Placentia Public Library
In October 1926, local ministers and civic leaders were invited to speak at the ground breaking ceremony for a new library building in Placentia. The first shovel of earth was turned by the Library Board President, Mrs. Harriet Dowling. Artifacts, including Mrs. Dowling’s speech, were sealed in the cornerstone in November. The final cost to build the library, including furniture, totaled $36,000, and in March 1927, the Placentia Public Library building was officially opened for business. The original building served the library for nearly 50 years until the library moved to its current location at the Civic Center Plaza. In 1985 the building was renamed as the Edwin T. Powell Building in honor of Placentia’s city administrator from 1963-1983. The building now serves as the Placentia Senior Center and Cathy Torrez Learning Center.
Placentia, Orange County
Photographer: Andrew Schmidt