Monrovia, Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County area, Los Angeles County region

opened 1908
Public library from 1908-1956
demolished, 1956

grant amount: $10,000
architectural style: Classical Revival (Type A)
architect: W. J. Bleisner

Monrovia was incorporated in 1887. The library was established by the Saturday Afternoon Club in 1894, and became a city library the following year. The continuing problem of temporary locations led to the request for Carnegie funding in 1905. Library Park was prepared for its site and the new library opened January 27, 1908. The building was completed within the $10,000 grant but the city provided another $1,000 for furnishings, much of which was built by a local craftsman. The architect was William Bleisner, who designed the building in the Classical Revival style. A new library, completed in 1957, was built in the same park, adjacent to the site on which the Carnegie building had stood until it was demolished in 1956.