Friendship Free Library
Why it's listed
Friendship Free Library is a yellow pressed-brick public library on West Main Street in the hamlet of Friendship, Allegany County, New York. Completed in 1912, it was funded by a gift from Mary Church Pitt in memory of her husband, Dr. William H. Pitt, and designed by Elmira architect Otis Dockstader. A gabled portico with four Corinthian columns shelters the entrance, and a red Spanish pan tile hipped roof crowns the building. Inside, the stairs lead patrons to a central circulation desk with open stacks, an arrangement that followed the design thinking of Carnegie-funded libraries, though this was not a Carnegie building. The basement holds an auditorium and meeting rooms with brick fireplaces. The building combines a symmetrical neoclassical form with Arts & Crafts elements such as leaded glass, varnished oak and the tile roof. It is considered significant as a well-preserved example of early twentieth-century library design and as a reminder of the community's prosperity from farming and oil. It still serves as a library.
Significance in brief: The library is argued to be a highly intact, representative example of early twentieth-century library design in Friendship. Its plan reflects contemporary ideas about public circulating libraries, including a central circulation desk and open stacks. It also reflects the town's prosperity from agriculture and petroleum, and it blends neoclassical form with Arts & Crafts details.
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 08000769, listed August 15, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 40 W. Main St., Friendship |
|---|---|
| County | Allegany County |
| Listed | August 15, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000769 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Otis Dockstader, architect; S.O. Richardson, contractor; W.S. Potter, builder |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival; Arts & Crafts |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Continues to serve as a library, its original function. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.20896, -78.13499 (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 08000769.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5504397
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.