Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

New Jersey Historic Trust Affiliated with the Department of Community Affairs

Allentown Historic District: Allentown Library

Garden State Historic Preservation Trust Fund
Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund
Capital Preservation Grant: Level II
Historic Site Management Grant
Grant Award: $134,000 (2000); $12,078 (2017); $18,750 (2019)
Grant Recipient: Allentown Public Library Association, Inc.
County: Monmouth
Municipality: Allentown Borough

The Allentown Library was constructed in 1879 as the First Baptist Church and was abandoned after suffering a damaging fire in 1972. In the 1990s, the Allentown Public Library Association adapted the former church and attached parsonage as a public library, including a children's library, offices and community meeting space. The library serves the communities of Allentown, Upper Freehold and Millstone Township. 

The 2019 grant helped fund a Historic Preservation Plan for the Allentown Public Library. The 2017 Trust grant helped fund (phase II) the restoration of the interior front entryway of the library. This included restoring the original wide-plank floors, upgrading lighting, installing French doors to the interior, and painting the entryway. The 2000 Trust grant helped fund structural stabilization of the library's main truss, restoration of the building's exterior, and stabilization of the former parsonage's upper floors for community use and office space. 

For more information, visit: https://www.allentownlibrary.org/ 


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