Information about Santa Maria’s historical landmarks is now available for the public at a new panel on the kiosk at the Santa Maria Public Library, located on the east side in Lavagnino Plaza.
“There isn’t a book about Santa Maria’s landmarks,” said Mark Van de Kamp, a management analyst with the city. “So we think that the kiosk will bring more visibility to Santa Maria’s past.”
The panel will display 13 local historical landmarks, including Buena Vista Park at Morrison and Pine, which was the area’s first public park; the flagpole at George S. Hobbs’ Civic Center at South Broadway that was dedicated for Santa Maria men and women who lost their lives in World War I; Santa Maria’s first waterworks; the Santa Maria Inn; City Hall; a few very historic houses; and the Four Corners Intersection at Main Street and Broadway, where the heart of the city lies.
“There are a lot of schoolchildren that stop at the library,” Van de Kamp said. “They usually gather at [Lavagnino Plaza]. By placing more of these panels, it’s igniting their imaginations and making downtown more interesting for them.”
In addition to informing the people of Santa Maria of their past, the panel is meant to help attract citizens downtown, where the city has already invested heavily in with the new public library, parking structure, and the Abel Maldonado Youth Center, which was built about 10 years ago.
Deborah Hildinger of the Santa Maria Public Library designed the panel. The project was spearheaded by the city’s Landmark Committee, which aims to inform Santa Marians about significant historical, cultural, and architectural milestones.
The library is at 421 S. McClelland St. in Santa Maria.
Intern Henry Houston compiled this week’s Community Corner. Send comments or ideas to the Sun via e-mail at intern@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jun 17-24, 2010.