Jordanville Public Library
Why it's listed
Jordanville Public Library sits on a knoll facing Main Street in the town of Warren, Herkimer County. Built in 1907-1908, it is a one-story, gable-roofed building with clapboard siding and a portico of four Tuscan columns, a modillioned cornice and a circular window in the tympanum. Inside, the original hard pine woodwork, bookcases, stone fireplace and reading room furnishings survive, along with a later cove mural of trees. The library was a gift to the village from Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Robinson and Mrs. Harriett R. Wolrych-Whitmore in memory of their parents, on land donated by Mrs. Freeman Bell, and Theodore Roosevelt helped dedicate it in 1908. It was designed by the New York firm Trowbridge and Livingston, known for banks, hotels and civic buildings, and is a rare small-scale example of their work. One of the oldest continuously operating library buildings in the county, it has also served as a community center and historical society headquarters.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the library is a sophisticated Neo-Classical building in a rural area and a rare documented small-scale work of the nationally prominent New York firm Trowbridge and Livingston. It is also one of the oldest continuously operating library buildings in Herkimer County. It retains nearly complete exterior and interior integrity, including original furnishings, and has long served as a community center.
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 84002397, listed May 24, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Jordanville |
|---|---|
| County | Herkimer County |
| Listed | May 24, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002397 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1907-1908 |
| Architect / builder | Trowbridge and Livingston |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a library; described as in good condition and virtually unaltered, with only minor mid-twentieth-century changes. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.91550, -74.94716 (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 84002397.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6277379
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.