Under Construction

It is astonishing that construction proceeded this far before it became clear that the East Room would not come close to accommodating Morgan’s vast collection of rare books. The shelving contractor, anticipating this outcome, had reinforced the Circassian-walnut bookcases “with tee irons sufficiently strong to carry two stories above when the growth of the library has made such expansion necessary.” That moment arrived in 1906, just as McKim thought the building was nearing completion.

The Library was thrust back into construction mode. The windows depicted here were covered with new bookcases, and the corresponding openings in the faultless exterior were filled in with additional marble blocks.