Completed in 1886, it is one of the city's most architecturally distinguished buildings, and a good example of Richardsonian Romanesque design.

It was given in honor of Levi Heywood, a prominent figure in the city's economically important chair manufacturing industry.

[2] The Levi Heywood Memorial Library Building stands amid a cluster of civic and religious buildings in the historic civic center of Gardner, located east of its commercial downtown on the south side of Pearl Street.

It is a 1-1/2 story masonry structure, built out of red brick with brownstone and terra cotta trim, and covered by a slate roof.

Windows are set in round-arch openings with brownstone trim, and terra cotta panels adorn parts of the front facade.