East Village in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Ottendorfer Branch of the New York Public Library

Photographed by R. C.

1. Ottendorfer Branch of the New York Public Library Marker

Inscription. Designed by the architect William Schickel and built in 1883-1884, the Ottendorfer Library was the first building in Manhattan to be erected specifically as a free public lending library. The building combines elements from several late Victorian architectural styles and is important for its early use of molded terra cotta. The interior remains almost unchanged since 1884.

This plaque was donated by the community to honor and perpetuate the legacy of Anna and Oswald Ottendorfer. From the beginning, their gift filled a vital need.

Erected by City of New York.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1884.

Location. 40° 43.733′ N, 73° 59.261′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in East Village. It is on Second Avenue, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 135 Second Avenue, New York NY 10003, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in New York City.

It is also in the American Northeast,

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in the Mid-Atlantic,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Stuyvesant Polyclinic (a few steps from this marker); In Honor of (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Daniel Leroy House (about 300 feet away); Astor Piazzolla, 1921-1992 (about 300 feet away); Carol Vivian Joyce (about 300 feet away); Hebrew Technical Institute (about 400 feet away); East 7th Street WWII Memorial (about 400 feet away); Ukrainian Americans World War II Memorial (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.

Regarding Ottendorfer Branch of the New York Public Library. The Ottendorfer Branch of the New York Public Library opened in 1884 as New York City's first free public library. Designed by German-born architect William Schickel, this landmark building combines Queen Anne and neo-Italian

Ottendorfer Library Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by R. C.

2. Ottendorfer Library Building

Renaissance styles with an exterior ornamented by innovative terracotta putti. The Branch was a gift of Oswald Ottendorfer, owner of the New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung. At the time, the neighborhood was called Kleindeutschland (Little Germany) and had a population of over 150,000 people of German descent. Ottendorfer wished to provide this community with books to cultivate their minds and assist assimilation into American culture. Half of the 8,000 original books were in German with the other half in English. In the same tradition, the branch continues to reflect its community and remains a vital educational and cultural resource for the East Village today. --New York Public Library

The building is listed in the "AIA (American Institute of Architects) Guide to New York City, Fifth Edition".

Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 22, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,552 times since then and 45 times this year. Last updated on February 4, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 22, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.