A Library Founded by Women
The concept of a public library in Dumont began in 1917 when a group of young girls under the leadership of Miss Katherine MacDonald collected donated books which were used for entertainment of the troops stationed at Camp Merritt. This group, known as the “Girls’ Patriotic League” quickly outgrew space in their headquarters in the Bruno building on East Madison Avenue. When they moved to larger quarters on the upper floor of the Mossa Building with their collection of 150 volumes, they were able to open to the public one afternoon and one evening a week. As the influx of more troops to Camp Merritt increased the population of the area, weekly circulation averaged 15-25 books per week. The Dumont Library Association was established in 1918 and received the girls’ collection which continued to grow.
Three Rooms in the Dixon Homestead
A public referendum was held in November 1925 and was approved by an overwhelming majority to make the library a municipal unit. The trustees sought an ideal site for the library and rented three rooms in the old Dixon homestead. Miss Sarah Dixon who had inherited the homestead devised the building to the Borough of Dumont as a public library to be called the Dixon Homestead Library. Two additions have been added to the original Homestead: a Children’s Wing in 1957 and the Alfred W. Heath Wing in 1982 to house the growing adult collection.
Historical Significance
The Homestead portion of the building is an example of an Early Stone House constructed in the Dutch Colonial style and was built by Derick Banta, a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He was born in a house on the site which was burned by the Tories and constructed the present building sometime between 1780 and 1790. Derick and his wife, Elizabeth sold the property to their neighbor Jacob Quackenbush in 1792 who owned it until the sale to Isaac Dixon in 1862. Isaac Dixon’s son Robert C. Dixon became the fourth mayor of Dumont in 1903 and Isaac’s daughter, Sarah Ann Dixon devised the homestead to the borough in 1929 for the exclusive use as a public library.
Restoration and Repair
As custodians of such a unique building, ongoing efforts to preserve the beauty of the structure through the restoration and repair of the historic characteristics of the architecture have been made by present and former trustees and municipal officials. Phase one of the building restoration began in 2008-2010 and included the roof, gutters, and some windows of the Homestead. The second phase of restoring the exterior of the homestead was completed between 2012-2016. The exterior restoration was provided by the Bergen County Open Space, Recreation, Floodplain Protection, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund Program. Matching funding was provided by the Borough of Dumont.
This property was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places on October 3, 1980 and the National Register of Historic Places on January 9, 1983.