Courthouse and Library

Courthouse and Library. Hempstead Historic Neighborhood. , After Benedict Arnold, who had been a hero in the War for Independence, turned traitor, he led a British attack on his native state of Connecticut. On Sept. 6, 1781, he burned much of New London, including the courthouse. When it came time to rebuild at war's end, town leaders chose what was then an outlying area. The hilltop location, they believed, would protect the courthouse from fires in the harbor district and at the same time convey the majesty of the law. , The courthouse, designed and built by Isaac Fitch, was started in 1784 but not fully completed until 1814. Twenty-five years later it was moved back to allow for a new street layout. In its long history the courthouse has provided the setting for many dramatic events that defined New London's civic identity. Among these was a ball at the end of the War of 18 12, when British naval officers who had been blockading the port joined to celebrate peace. During a later conflict, the building was used to receive and identify Civil War dead. Today, this courthouse is one of the oldest in continuous use in the United States. , Across the street is another notable New London building, the Public Library, built in 1889-90 by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, successor firm to Henry Hobson Richardson. One of America's most influential 19th century architects, Richardson designed another New London landmark, Union Station. Initial funding for the library was provided by the will of wealthy maritime merchant Henry P. Haven. Famed sculptor Augustus Saint- Gaudens did the bas-relief of Haven that occupies an honored place in the south porch of the library. The library addition was constructed in 1976. , [Captions:] , The beautiful stone work and striking Romanesque architecture of the original library building provide the center piece for a large modern addition. , The courthouse figured prominently in a view of New London during the War of 18 12 (below). Beyond it, rustic stone-bordered roads headed into the countryside. A century later (above) the Courthouse had been fully absorbed into an urban setting.