Stoneham Public Library
Why it's listed
Stoneham Public Library, at Main and Maple Streets, is a one-story Roman brick building that serves as the town's library. Built in 1904, it originally had three bays and a single central entrance. A 1931 addition extended the plan by two bays, added a second entrance and introduced the domed cupola with Doric columns. The five-bay facade has two Doric porticoes and paired one-over-one sash with ornamental grillework, under an asphalt-shingled hip roof. A modern wing added on the south in 1983 keeps the same height and brick. The building is considered Stoneham's finest public example of Classical Revival design. Its history also connects to philanthropy: the Carnegie Foundation endowed the original $15,000 building, and Annie Brown, from a family prominent in local leather tanning, gave $100,000 for the 1931 enlargement. The library itself was founded in 1859 from several private collections and had earlier occupied locations in Central Square.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it Stoneham's best Classical Revival public building and notes its long association with the town library. It is tied to the Andrew Carnegie Foundation, which endowed the original $15,000 building, and to the Brown family, tanning industry leaders who donated $100,000 for the 1931 enlargement. It is argued to meet criteria A, B and C.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84002832, listed April 13, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main and Maple Sts., Stoneham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002832 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as the town library; enlarged with a south wing in 1983. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Within district | Central Square Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.47769, -71.10073 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84002832.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7619190
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.