▁a ▁l ending ▁library ▁established ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 th ▁century ▁by ▁the ▁local ▁Cong reg ational ▁church , ▁which ▁was ▁opened ▁to ▁the ▁general ▁public ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁town ▁formally ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁collection ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 , ▁and ▁it ▁continued ▁to ▁be ▁hous ed ▁in ▁the ▁church . ▁ ▁This ▁building ▁was ▁constructed ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 - 1 7 ▁through ▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁chapter ▁of ▁the ▁D augh ters ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution ▁( D AR ). ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁the ▁Hart ford ▁architect ural ▁partners hip ▁of ▁F . ▁Ir win ▁Davis ▁and ▁William ▁Bro oks , ▁and ▁was ▁formally ▁dedicated ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁ ▁D AR ▁fund ra ising ▁efforts ▁fell ▁short ▁during ▁construction , ▁and ▁was ▁finished ▁with ▁funds ▁appropri ated ▁by ▁the ▁town . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁jud ged ▁in ade qu ate ▁for ▁the ▁library ' s ▁needs , ▁and ▁a ▁new ▁building ▁was ▁ere cted ▁on ▁South ▁Main ▁Street ▁near ▁the ▁town ▁hall . ▁ ▁This ▁building ▁was ▁then ▁adapted ▁for ▁use ▁by ▁local ▁Y M CA ▁and ▁Y W CA ▁organizations , ▁and ▁then ▁as ▁a ▁senior ▁center . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁list ings ▁in ▁West ▁Hart ford , ▁Connecticut ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁in ▁West ▁Hart ford , ▁Connecticut ▁Category : Col onial