Lackawanna County Children's Library

Infobox_nrhp | name =Lackawanna County Children's Library
Scranton, Pennsylvania
formerly
First Church of Christ, Scientist
nrhp_type =

|thumb
caption =
location= 520 Vine Street

Scranton, Pennsylvania
area =
built =1915
architect = Albert J. Ward
architecture = Neoclassical
added = May 9, 1988
governing_body = Local Government
mpsub=
refnum=88000467 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

The Lackawanna County Children's Library is a library in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The library is housed in the former First Church of Christ, Scientist, located at 520 Vine Street. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 9, 1988.

National register listing

*First Church of Christ, Scientist (added 1988 - Building - #88000467)
*520 Vine St., Scranton
*Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering
*Architect, builder, or engineer: Ward, Albert J.
*Architectural Style: Classical Revival
*Area of Significance: Architecture
*Period of Significance: 1900-1924
*Owner: Local Gov't
*Historic Function: Religion
*Historic Sub-function: Religious Structure
*Current Function: Education
*Current Sub-function: Library

History

Christian Science religious activity in Scranton dates from before 1890 when Judge Septimus J. Hanna and his wife came to take charge of the fledgling Christian Science Society. The Hannas left in 1892 for Christian Science world headquarters in Boston where he had been called by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, to become the editor of the Christian Science Journal. [ [http://www.endtime.org/library/remin/hanna_bio.html A Biographical Sketch (obituary) of Judge Septimus J. Hanna, C.S.D., from the Pasadena Star-News, Pasadena, California, Monday, July 25, 1921, accessed March 22, 2008] ]

In 1915 the Neoclassical church edifice was erected at 520 Vine Street for the congregation which by then had become First Church of Christ, Scientist, Scranton. The architect was Albert J. Ward. The congregation held regular church services in this building until it downsized in the 1980s. In 1985 it sold the building for $1.5 million to the Lackawanna County Library System, which then converted it into the Lackawanna County Children's Library. [ [http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19374620&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=450444&rfi=6 Article, Balancing the books, by Josh McAuliffe in the Times-Tribune, March 9, 2008, accessed on March 22, 2008] ] [ [http://www.lclshome.org/childrenslibrary/index.php Lackawanna County Children's Library website] ]

First Church of Christ, Scientist, Scranton, reverted to its previous name of Christian Science Society, Scranton. It now holds services at 335 North Washington Avenue. [The Christian Science Journal, December 2007, p. 112]

ee also

* List of registered historic places in Pennsylvania
*List of former Christian Science churches, societies and buildings

References

External links

* [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/pa/Lackawanna/state.html National Register listings for Lackawanna County]
* [http://www.lclshome.org/childrenslibrary/index.php Lackawanna County Children's Library website]