50 Bellevue Ave
Newport, RI 02840
401-847-0292
Another "oldest" that Newport can lay claim to, the Redwood Library (and Athenaeum) is the oldest lending library in the country, built in the mid-18th century. These days it's not meant particularly for general use (the public library a few blocks away is), but rather is more of a repository of rare books, portraits, and antique furniture. It's still undergoing repairs from a partial roof collapse in 2003.
4Another "oldest" that Newport can lay claim to, the Redwood Library (and Athenaeum) is the oldest lending library in the country, built in the mid-18th century. These days it's not meant particularly for general use (the public library a few blocks away is), but rather is more of a repository of rare books, portraits, and antique furniture. It's still undergoing repairs from a partial roof collapse in 2003.