{"nrhp_refnum":"78002341","name":"Jones, B. F., Memorial Library","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"663 Franklin Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Aliquippa","county":"Beaver County","state":"PA","lat":40.61319418100004,"lon":-80.25126624199999,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1978-12-15","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Social History"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A one-story T-shaped library of Indiana limestone in Aliquippa, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, built 1927-29 as the B.F. Jones Memorial Library.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is architecturally distinguished for its Renaissance-derived classical design and its carefully planned interior decoration by named artists and craftsmen. It also holds significance as a memorial to steel industrialist Benjamin Franklin Jones Sr., co-founder of Jones & Laughlin Steel, and as a gift from his daughter that shaped the community's development.","narrative":"Built in 1927-29 of Indiana limestone in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, the B.F. Jones Memorial Library is a one-story T-shaped building with Ionic columns, recessed colonnades, and a cast bronze cheneau carrying carved names of subjects such as Philosophy, Astronomy, and Drama. Its design was by Brandon Smith, with construction by A. & S. Wilson Co. of Pittsburgh. The interior holds ornamental plaster ceilings planned by color architect Norah Thorpe, leaded glass medallions by Henry Hunt of Pittsburgh, wrought iron screens with bronze medallions by Oscar Bach, and a bronze statue of B.F. Jones by sculptor Robert Aiken. The building is significant for its architecture and craftsmanship and as a memorial to Benjamin Franklin Jones Sr., a co-founder of Jones & Laughlin Steel. It was given by his daughter, Mrs. Elisabeth Horne, and has served the community's educational and social needs.","period_of_significance":"1900-","architect_builder":"A. & S. Wilson Co. (Pittsburgh, Pa.); Brandon Smith, R.A. (architect)","architectural_style":"Renaissance (classic, Italian Renaissance interior)","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Library use continues, with several rooms reassigned to new functions such as a pre-school room and district library center office.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:31.000026-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/78002341.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78002341/1a7b206edc-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78002341/1a7b206edc-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Nyttend","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:B.F._Jones_Memorial_Library,_Aliquippa.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Nyttend</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:B.F._Jones_Memorial_Library,_Aliquippa.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71994461","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B.F._Jones_Memorial_Library","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4833800"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/beaver-county/jones-b-f-memorial-library-78002341/"}