Jefferson Market Library (ne Courthouse)

As I have said many times, one of the things I do love about New York is the walking and the you stumble upon. There are amazing buildings here, and you happen upon them all the time.
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This is the back of Jefferson Market Library.  It was built in 1877 as Jefferson Market Courthouse.  After it stopped being a courthouse, it sat empty for 22 years and was to be torn down.  The people in the area (Greenwich Village) fought and finally got the area converted in the 1974.
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It is called Jefferson Market because it was built on grounds of the 1800s major food markets.  In an interesting turn, the grounds behind the building have been given over as a garden to the city.  Before there was a (reportedly) ugly women's prison that was torn down.
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Jefferson Market Library.  Taken from Waverly & 6th last Sunday on a bumble with Ed and I.