Escondido Public Library

Hello Escondido! This month we will be visiting Julian with Eloise Perkins.

Main street, often described as having the movie set quality of a pioneer town, lies at 4,500 elevation, between the Cuyamaca Mountain range and the southern side of Volcan Mountain.

The city was named after Michael S. Julian, a Georgia-born Confederate soldier who came out West after the Civil War. Brothers, Mike and Webb Julian and their cousins Frank, James, and Drury (Drue) Bailey arrived in the newly forming mining town in 1869, which would produce $5 million worth of gold. Drury Bailey named and homesteaded the 160-acre site that is Julian City today.

Julian is now famous for its apples, among other fruit like pears, peaches, and grapes. James Madison and Thomas Brady are thought to be the first to bring back apples trees to Julian in the early 1870's. In 1889, when the San Diego County District Fair was approved through California legislature and $2000 was provided to fund it, Escondido hosted the Fair. Julian won the best community display banner, a new cultivator, and 88 first and second place prizes for their fruit

Sources: "Julian City and Cuyamaca Country." Charles R. LeMenager. 1992. "North County Nuggets." Eloise Perkins, Daily Times-Advocate. August 16th, 1965, Page 3.

(Photo Source: https://calisphere.org/item/ark:/13030/kt4199r8m4/)

The Pioneer Room is open on Thursdays 4-8pm and Fridays and Saturdays 10am-2pm. We're located at 247 South Kalmia Street, Escondido, California, 92025.
Questions? Give us a call at 760-839-4315 or email us at [email protected]

Adult Crochet Club is going on hiatus ‼️

Our Adult Crochet Club will be going on hiatus for June and July. Don't worry though! We'll be back with a special re-opening date at the original building on August 15th from 11am - 1pm! After August, our club will resume its normal schedule for the 1st Saturday of each month. In the meantime, check our calendar to see the limited events we'll have in June before we say goodbye to the North County Mall!

Our Writers Group welcomes back Johanna Robinson!

Join us on Tuesday, June 2 from 1-4PM for an engaging session where Johanna will discuss how writers can organize and leverage worldbuilding and series information using free, private AI tools to manage research, notes, and lore more effectively.

Come ready to learn, write, and connect with fellow creatives in a welcoming space!

Learn more: https://escondido.libcal.com/event/15653089

Hello Escondido! In 1887 you could ride the Santa Fe Railroad all the way from Oceanside to Escondido. It ran through Vista and San Marcos, having only a freight platform at the prior. That is until 1913 when the railroad announced it would build a depot in Vista, for the pretty penny of $8,007. The depot was finished in 1914 and continued to be part of the once popular passenger line, until 1946, when it was changed to freight only. The station was run continuously for 80 years.

In 1969, lack of use made the AT&SF line owners choose to shut down the station. This closure came close on the heels of closures of the Carlsbad and Encinitas stations. This photo shows the Vista station after closure, the windows are boarded up and the siding has been removed from the deck in some areas. The building later became the Vista Chamber of Commerce in 1981, after it was restored and moved to the corner of Washington and Indiana.

Sources: “Images of America: Vista.” Lois Vaughan Cavalier. 2008.
“A history of Vista.” Harrison and Ruth Doyle. 1983.

(Photo Source: https://calisphere.org/item/ark:/13030/kt8v19s1rr/)

The Pioneer Room is open on Thursdays 4-8pm and Fridays and Saturdays 10am-2pm. We're located at 247 South Kalmia Street, Escondido, California, 92025.
Questions? Give us a call at 760-839-4315 or email us at [email protected]

The 2026 Summer Reading Challenge is almost here and this year’s adventure is bigger than ever!

From babies and kids to teens and adults, everyone can join the fun with this year’s theme: Unearth a Story. Track your reading, earn badges, unlock prizes, and enter exciting prize drawings all summer long.

Whether you love graphic novels, audiobooks, mysteries, fantasy, or nonfiction, there’s a story waiting to be discovered!

Visit our website and sign up today to start your summer reading adventure!

Sign up here: https://www.escondido.gov/1301/Reading-Challenge

Earlier this week, we had the pleasure of hosting our first Ikebana class with Nakaba Emtesali. A graduate of the O'Hara School of Ikebana, Nakaba guided our participants through creating a beautiful Japanese flower arrangement. Thank you to everyone who took part in this class, and Happy AAPI Heritage Month!

Celebrating growth, perseverance, and achievement.

We were honored to recognize our Literacy Services students during this year’s Literacy Recognition Ceremony and present certificates celebrating their hard work and dedication. Each achievement represents hours of learning, courage, and commitment toward personal goals and lifelong growth.

One of the most meaningful parts of the ceremony was hearing students give speeches about the impact literacy classes have had on their lives. From learning to read, write, and speak English with confidence to gaining new opportunities and independence!

A heartfelt thank you to our students, tutors, literacy staff, Friends of Literacy, board members, and everyone who joined us in celebrating this special occasion. Your support continues to make a lasting impact in our community.

The Library will be closed on Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day and we will reopen the following day.

We wish everyone a fun and safe Memorial Day as we honor and remember those who served. Enjoy the holiday and we’ll see you back at the Library soon!