Lafayette Place is a wide, quiet thoroughfare, a few blocks in extent, opening into Astor Place on the north.  On the left, a few doors from the latter street, stands the Astor Library, in some respects one of the noteworthy libraries of the world.  John Jacob Astor died March 29, 1848, leaving a will which contained a codicil in these words:  “Desiring to render a public benefit to the city of New York, and to contribute to the advancement of useful knowledge and the general good of society, I do by this codicil appoint four hundred thousand dollars out of my residuary estate to the establishment of a public library in the city of New York.”  The instrument then proceeded to give specific directions as to how the money was to be applied:  first, in the erection of a suitable building; second, in supplying the same with books, maps, charts, models, drawings, paintings, engravings, casts, statues, furniture, and other things appropriate to a library upon the most ample scale and liberal character; and, third, in maintaining and upholding the buildings and other property, and in paying the necessary expenses of the care of the same, and the salaries of the persons connected with the library, said library to be accessible at all reasonable hours and times for general use, free of expense, and subject only to such conditions as the trustees may exact.  It was further provided that its affairs should be managed by eleven trustees, “selected from the different liberal professions and employments of life and the classes of educated men.”  The mayor was also to be a trustee by virtue of his office.  The entire fund was vested in this board, with power to expend and invest moneys, and to appoint, direct, control, and remove the superintendent, librarian, and others employed about the library.  The first trustees were named in the will, and Washington Irving was chosen president.

Dr. Joseph G. Cogswell, who it is said first suggested the idea of a library to Mr. Astor, was appointed first superintendent and despatched to Europe to purchase books, which he succeeded in doing to the best advantage, the political disturbances of 1848 having thrown many valuable libraries on the market.  Meantime, a building had been commenced on the east side of Lafayette Place, on a lot sixty-five feet front by one hundred and twenty deep; but as the books arrived before this was completed they were placed temporarily in a hired house in Bond Street.  The new building, which was opened January 9, 1854, was in the Byzantine style, after the design by Alexander Saeltzer, the lower story being of brownstone and the two upper stories of red brick.  The main hall or library-room, beginning on the second floor, was carried up through two stories and lighted by a large skylight in the roof.  Around the sides of this room were built two tiers of alcoves capable of holding about one hundred thousand books.  The library opened on the date mentioned with about eighty thousand volumes, devoted chiefly to science, history, art, and kindred topics, the trustees agreeing with the superintendent that the design of the founder could only be carried out and the “advancement of knowledge” and “general good of society” be best secured by making the new library one of reference only.