Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Carnegie Library

Photographed By James King, December 1, 2012

1. Carnegie Library NRHP Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

This building
Carnegie Historic Library
has been placed on
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States Department of Interior
Register #97001635

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Notable Buildings.

Location. 35° 37.57′ N, 120° 41.404′ W. Marker is in Paso Robles, California, in San Luis Obispo County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of 12th Street and Park Street, on the left when traveling west. The marker is on the front wall to the left of the entryway of the building. The building is in the middle of the city park between 11th and 12th and between Spring and Pine Streets. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 800 12th Street, Paso Robles CA 93446, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Ignacy Jan Paderewski (here, next to this marker); Paso Robles Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); The Famous Hotel El Paso de Robles 1891 - 1940 (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line);

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Pittsburgh Pirates (approx. 0.4 miles away); Brewster – Dutra House (approx. half a mile away); Paso Robles’ First Jail (approx. 0.7 miles away); In Memory Of (approx. 0.7 miles away); Geneseo School (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Paso Robles.

Also see . . .
1. Carnegie Library, Paso Robles. City Park, part of the original townsite of Paso Robles and donated to the city by two of its founders, J. and D. Blackburn, provides the setting for the Paso Robles Carnegie building. The Classical Revival library, of rosy brick with gray stone trim, surrounded by large old valley oaks and magnolias, exemplifies the Carnegie "temple in a park." The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on December 3, 2012, by James King of San Miguel, California.)

2. The Paso Robles Carnegie Library. The desire for a library seems to have been a universal theme in the progress of a town and Paso Robles was no exception. As early as 1889, the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor had opened a reading room in the Adams Building
Photographed By James King, December 1, 2012

2. Carnegie Library
on Spring Street. In the early 1900's, the Paso Robles Improvement Club established a free reading room and library in the Blackburn Building on the corner of Park and 12th Street with Captain M.S. Prime as librarian. By 1901, the fourteen members of the Ladies Auxiliary had joined with the Improvement Club and taken charge of the reading room and library, receiving their entire support from membership dues, donations and fund raisers, such as teas and dances. Lillian Wright was appointed as the librarian with a salary of $20 a month and the running expenses were $50 per month. (Submitted on December 3, 2012, by James King of San Miguel, California.)

Carnegie Library Cornerstone image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James King, December 1, 2012

3. Carnegie Library Cornerstone

Paso Robles Public Library gift of Andrew Carnegie 1907

Ignacy Jan Paderewski image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James King, December 1, 2012

4. Ignacy Jan Paderewski

Paderewski Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James King, December 1, 2012

5. Paderewski Monument

Editors Note: This marker has since been replaced.
(In English and in Polish)
Ignacy Jan Paderewskio
(1860-1941)
World famous pianist, composer, statesman, humanitarian, major California Central Coast land holder, vineyard owner, winemaker and almond grower.

Polish by birth and a citizen of the world, Paderewski felt at home in America and returned to Paso Robles for long visits during the years 1914-1939. This monument celebrates the legacy of Paderewski that continues in Paso Robles thanks to the annual Paderewski Festival, Youth Piano Competition, concerts and cultural exchanges with the Province of Tarnów, Poland. Erected with the support of city and county officials, and the government of the Republic of Poland, this monument was unveiled by civic leaders on November 10, 2012

Paso Robles City Park Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James King, December 1, 2012

6. Paso Robles City Park Monument

This park the gift in 1897 of those real pioneers
D.W. James
D.D. Blackburn
J.H. Blackburn
Lest we forget
R.C. and Grace Heaton 1950

The trees were God's first temples

Paso Robles City Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James King, December 1, 2012

7. Paso Robles City Park

The D.W. James named on the monument was Drury James, uncle to Frank and Jesse, and one of the founders of the city of Paso Robles.

Photographed By James King, December 1, 2012

8. Paso Robles City Park

Jan Paderewski Statue with Permanent Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James King, October 25, 2013

9. Jan Paderewski Statue with Permanent Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on September 30, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 2, 2012, by James King of San Miguel, California. This page has been viewed 457 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 2, 2012, by James King of San Miguel, California. 7, 8. submitted on December 3, 2012, by James King of San Miguel, California. 9. submitted on February 10, 2014, by James King of San Miguel, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.