Reaney, Margaret, Memorial Library
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Margaret Reaney Memorial Library occupies a large corner lot at Kingsbury Avenue and New Street in Saint Johnsville. The brick building began in 1909 as a cruciform structure designed by Carl Haug of Little Falls and built by Edward Everett, with funding from local businessman Joseph Reaney. A 1936 addition by Fred Haug, containing the memorial Reading Room, gave the building its present H-shaped footprint. The front facade has a pedimented cast stone entrance carrying the words "PVBLIC LIBRARY." Interiors include period tile flooring, plaster coved ceilings, and two marble fireplaces with neoclassical motifs. The rooms are filled with museum collections, and the library still operates alongside the museum. The grounds hold a village memorial park with a Civil War soldiers monument and an 1898 bronze sculpture of a woman and a lion by Roland Hinton Perry. The property is significant for its Classical Revival design and for its role in the cultural life of the community from 1909 onward.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the building under architecture, as a Classical Revival library with a later compatible addition, and under social history, as a community institution funded by the Reaney family. The grounds include a memorial park and a 1898 bronze sculpture that contribute to the property.
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 12000210, listed April 16, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 19 Kingsbury Ave., St. Johnsville |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | April 16, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000210 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909-1960 |
| Architect / builder | Carl Haug (1909 block); Fred Haug (1936 addition); Edward Everett, builder (1909) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a library and museum. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Within district | St. Johnsville Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.99887, -74.67631 (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 12000210.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q23092024
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.