Manhattan - Jefferson Market Library

A Brief History: The Jefferson market library is located at 425 Avenue and Sixth Avenue. The building has a Victorian gothic look and was built in 1833. It was designed by an architect known as Frederick Clarke Withers. This glorious building was erected to be a fire lookout tower. The building was named after Thomas Jefferson. It was turned into the third judicial district court house, which was in operation from 1874 to 1877. In 1927 the building was used only for women trials. In 1945 Jefferson Market discontinued having court sessions. The building was then used by various agencies including the police department. In 1959 the city decided to demolish the building because it had been abandoned for some time. People protested this idea and it was decided that the building would be restored and turned into a library. To this day the building remains a library.

Haunted History: This building has more to it than meets the eye. This building has ties with the paranormal. One paranormal investigator has said she has seen a woman in a dress smiling and waving at her from the building so she smiled and waved back. When she tried to get her mother’s attention to try to show her the lady had disappeared. A week later a similar event happened. Soon after her mother took her across the street to the library and asked the librarian, “please tell my daughter that there is no one up there”. The woman told them that people have reported seeing figures in the balcony, when no one was up there.