Carnegie Libraries of California

Bayliss, Glenn County

Sacramento Valley area, Central Valley region

Bayliss Branch of Willows Public Library
7830 County Road 39
Glenn, CA 95943

opened 1917
Public Library 1917-present
currently a public library

grant amount: $4,000
architectural style: Classical Revival (Type C)
architect: W. H. Weeks

The rural Bayliss Carnegie Library is unique among California Carnegies, located "at a crossroads," in a rural unincorporated community on County Road 39 (the Blue Gum - Bayliss Road) between Willows and Chico. Among a few residences, a dairy farm, and a volunteer fire department, the small red-trimmed white stucco library identifies the community which in earlier years boasted a hotel and livery stable, later a country store and elementary school.

In 1914 Bayliss benefited from the new State policy of establishing small library "stations" in rural areas, often in private homes. Bayliss residents, with the support of Glenn County, in 1917 sought and received a $4000 Carnegie grant. Other contributors were the Sacramento Valley Irrigation Company which donated land, residents who prepared the site, University of California landscaping classes which planned the landscaping and donated the shrubs that still identify the library. Currently the library is open one day a week (Tuesday) for eight hours, staffed by the branch supervisor, a part-time employee of the Willows Library. Architect W.H. Weeks designed the building incorporating fine interior wood detailing which still distinguishes the library. W.R. Zumwalt was the builder.