News + Events

At A.K. Smiley Public Library, March 17 means more than St. Patrick’s Day- it’s Patron Saints’ Day, the birthday of Redlands’s best-known benefactors, Albert and Alfred Smiley!

Born in Maine in 1828, identical twins Albert and Alfred were successful educators before embarking upon careers as resort owners in New York state in the decades that followed the Civil War. Discovering Redlands in 1889, the pair went on to create a public botanical oasis known as Canyon Crest Park in the hills southwest of Redlands and were involved in many philanthropic projects in the city. Their immeasurable impact is best exemplified by A.K. Smiley Public Library, which is named for Albert, but would not have been possible without the contributions of both brothers.

Now, on their 195th birthday, Director Emeritus Larry Burgess and Archivist Nathan Gonzales honor the Smileys and their gifts to the city with a special Patron Saints’ Day presentation on Friday, March 17 at 2pm in the Contemporary Club or on Zoom.

This event is free and open to the public. The Contemporary Club is located at 173 S. Eureka Street. If you have any questions, please contact the Heritage Room at (909)798-7632.

Join Common Vision Coalition, A.K. Smiley Public Library, and A People’s History of the Inland Empire on Saturday, April 1^st at 10am for a commemoration of the work of César Chávez and Dolores Huerta at the Redlands Senior Center.

A celebration of Chávez and Huerta’s dedication to the rights of farm workers, the program will include presentations from local historians and an opportunity for community participation. Audrey Maier, a representative from A People’s History of the Inland Empire, will share her research on local citrus labor organizing during the 1930s. Smiley Library Special Collections Manager Maria Carrillo Colato will discuss Chávez and Huerta’s work, while Archivist Nathan Gonzales will focus on their influence on local citrus workers.

Community members are encouraged to bring photos and share their family history for the ongoing project to document the history of North Redlands. Time will be set aside for personal storytelling.

The event is free and open to the public. The Redlands Senior Center is located at 111 W. Lugonia St. in Redlands. A continental breakfast will be provided while supplies last. For more information, contact Maria Whitaker Saucedo of the Common Vision Coalition at (951) 533-4438 or via email at redcvc2010@gmail.com.

K-Pop Polco Party Part 2 at A.K. Smiley Public Library!

In celebration of Women’s History Month, A.K. Smiley Public Library welcomes historian Ann Deegan on Saturday, March 11th at 2pm in the Assembly Room or on Zoom (Passcode: 758185).

Dr. Deegan’s program, “Head to Toe and Skin Out: Women’s Dress Through Photography During the American Civil War”, will analyze original Civil War-era photographs and fashion illustrations to reveal what influenced dress ranging from economics and war, to technology and fashion trendsetters. She will delve into why clothing of that era looks so different from today and what influenced women to wear strange and uncomfortable items such as hoop skirts.

In addition to a career in academia and museums, Dr. Deegan’s numerous publications in professional and public journals include co-authoring the books Early Redlands and Redlands in World War I.

This program is free and open to the public. Registration is requested, but not required. For access on Zoom, use passcode 758785. Contact the Heritage Room at (909) 798-7632 for additional information.