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Overview

In 1902, the Carnegie Corporation of New York awarded the City of San Bernardino, CA, $20,000 for the erection of its first dedicated library that opened two years later, in the summer of 1904. It functioned as a San Bernardino Library until 1957.

Building History

The citizens of San Bernardino, CA, had developed a library as far back as 1881. An article in the San Bernardino Sun, published 06/22/2009 noted: "San Bernardino’s first public library was founded in 1881 by the San Bernardino Library Association. By 1885, interest in the library had waned and the books were housed in the YMCA reading room. In 1892, a free public library was established at the residence of I.R. Brunn on Fourth Street. In January 1902, San Bernardino city trustees submitted an application to Carnegie requesting a grant for a new library. Carnegie offered a $20,000 grant to the city in 1902 and a design competition was held to determine the architects. Plans were submitted and displayed, and the citizens chose a design by architects Burnham and Bliesner. (See San Bernardino Sun.com, "Andrew Carnegie shared his wealth with SB County," Published 06/22/2009, accessed 12/16/2019.) This substantial, Neo-classical library opened on 08/10/1904.

Architects Franklin Pierce Burnham (1853-1909) and William John Bliesner (1875-) won a small competition for the San Bernardino commission in 1902. The pair had success designing at least two other Carnegie libraries in Southern California, building their first in Pomona, CA, in 1902-1903. Following the dissolution of his partnership with Bliesner, Burnham also designed libraries for the San Bernardino County cities of Ontario and Colton.

Building Notes

In 1910, the San Bernardino Public Library Board of Trustees consisted of Benjamin F. Bledsoe, President, Ammi K. Johnson, Secretary, and John Andreson, William W. Brison and Stoddard S. Draper. Carrie S. Waters and Estelle Hadden served as the San Bernardino Public Library's Librarians. (See San Bernardino, California, City Directory, 1910, p. 12.)

The US Post Office stood across the street from public library in 1910, on the northwest corner of 4th and D Streets.

Alteration

An addition was completed in the early 1920s, using a supplementary, $7,600 grant from the Carnegie Corporation, and a $10,000 bond issue raised by the City of San Bernardino. The 2009 article in the San Bernardino Sun said: "The community outgrew its splendid library and in 1920 a bond for $20,000 was passed to build an addition. Carnegie came through once again, contributing $7,500 to the addition that was opened November 1, 1921." (See San Bernardino Sun.com, "Andrew Carnegie shared his wealth with SB County," Published 06/22/2009, accessed 12/16/2019.)

Demolition

The San Bernardino Carnegie Library was closed in 04/1957 and torn down in 1958. (See Edward Allen Wright, Cooperation and Functional Consolidation of the Libraries of the City of San Bernardino and the County of San Bernardino, A Report of a Survey Conducted Pursuant to Resolutions of the Board of Library Trustees and the County Board of Supervisors of San Bernardino, California, [Berkeley: University of California, School of Librarianship, 1958], p. 14.)

PCAD id: 7556