Becket Athenaeum

Becket Athenaeum
42°19′51.19″N 73°05′03.06″W

The Becket Athenaeum, also known as Becket & Washington’s Community Library, is a historic institution located at 3367 Main Street, Route 8, in Becket, Massachusetts. This community library has a rich history intertwined with the development of the North Becket region.

Becket Athenaeum History

The Becket Athenaeum originated in 1888 with a mission to maintain a library, reading room, and museum while promoting good education, citizenship, and the general welfare of the community. The first building, a former saloon situated just beyond Main Street and over the railroad tracks, was donated by Miss Blanche Perkins. This initial Athenaeum served the community from 1888 to 1928, when the building was demolished.

In 1928, H. Cerelia Snow gifted her family home to become the second and larger Becket Athenaeum. The H. Cerelia Snow Library featured 4,000 books in the library room, a separate reading room, a kitchen, and a meeting room on the second floor. It remained in use until 1964. Miss Snow, a revered Becket teacher for fifty years, library trustee, and town genealogist, contributed significantly to the community. Her extensive work, "Genealogy of the Inhabitants of Becket," remains a valuable resource for the Historical Commission.

The Becket Athenaeum, Inc. has been registered as a 501(c)3 non-profit organisation since March 2001.

Library Services

The library offers programing such as book clubs, cookbook clubs, story times, and pre-school STEAM programs. Game and adult movie nights are also hosted monthly.

North Congregational Church

The roots of the Becket Athenaeum trace back to the North Congregational Church which was dedicated in 1850. The establishment of this church was prompted by fifty-five members who sought dismissal from the First Church in Becket Center.

Their goal was to create a local church for the growing North Becket population and to discourage youth from joining the more accessible Baptist congregation established in 1844. The church, valued at $3,000.00, had a capacity for 200 people. It featured a gable front with a center entry adorned with pilasters and an entablature.

In 1926, facing declining attendance, the North Congregational Church and the Becket Federated Church combined, choosing to worship together in the former Baptist building. In 1944, the Grange acquired the church, and in 1964 the Becket Athenaeum was gifted the building. This marked the library's third and current location.

Architecture and Preservation

The current Becket Athenaeum, housed in the former North Congregational Church building, is a testament to Greek Revival architecture. The original wood exterior has been well-preserved, though the steeple was removed upon deterioration. Stained-glass windows and a bell were relocated to the Federated Church. This relocation took place after the acquisition of the church building by the Grange and subsequent gifting to the Becket Athenaeum in 1964.

The Becket Athenaeum continues to play a vital role in the community, embodying its commitment to education, citizenship, and the general welfare for over a century. The library remains an invaluable resource for residents and visitors alike, preserving both the literary and historical heritage of Becket.