The Free Library of New Hope and Solebury once started off as a traveling library (this is when a central library lends a collection of books for a specified amount of time to a branch library, club, or other organization/store). In this case, the central library was the Pennsylvania state library which lent books and other reading material to a drug store that was once located on Main Street. The community of both New Hope and Solebury embraced the establishment of a town library and helped expand it by donating books and financial support. After 25 years, the library's collection of books had grown substantially, and it was moved into the Old Salt House building (now turned restaurant). Then, in 1974, the library moved locations once more into the current building it is still at, which used to be the New Hope Methodist Episcopal Church. This buildings' foundations can be traced back to colonial times where it served as a patriotic fort which protected General George Washington from British attack prior to the Battle of Trenton.