WAYNESBORO – The historic Alexander Hamilton House, home of Alexander Hamilton Memorial Free Library, is receiving much-needed repairs over the fall and winter, thanks to generous grants. The grants came from the National Trust Preservation Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Alexander Stewart, M.D. Foundation.
The Alexander Hamilton House was built by architect John Bittinger in 1814. Bittinger sold the house to local wagon maker and land speculator Alexander Hamilton in 1842. The house remained in Hamilton’s family for 100 years. Then it was bequeathed to the Borough of Waynesboro for use as the town’s first public library by Hamilton’s granddaughter, Jane Stover Yost, upon her death in 1942. The house has been AHMFL’s home ever since. On June 27, 1980, the house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, AHMFL provides more than just free access to books and other media; it offers STEM education programs for ages 0–18, access to technology and broadband, genealogy resources, crafting clubs, a makerspace and a host of other programs.
Inspections to the building in late 2023 revealed various issues that, if left untreated, could compromise safety and threaten the integrity of the historic house. Several large cracks in the flooring make traversing the library difficult, especially for those with mobility issues. The exterior woodwork, especially on the porch roof and on the alley-facing windows, is deteriorating, as is the mortar in the basement’s stone wall.
“The challenge was finding funding outside of our operational costs,” said AHMFL Manager Julene Diaz. “We were fortunate the project turned out to be a great fit for the National Trust Preservation Fund and the Alexander Stewart, M.D. Foundation. Without their support, these kinds of capital outlays would be extremely difficult.”
Welsh Run Builders, a local contractor with extensive experience in repairing historic structures, will complete the work. The stone wall in the basement will be repointed, and woodwork original to the house on the front and alley sides will be repaired. The porch roof will also receive a special coating to preserve its structure, and decorative wooden railings will be replaced. Additionally, the cracks in the flooring will be mended.
“Our library is a hub of print and digital resources for our community,” Diaz said. “These repairs honor the historic Alexander Hamilton House and Ms. Yost’s intent for the building, and it preserves this community resource for years to come.”
“We are committed to stewarding the Alexander Hamilton House for future generations,” said AHMFL Board President Sue James. “We are thankful for the generosity of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Alexander Stewart, M.D. Foundation, which allows us to complete these repairs.
“This is just one way that the library is growing this year,” James continued. “We are thrilled to begin work on these repairs, and we are honored to see how this library will grow as a result.”
To learn more about the historic Alexander Hamilton House or about AHMFL’s program offerings, visit ahmfl.org.
AHMFL is the only public free library in the Waynesboro Area School District of southern Franklin County. Originally founded in 1926, AHMFL has a long history as a community asset. The library serves approximately 8,800 cardholders by circulating more than 35,000 books, DVDs and audiobooks; 3,365 e-audiobooks; 267 downloadable video units; and 151 print and electronic periodical titles. It grants patrons access to 94 state and local databases.
