Official Site of The State of New Jersey

The Allentown Library was originally built in 1879 as the First Baptist Church and Parsonage. It is a contributing resource in the Allentown Historic District, a well-preserved cohesive district of residential, commercial, and religious structures from the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth century.  The stylistically eclectic frame church is one of several houses of worship built by Elias and Benjamin Rogers, prominent local builders who are known for their Victorian period buildings in the district.  Among the character-defining features of the church are the symmetrical massing beneath a principal gable, the three-stage engaged belfry tower, the arched window and door openings and sash, and the bracketed hood lintels. The character-defining features of the Second-Empire style parsonage (attached to the church building) include its mansard roof with hooded dormers supported by a bracketed cornice. The church was abandoned after a damaging fire in 1972. In 1973, the Allentown Public Library Association purchased the property and converted it into a public library.  

A Trust 2000 grant funded structural reinforcement and exterior restoration.  

A Trust 2017 grant funded interior restoration.  

A Trust 2019 grant funded the creation of a Preservation Plan.  

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