Jefferson Market Library
Jefferson Market Library, on Sixth Avenue at West 10th Street, was built in 1877 as a courthouse, designed by Vaux & Withers in Victorian Gothic with a clock tower. It held a women’s court, where Mae West was tried in 1927. Residents saved the building and it reopened as a public library in 1967.
LocationSixth Avenue at West 10th Street
Built1877, as a courthouse
ArchitectsVaux & Withers
Library since1967
The ghost walk stops at the library after dark, and the things-to-see page places it among the other landmarks.
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Frequently asked questions
What was Jefferson Market Library originally?
A courthouse, built in 1877; it held a women’s court.
Was Mae West tried at Jefferson Market?
Yes, in the women’s court there, in 1927.
When did Jefferson Market become a library?
In 1967, after residents saved the building. It is a stop on the self-guided route.