Handley Library Photo courtesy of Handley Regional Library

Judge John Handley of Scranton, Pennsylvania, who made a fortune in coal investments, late in life developed a warm affection for Winchester and its Scotch-Irish heritage. In 1895 he left funds for the construction of a library "for the free use of the people of the city of Winchester." The result of this munificence is perhaps Virginia's purest expression of the regal and florid Beaux Arts classicism. Its architects were J. Stewart Barney and Henry Otis Chapman of New York. Begun in 1908 and completed in 1913, the library was a model for its time. The dome, colonnades and esplanades encase the most modern facilities, including an auditorium, well-appointed reading rooms and five levels of glass-floored stacks, all in fireproof construction. Still an efficient facility, the Handley Library is an illustration of the long-lasting benefits of architectural quality.

The Handley Library is located at the corner of Braddock and Piccadilly Sts. in Winchester. The library opens at 10:00am Monday, through Saturday year round. For closing times and further information please call 540-662-9041 or visit the Library's website.

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