Nashua Plans to Sell the Chandler Library

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At the busy intersection of Kinsley and Main Streets in Nashua sits a twenty-four hour pharmacy and a sprawling, high-tech hospital.

This nineteenth century mansion has served as the Chandler Memorial branch of the Nashua Public Library. (Courtesy Nashua Public Library)

Across the street is the Chandler Memorial Library.

Seth Chandler, a former Nashua mayor, built the three-story Victorian as a private home in 1874.

It stands as homage to a time when entrepreneurs built their wealth selling grain, and building railroads.

The buggy and chauffer are gone, but a shaded porch still wraps around the first floor beneath two stories with gable-topped windows.

Inside is just as grand.

“We come into the main foyer. The stairway here goes up to the second floor. It’s a beautifully carved stair piece as you can see, the Newell post, the banisters, really, hand carved, and just magnificent.”

Barbara Comer, Chandler librarian, has cultivated the role of caretaker and historian.

"This particular ornamentation on top of the Newell post; it looks like a shallow bowl. [People always ask what’s that for.] We found it was a place to put calling cards, [when gentlemen or people came to call on the family.]”

Comer walks upstairs to a grand second floor.

“Every room up here [again] has a fireplace – marble. They all had their own sinks. This was part of her room of suites. This might have been her sitting room, the middle room was her bedroom, and the one in the very back was the room where she had the ticker tape.”

Comer is talking about Mabel Chandler, the woman of the house.

She died in 1959 without any children.

In her will, she left her home to the City of Nashua to be used explicitly as a library.

Over the past decade, the building has held collections on the city's ethnic history and culture.

In addition to its books and magazines, these rooms have opened doors for private meetings, classes in Lithuanian egg decorating, Indian cooking, and folk dancing.

But facing an ever tightening budget, the city of Nashua can no longer afford to staff the building, or maintain it for the twenty some people who visit on an average day.

Library director Joe Dionne says the trustees want to sell the old Victorian, so they can finish the main library's new east wing.

“The exchange of funds, [should it be approved by the court and come about], would allow us to take an unused, unfinished part of the main library, and turn it into a really beautiful Mabel Chandler wing [of the main library], which would continue to honor Mabel Chandler and her legacy.”

“They might name a wing for cousin Bell, but it wouldn’t be the same as having a memorial to her family.”

Ethel Chandler Robinson is the late philanthropist’s second cousin.

At 80 years old, she is one of the few Chandlers left who remember Mabel and her home.

“She was a gracious, smart lady. It fascinated me she could take care of her legal business and everything.”

Chandler Robinson has a copy of the will and she says that selling it would violate Mabel Chandler's intentions.

She says if the trustees can’t use the estate as a library, they need to return the home to the Chandler descendants.

What's more, she fears a new owner buyer might tear it down and the city would lose another piece of its heritage.

Library Director Joe Dionne insists the city of Nashua will honor the spirit of Mabel Chandler’s wishes.

Another look at the historic Chandler Memorial Library. (Courtesy Nashua Public Library)

“The trustees have assured everyone that they have no intention of selling the branch library in a manner that would allow it to be torn down for a parking lot or diminished in any way whatsoever. [I don’t believe for a second that would happen.]”

Since the city can no longer use the home, it is as about to ask the court to decide whether selling it would violate the terms of the Chandler will.

Terry Knowles is New Hampshire’s registrar of Charitable Trusts.

She says these kinds of cases pop up periodically when a donor’s wishes become impractical or impossible.

“A good example of this is the city of Manchester had a gift given to it by a woman who wanted the city to buy ice to put in the iceboxes of the poor. Of course, we can’t do that anymore because there are no more iceboxes.”

Meanwhile, as the city gets ready to put the Chandler estate on the market, Steve Narkunas and Roger Dion pull up chairs in the reading room.

They've followed the same routine for years.

“I like this place. There’s a lot of solitude. We have a bunch of people here who come here regularly, and we have conversations.”

“I come here almost every day, because like him, like Steve, I read the paper, and talk to the girls. Heh, heh, heh

Before selling the home, library trustees have to file a petition with the charitable trust office. They are working with a local attorney to make their case.

Trustees don’t know how long the process will take.

For NHPR news, I’m Sheryl Rich-Kern