Escondido Public Library, Pioneer Room

The Pioneer Room commemorates this exhibit to the local firefighters in order to show our appreciation for their dedication and personal sacrifices. The photographs featured are from the Times-Advocate photograph collection. Photographs from the collection were exhibited in the Pioneer Room from March 9 - May 30, 2019. A reception was held on March 9th from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in the Pioneer Room.

Institution: Escondido Public Library, Pioneer Room

“HOME” is the result of the collaborative efforts of Escondido Public Library’s Pioneer Room and Adult Literacy Services to establish Escondido’s own living archive. An archive can be said to be “living” when it captures the experiences, discourse, and activities of a contemporary society, all of which are needed to document our present reality and understand our shared history. Intended to be reflective, thought-provoking, and dialogue-driven, Escondido’s Living Archive celebrates the dynamics of its local community. It welcomes collaboration and thrives on interaction. “HOME” itself seeks to facilitate conversations about origins, self-identity, and the constructions of belonging. Escondido Public Library’s …

Institution: Escondido Public Library, Pioneer Room

If you were in Escondido in the 1940’s Homer Heller is a name you are very familiar with. Mr. Heller was in the business of selling cars. His first dealership was in partnership with Dr. Roy N. Taylor. In 1946 Mr. Heller would buy out Dr. Taylor to became sole owner of Homer Heller Ford. His first dealership was located at 224 E. Grand Avenue, and in 1946 he built a Texaco service station to accompany his dealership. In 1951 he relocated to 400 W. Grand Ave. The new location covered 45,000 square feet, and was modernized to accommodate a …

Institution: Escondido Public Library, Pioneer Room

The Escondido Canal was built between 1894-1895 to divert water from the San Luis Rey basin over Rincon and La Jolla Indian lands to the Lake Wohlford Dam. Created to replace neighborhood wells and groundwater, the Canal was first constructed from pine wood, and was replaced by 12 miles of piping in 1914 by the Escondido Mutual Water Company. This collection was featured as a gallery exhibit in the Pioneer Room in 2022. Information in the Notes section of each image was found in various resources in the Pioneer Room and through our partnership with the Rincon Band of Luiseno …

Institution: Escondido Public Library, Pioneer Room

This collection consists of one red, comb-bound scrapbook containing 360 photographs, 33 military currency bank notes, 10 newspaper clippings, 53 postage stamps, and various ephemera and correspondence relating to Gerald “Jerry” Elwood Rotta’s military service in the United States Airforce during the Korean War (1951-1958). Jerry sent many pictures back home to his wife, Virginia. Many of the photographs contain stories and notes written on the back, some even have correspondence between the couple. Also included is a condolence card relating to the passing of Jerry’s wife, Virginia Wilson (1993). There is also a letter from the Republic of Korea …

Institution: Escondido Public Library, Pioneer Room

Edna Henrietta Rope (1919-1990) was born to Gerhardt Henry Rope and Hattie M (Steeve) Rope. She lived on Mount View Road with her mother, father, elder brother, and two younger sisters in Escondido and worked as a clerk in Rolf’s Drug Store. Her father and brother were citrus farmers. Edna was donor Katherine Fromm’s mother.

Institution: Escondido Public Library, Pioneer Room

Lorna Underwood worked in the customer service department of the Escondido Public Library. When LC the Library Cat “retired” from the Library in 1999 after a legal battle with the City relating to an incident between LC and a dog, Lorna and her roommate, Linda Weber of the Escondido Public Library, took LC into their home. LC lived with Underwood and Weber from 1999 until her death from cancer in 2003. During her retirement, LC received donations from patrons and staff of food and toys. Beloved by the community, Underwood and Weber created two posters featuring photographs of LC and …

Institution: Escondido Public Library, Pioneer Room

Founded in 1967 by Curtis Babcock, Dale and Claude Baldridge, and Greg and Don Krueger, Patio Playhouse is the oldest continuously-operating community theater in Northern San Diego County. It was first located in a 70-seat machine shop on Hale Avenue in Escondido, but has since moved to its current location on Kalmia Street. Patio’s first production, “Rope” by Patrick Hamilton, opened on November 14, 1967. Since then, Patio Playhouse has produced over 400 shows for the San Diego community. This collection is dedicated to Dr. Jeann L. Hall.

Institution: Escondido Public Library, Pioneer Room

This collection contains 134 photographs of the Cox Family and friends and photographic works by Percy Smith Cox in Mexico: 32 photographs affixed to album pages, 86 loose black and white photographs, 2 cyanotypes, 2 postcards, 11 cabinet cards, and 1 photocopy of an original photograph. This collection also contains a small manuscript collection including one illustration, two business cards, nine letters from Mary Franklin Smith Cox to her granddaughter, Vivian Adelia Cox and her sister, obituaries, a robust family group sheet for Vivian A. Cox, one membership card for the Free Press Defense League, Sycamore Farm documents, and a …

Institution: Escondido Public Library, Pioneer Room

Rick Smith is an Escondido resident whose family tree dates back to the early days in Escondido. His collection contains historic photos of Escondido and the pioneering families Barclay, Handley, and Vanasen. His collection of photographs were displayed in the Pioneer Room during 2018. A reception was held in the Pioneer Room to mark the occassion.

Institution: Escondido Public Library, Pioneer Room