Fontana Historical Society - Fontana, CA
Posted by: 
fresgo
N 34° 06.036 W 117° 26.248
11S E 459648 N 3773396
Hazel Putnam Historical Plaza, Downtown Fontana
Waymark Code: WM9K71
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 08/28/2010
Views: 7
The Fontana Historical Society is staffed by volunteers and is located in a small lands office that belonged to the Fontana Farms Company. For most of its life it was located in Miller Park but moved to its location to celebrate Fontana's agricultural beginnings, its Steeltown heritage and Industry, and its survival and development in modern times.
The small one story structure is now at one end of an historical park that includes a 1915 Freight Depot on the old Pacific Electric Railroad (now a Rails to Trails Pathway), a Rose Garden/Veteran's Memorial, a small vineyard, and Windmill. A nearby plaque (text below) is located to the right of the building.The nearby plaque, reads thusly:
Fontana Historical Society
Research Library
This one building represents a rich history if ''firsts'' for the
Fontana community.
Prior to 1912, the building was ''first'' used by Fontana
founder, A. B. Miller, and his Fontana Farms Company as a
real estate office to sell farm plots to new Fontana settlers.
In 1925, the building was moved to the northeast corner of
Sierra Avenue and Arrow Highway. It was donated to San
Bernardino County which in turn used it as the first public
library for the community until 1947.
Next, the building became the ''first'' office for the
Fontana Area Chamber of Commerce.
After Fontana officially became a city in 1952, the building
was relocated to Miller Park and became the "first" office
for the City's Recreation Department,
In 1976, the City of Fontana leased the building to the
Fontana Historical Society. The society worked to restore
the old clapboard building to its original condition. The
Society then used the building as the ''first" Historical
Research Library. It houses many important historic
photos and documents.
The City of Fontana moved the library here to the Hazel
Putnam Historical Plaza in 2004 and helped with its final
Restoration.
Fontana, CA (Fontana is Italian for Fountain) is located 50 miles east of Los Angeles. It was founded in the early 20th Century and developed as an agricultural center producing Citrus, Wine Grapes, and Hogs. At one time the city was the leading producer of grapefruit in the United States. It is now the home of Auto Club Speedway of Southern California a major NASCAR track on the West Coast. It is best known for the Kaiser Steel Plant. During World War II, Kaiser supplied steel and iron for the seven Kaiser Shipyards located along the West Coast.