Building was the last of Richardson's library designs, and is generally considered among his finest works. It was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

in 1987. (includes plans and drawings) and

In Popular Culture

The interior of the library's historic wing provided the setting for a scene in the movie

Ted 2 ''Ted 2'' (stylized as ''ted2'') is a 2015 American fantasy comedy film. The sequel to ''Ted (film), Ted'' (2012), the film was co-produced and directed again by Seth MacFarlane, who co-wrote the script with returning writers Alec Sulkin and Wel ...

, starring

Mark Wahlberg Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), formerly known by his stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, producer, and former rapper. Mark Wahlberg filmography, His work as a leading actor, leading man spans the Comedy film, come ...

and

Amanda Seyfried Amanda Michelle Seyfried ( ; born December 3, 1985) is an American actress and singer. She began acting at 15, with a recurring role as Lucy Montgomery in the CBS soap opera ''As the World Turns'' (1999–2001). She came to prominence for he ...

References

Gallery

Image:Converse Memorial Library (Malden, MA) - street view.JPG, General view from street Image:Converse Memorial Library (Malden, MA) - end view.JPG, End view Image:Converse Memorial Library (Malden, MA) - decorated facade.JPG, Facade decorations Image:Converse Memorial Library (Malden, MA) - tower.JPG, Tower detail Image:Converse Memorial Library (Malden, MA) - columns.JPG, Columns Image:Converse Memorial Library (Malden, MA) - detail.JPG, Detail Image:Converse Memorial Library (Malden, MA) - ornament.JPG, Ornament Image:Converse Memorial Library (Malden, MA) - American Architect & Building News.JPG, 1885 illustrations of the library

External links

* Jeffrey Karl Ochsner, ''H. H. Richardson: Complete Architectural Works'', MIT Press, 1985, page 314. . * American Library Association, ''Annual Conference Proceedings of the American Library Association'', 1889, pages 78–79.
National Historic Landmarks entry

Filming ‘Ted 2’ at Malden Public Library
{{authority control Library buildings completed in 1885 Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in Massachusetts Henry Hobson Richardson buildings National Historic Landmarks in Massachusetts Libraries on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts Libraries in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Public libraries in Massachusetts Education in Malden, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Buildings and structures in Malden, Massachusetts

In Popular Culture

See also

References

Gallery

External links