Arroyo Seco Branch Library

Arroyo Seco Branch Library. . , The First Library , Libraries have historically served as vital institutions for the cultural and social enrichment of American life. In 1885. prominent architect Joseph Cather Newsom designed Garvanza Hall, later called Miller's Hall, a two-story building that functioned as the primary social and civic gathering space for early residents of Garvanza. It was here that a small school was established, and where meetings for various local groups and organizations were often held. The beginnings of the library consisted of a reading room with magazines, a small collection of about fifty books, and a stereopticon (a sort of 3D slide projector also known as a "magic lantern"). , The Library Grows , The roots of the Arroyo Seco Branch Library began in 1894 when a small group of twenty-two ladies from Garvanza started the "Magazine Club." From these humble beginnings, their collection of magazines and books grew, bolstered by a donation of 800 books from Mr. and Mrs. Hugo Zuber. By 1904, the library was occupying a small Interior view of the brand new Arroyo Secch building at the corner of Ruby Street and with the reference desk in the foreground 1914 had opened inside of Occidental College's Stimson Library, eventually having Avenue 64. Meanwhile, a second branch, known as the Highland Park Library, to move out due to dwindling available space. For two years, the community was without a public library until in 1914 the libraries of Garvanza and Highland Park combined to become the 6,000-volume-filled, Arroyo Seco Branch Library. The $5,680 to purchase the land at Piedmont and North Figueroa was raised dollar by dollar with small donations from publicly spirited community members. The original Classical Revival-style building was designed by local architect Frederick M. Ashley, and partially funded with a $30,000 grant from the Carnegie Institute. Between the grant and generous donations from residents, the City of Los Angeles did not have to pay any of the $44,775 it cost to build the library. , Eventually, the library building proved too small for the growing community and was demolished 1959. A new, ultra-modern facility replaced it and opened on October 17, 1960, with 630 new library cards being issued that day. The progressive idea to offer rooftop parking eventually led to structural damage, and in 2003, the current library opened. Its designers, the M2A firm. incorporated Rustic Craftsman aesthetics inspired by El Alisal and other local, century-old architecture, as well as traditional building building techniques. , A Place to Play , The Highland Park Community Clubhouse was built in 1923, and designed by Sumner Hunt and Silas Burns, the architects behind the Southwest Museum, the downtown headquarters of the Los Angeles Automobile Club of Southern California, the Wilshire Ebell Club, the Los Angeles Country Club, and other classic landmarks. At the time of its completion, it was the largest all-wood frame structure in the region, and according to the Highland Park Herald, more than a thousand attended its dedication, and hundreds more had to be turned away. For several decades, it was the hub of social activity in the community. Originally, it contained an auditorium, billiards rooms, two bowling alleys, a women's lounge, a gymnasium, and meeting rooms, all available to residents free of charge. It was remodeled many times through the years to accommodate changing styles. The Highland Park Bathhouse opened in 1951 with a Swimming pool, which was a welcome replacement for the natural pond across the street that had been used for cooling off. The original structure was demolished in 1982, and its modern replacement opened after three years of construction, in 1985. , photo captions: , The original Arroyo Seco Branch Library building opened in 1914, and was completely funded by community members and a Carnegie Institute grant. , On March 30, 1916, the Los Angeles Bureau of Power and Light erected a power pole in front of the library. This was the start of the city municipal electric distribution system, a system that would eventually become the largest city-owned utility in the nation. , The Community Clubhouse would later become the Highland Park Recreation Center.