The Bronx’ connection to the past will soon be accessed through a pair of newly hand-crafted doors that will replicate the long-forgotten workmanship of the 18th Century.
The Huntington Free Library and Reading Room at 9 Westchester Square, is in the midst of a thorough, top-to-bottom, inside and out renovation.
The historic library, which was opened in 1891, is the third oldest structure standing in Westchester Square, edged out by only the pre-Civil War Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1855 and the “Church on the Hill” the 1st Presbyterian Church, built in 1877. The area was a part of the Town of Westchester, Westchester County then, prior to its annexation to the Bronx in 1895.
Angel Hernandez, president of the library since 2019, called the entry doors replacement project “very challenging” since it will have to blend the old with the new and still retain its former historic appearance.
The nine-foot tall 6-panel arched oak doors now close snugly into a wide wooden jamb that at one time also held screen doors. The project specs require that all the original hardware be refurbished and reused, including a slide bolt, the door hinges, and the mail slot, if possible, otherwise the parts need to be refabricated.
Three panels on each door contain paisley-like appliques that need to be replicated too.
The doors will be finished with coats of the original Hunter Green paint color. At the same time, the doors have to offer ADA accessibility and include modern security features.
The current doors are coated with 125 plus years of paint and are secured with a variety of dead bolts and an alarm system. The door’s exterior has shrunk over time and the building’s hallway is exposed to the outside elements through cracks in the door panels.
The library is awaiting job quotes. The project is estimated to cost several hundred dollars. State Senator Nathalia Fernandez and Assemblyman Michael Benedetto are providing state grants to cover the cost of these doors.
“We eagerly anticipate replacing our front doors, ensuring that our beloved landmark and its irreplaceable collections remain safe and secure for many generations to come,” Hernandez said.
Earlier projects addressed the library’s dirtiest repairs; the roof and soffits were replaced; all 36 over-sized windows are now in perfect working order; and the front stone pathway and staircase and a portion of front fencing were replaced.
“It wasn’t until 2022 that this historic landmark saw its first major restoration with the installation of a brand-new roof. Since then, we have embarked on significant preservation efforts that will finally enable the structure to endure for another century,” Hernandez said.
Still, the repair list contains many, but less urgent matters. The oilcloth flooring, which was added over the original floor, and is keeping the building’s room-dividing pocket doors from opening, needs to be chipped away and the wooden floor restored, interior walls need replastering and the perimeter iron fence and gate restored, are just a few the library’s future projects.
The fence will probably be done at a much-later time because the New York Public Library plans to construct a new Westchester Square branch on an adjacent property and will probably store construction material on the library’s rear yard.
The Huntington Free Library and Reading Room sold the ancillary property and building to the NYPL after it sent its Heye Foundation Native American book collection, which was housed in that structure, to Cornell University.
The Huntington Free Library and Reading Room is the oldest free library in the Bronx. It predates the Carnegie library in Mott Haven by ten years.
Originally the Van Schaick family, who had an estate in Throggs Neck in the late 1800’s, created an endowment to build the Van Schieck Free Library and Reading Room. The building was started, but when the endowment ran short of funds, a neighbor, Collis Huntington, took over, re-funded the project, and renamed the library.
Besides heading the Huntington library’s board of directors for the past eight years, Hernandez was appointed the borough’s fifth official Bronx County Historian by Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson in 2023, succeeding longtime historian Lloyd Ultan.
The Huntington Free Library and Reading Room holds a large collection of Bronx and Westchester-related books. It also sponsors various programs and lectures and contains other collections.
