OHNY – Jefferson Market Library

Jefferson Market Library Stairs
149 Stairs, Jefferson Market Library, West Village, Manhattan

Rachelle @ Jefferson Market Library
Rachelle, Jefferson Market Library, West Village, Manhattan

Jefferson Market Library Bell Tower
Bell Tower, Jefferson Market Library, West Village, Manhattan

Jefferson Market Library View
6th Avenue View, Jefferson Market Library, West Village, Manhattan

jeff_mkt_lib_up_6th_ave.jpg
6th Avenue View, Jefferson Market Library, West Village, Manhattan

Jeannette & I grabbed a quick coffee and split a breakfast sandwich and then she went to meet up with Yvan & his parents in Chinatown. I met up with Tien, Jessica (not this Jessica. .. or this one either), Ingrid and Audrey at the Jefferson Market Library. What is currently a branch of the New York Public Library has a very rich history. It started out as a market and fire tower, then was a courthouse and then a women’s jail before being abandoned and then becoming a library. After a short wait, we climbed up a tiny, skinny, spiral cement staircase. Next up was an iron, spiral staircase to an outdoor circular balcony that provided a 360-degree view of Greenwich Village. Breathtaking. You could also climb up a ladder to see the bell in the bell tower but I didn’t do it. Tien and Audrey were brave and got up there. A tour guide told us that someone in the group before us was unfortunate enough to be standing right next to the bell when it went off at noon. Probably deaf now!

Tien’s post on Jefferson Market Library