Village Branch Library

Mission:

Our mission is to provide the community with educational, cultural, recreational, and entertainment resources through a collection of materials, programs and other resources that we make available.

History:

On May 14, 1895, the King's Daughters Society, a very active charitable organization (also known as "the Haverstraw Ladies Home Mission Circle") petitioned the New York State Regents for a charter to create the Haverstraw King's Daughters Public Library. Melvil Dewey signed the charter, making this Library the oldest chartered public library in Rockland County. The signed charter hangs in the Main Library today.

The Library opened in Jenkins Hall in 1896 and moved to another location (the National Bank Building) the following year. In 1899, a prominent local brickyard owner, Denton Fowler, offered to donate half the cost of the purchase of a site and the erection of a new library building. The condition to this pledge was that his gift had to be matched. The needed $10,000 was raised, and Haverstraw Main, also known as the Fowler Building, officially opened at the foot of Main Street on May 14, 1903.

The building was constructed with Haverstraw brick from Mr. Fowler's brickyard (the imprint DF&S can be read on the bricks laid for the basement's floor.) The original part of this two-story building displays both Classical and Renaissance Revival characteristics, with finely detailed cornices, prominent quoins, a raised foundation and a curved entrance bay. The interior is virtually unchanged, and features original fireplaces with glazed brick, carved mantelpiece, pillars, and a central stairway with oak wainscoting banisters and newel posts capped. A fire, on the second floor, badly damaged the Library in 1956, destroying almost the entire book collection. The damage was repaired.