Free Library of Philadelphia, Haddington Branch, 446 North 65th Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Significance: Haddington was one of twenty-five branch libraries constructed between 1904 and 1930 for the Free Library of Philadelphia using a $1.5 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation. Andrew Carnegie's public library construction grants were a major impetus for the growth of these institutions throughout the country. Philadelphia was second only to New York City in the size of its Carnegie grant and number of branch libraries constructed. Each jurisdiction receiving Carnegie library funds was responsible for providing a site and operating expenses equal to ten percent of the cost of construction. Prior to receiving the Carnegie funds in 1903, branch libraries of the Free Library of Philadelphia (founded 1891) were housed in a variety of preexisting structures. The Carnegie library construction campaign provided twenty-five purpose-built branch libraries for the City of Philadelphia, each designed within the ideal of efficient operation and using fashionable, but conservative, architectural forms and motifs.

Haddington was the eighteenth Carnegie branch library opened by the Free Library of Philadelphia. Plans for the structure were approved by the Free Library Board of Trustees Carnegie Fund Committee on April 4, 1913 and the branch opened to the public on December 3, 1915. The Haddington Branch was designed by the well-known Philadelphia architect Albert Kelsey in association with nationally prominent Philadelphia architect Paul Cret. It is perhaps the most stylistically inventive of the Colonial Revival branch libraries for its use of polychrome terra cotta in the monumental arch of the entrance pavilion. It was located on a corner lot donated by Alex Simpson, Jr.. At the time of opening it served a predominantly Italian-American neighborhood in West Philadelphia and the library is still a prominent architectural and institutional presence in an area of two- and three-story residential structures.

Survey number: HABS PA-6753