The Jenkintown Library, one of the oldest of its kind if Pennsylvania, has historical roots which date back to 1839 when the building was known as the Jenkin’s Town Lyceum.

The original one-story lyceum (a hall for public lectures or discussions) was approximately 29′ by 29′ with plastered stone walls. A one-story rear wing and addition were completed between 1909 and 1910.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 16, 1979. The first five pages of the 51-page nomination form can be found below:

Images from the document include:

Images of a rare book about the lyceum, available for purchase on eBay:

The library today:

From the library’s recent Facebook post:

Did you know that our little gem of a library has the distinction of being one of the oldest libraries in Pennsylvania?! Our building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979. The Jenkin’s Town Lyceum was built in 1839. That makes it 184 years old! That’s older than the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, and Big Ben! How cool is it to have something this old in our community?!

We are grateful for your tax dollars and donations that help us to maintain this historic space. We hope your patronage will allow us to provide services for many more years to come!

For more on the library, located at 460 York Road, you can visit their website.

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.

Photos: Jenkintown Library