On March 3, 1927, Adolfo Camarillo's younger brother, Juan E. Camarillo donated 100 acres of Rancho Calleguas which had been bequeathed to the brothers by their father, to the Los Angeles Archdiocese for the purpose of building a Seminary. In August of 1938, ground was broken for the proposed building of the Seminary. On March 19, 1939 the cornerstone was inserted in the already erect building. And on September 12, 1939 the Roman Catholic Seminary officially opened its doors as St. John's Seminary to 70 candidates for the priesthood. This photo shows a view of the Edward Laurence Doheny Memorial Library, established at St. John's Seminary in 1940 by Estelle Doheny, in memory of her late husband. The library is a 3-story structure of reinforced concret built in the Spanish-Colonial style and it is at the north end of the campus with the main facade facing south, toward the Seminary. The main entrance has a magnificent arch of carved stone with a niche that has the statue of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. The architect of this beautiful building was Wallace Neff.
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