Museum Pays Homage to History of City

COLTON >> The Inland Empire is rich with history. From Route 66 in San Bernardino to Kimberly Crest in Redlands, residents of the I.E. can proudly boast of the classical roots of their hometowns. Colton is no exception and, in fact, contains a precious jewel known and loved by many – the Colton Area Museum. The Colton Area Museum was not always known as such. In order to fully understand the history of the place, one must go back more than 100 years to the early age of Colton, to a quiet, stately building known then as Carnegie Library. The year is 1891, and Colton is already the hub of railroad activity with both east-west and north-south regional lines crossing through town. Many of the industrial operations in place that were created in part by businesses that relied on the rail system will be around until the 21st century. Scottish immigrant, millionaire and industrialist Andrew Carnegie has just recently announced his desire to share his half-billion dollar wealth for the greater good of society, as he argues in his book “The Gospel of Wealth” that it is the morally obligatory thing for the wealthy to do. Carnegie goes on to personally fund 1,689 libraries over the span of 40 years in the United States. One of these libraries is located in the small town of Colton in the Inland Empire of Southern California. The city decides to put the library on the corner of 8th Street, which is now known as La Cadena Drive. Frank Burnham from Los Angeles is the architect and Carnegie provides the $10,000 needed to construct the building. The building opens as Colton Public Library in 1908 and serves the community for 76 faithful years until it closes in 1984 when the city decides to move the library to a new location. The building then takes on a new purpose and within five years has a new name – the Colton Area Museum. It is now 2016, and the Colton Area Museum has come a long way both in history and in the hearts of the people of Colton. Since its inception in 1991 as a museum, exhibits preserving the heritage of Colton and its residents have been featured in the anciently worn, wooden halls of the building. Through the leadership of the Colton Area Museum Association, exhibits honoring Hometown Heroes like 1962 MLB Rookie of the Year Ken Hubbs have educated and informed visitors, while tributes to early Colton fire and police departments give homage to those who have given their lives to serve the city. The museum takes visitors back to the early days of Colton, throwing back the nostalgia of homes and businesses that were built then and are still there now. In 2013, the museum received three new flags to adorn the front of the building: the United States flag, the MIA/POW flag and the State of California’s “Bear” flag. “The flags are stunning,” said Dr. Luis S. Gonzalez, museum docent and community advocate, in a previous article with City News Group. “They can be easily noticed because of their rich colors.” If you are interested in visiting the Colton Area Museum, learning more about the history of Colton or taking part in a museum event, call 909-824-8814 or visit www.coltonareamuseum.com. The museum is open Wednesday and Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monthly meetings are held the second Saturday of each month at 2:30 p.m. at the museum, which is located at 380 N. La Cadena Drive in Colton. The public is welcome and always invited to attend the meetings.