2. The Hidden Meaning Behind the Central Library Doors
The gilded characters on the doors of Central Library may look like Egyptian hieroglyphics, but they have a very special literary meaning. The 15 golden figures are all characters from various pieces of literature. There is Meg from Little Women, Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter, Moby Dick and Wynken, Blynken and Nod. You can see the full list of all the characters here. On the columns that flank the 50-foot-high entry portico, bas-reliefs depict the evolution of art and science. These Art Deco embellishments were created by sculptors Thomas Hudson Jones and Carl P. Jennewein.
Another fun fact about Central Library? The flagpole out front is from a ship’s mast. The Shamrock III was a yacht owned by Sir Thomas Lipton which raced in America’s Cup. Lipton was the founder of the Lipton Tea Company.
