Temple front, Federal heart

The gable faces the street over a recessed porch, with an arched attic opening that gives the front its Palladian form. Sidelights and pilasters frame the door under a corniced entablature. Inside, the Federal woodwork survives, including a fine central staircase.

From practice to bequest

In 1888 Dr. Artemus Ward bought the house with his wife Alice, and ran his medical practice from its rooms. Alice bequeathed it to Canaan in 1930 as a public library. In 1980 the building joined the National Register of Historic Places for its temple-form design, half an acre on the town common where Park Street meets Vermont Route 102.

The Underground Railroad story

Local lore holds that Jacobs, known against slavery, may have sheltered travelers on the Connecticut River route. No evidence confirms it, and the library tells it as lore, not record.

The library today

More than 11,000 books, Vermont interlibrary loan, four public computers, round-the-clock wireless, and help with copying and fax. The Canaan Historical Society keeps displays and activities on the top floor. Cards are free for all, seasonal visitors included. State standards met in full as of 2016.