Designed by noted American architect H. H. Richardson (1838-1886), the Converse Memorial Library building was a gift of Elisha and Mary Converse in memory of their son, Frank Eugene Converse, who was the victim of the first armed bank robbery in North America.

It was constructed from 1883 to 1885 in an overall L-shape, with a facade of brown Longmeadow sandstone, a tower rising from the inner corner, and a heavily arched entry porch. The interior is finished in elaborately carved white oak with a high, vaulted ceiling. Its furniture was also designed by Richardson and manufactured by the Boston firm A. H. Davenport and Company.

The Converse Memorial Building was the last of Richardson’s library designs and is generally considered among his finest works. Home to the Malden Public Library, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.