New Haven Free Public Library Images

Title

New Haven Free Public Library Images

Description

The New Haven Free Public Library Images collection, housed in the Library’s administrative offices, consists primarily of photographs documenting the Library's history since its first location opened in 1887. The images reproduced here include the earliest of these, showing the Library’s first locations in the former Tradesmen's Bank building, and the Third Congregational Church. Also included are photos of the construction of the Ives Building at 133 Elm Street. Later images of branch libraries show the Library’s expansion into neighborhoods beyond the downtown area.

Click on the link below to see all of the scanned photos from this collection.

Collection Items

New Haven Free Public Library Construction Site in Winter, New Haven, Connecticut, 1908-1911
Men and horses at the construction site for the Ives Library building at 133 Elm Street. United Church is visible in the left background.

New Haven Free Public Library Construction Site in Winter, New Haven, Connecticut, 1908-1911
The Ives Library construction site at 133 Elm Street, looking north.

Digging the Foundation for the New Haven Free Public Library, New Haven, Connecticut, 1908-1911
Workers digging the foundation of the Ives Building at 133 Elm Street. Center Church and Trinity Church are visible in the background.

Foundation Construction for the New Haven Free Public Library, New Haven, Connecticut, 1908-1911
Ives Library construction site at 133 Elm Street, looking north. Several hoists and a horse-drawn wagon are visible.

Foundation Construction for the New Haven Free Public Library, New Haven, Connecticut, 1908-1911
Workers constructing the foundation for the Ives Library at 133 Elm Street. Visible in the background are Center Church and United Church.

New Haven Free Public Library During Construction from the Northeast, New Haven, Connecticut, 1908-1911
A view of early construction of the Ives building from behind, showing United Church and Center Church in the background.

Stack wing of the New Haven Free Public Library during Construction, New Haven, Connecticut, 1908-1911
Girders form the outline of the stack wing during construction on the north side of the Ives Library building.

View through Partially Built New Haven Free Public Library, New Haven, Connecticut 1908-1911
A view through the Ives Library, before the walls were completed.

Construction of the New Haven Free Public Library from Temple Street, New Haven, Connecticut, 1908-1911
Partially finished walls of the New Haven Free Public Library, from Temple Street.

Partially Completed Façade of the New Haven Free Public Library, New Haven, Connecticut, 1908-1911
The partially completed walls, columns, and entryway of the Ives building. Building materials are piled in the foreground.
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