On Saturday, September 30, 2006 10 a.m., the South County Historical Society opened its fourth building in the Village of Arroyo Grande’s Heritage Square. The event was a dedication of the Patricia Loomis History Library and Resource Center located in Ruby’s House at 134 S. Mason St. This new center will offer teachers, students, journalists and researchers a wealth of materials on California history with a special emphasis on local South San Luis Obispo County history. The Library and Resource Center will be available to students and community members for research projects, including the production of community history exhibits and historical reenactments. The Library and Resource Center was made possible through the generous donations of two retired women journalists, Patricia Loomis and Jean Hubbard.

Loomis, a granddaughter of local pioneers E.C. and Clara Loomis, was raised in Arroyo Grande and has been one of the Society’s most important benefactors. Her generosity allowed the Society to renovate and restore sections of the 1888 Ruby’s House in order to expand their library and outreach programs. Loomis also donated a large number of books from her private collection, including the Hubert H. Bancroft series on the history of the West, a 39-volume collection written in the late 19th century. Loomis’s interest in California history stems from her long career as a journalist with the San Jose Mercury News, where for many years she wrote a history column named Signposts that focused on early pioneers of the San Jose-South Bay region and the streets named after them. She is also a long-time member and former officer of the Oregon-California Trails Association, dedicated to the preservation and protection of overland emigrant trails and the emigrant experience.

Several hundred books, pamphlets, photos, and scrapbooks were donated to the Society’s new library by local writer Jean Hubbard. Hubbard wrote articles focusing on South County history for the Times Press Recorder for 12 years. Her articles, books, and wealth of knowledge on local history will be invaluable resources for researchers using the new library. Jean is a founder and charter member of the South County Historical Society, serving most recently as curator of the Paulding House Museum in Arroyo Grande. Her contributions to the preservation of local history are well known and unmatched.

The Society’s Board of Directors, on behalf of its members, hope the Patricia Loomis Library and Resource Center will make history come alive by offering valuable resources for student and community projects designed to re-create local and California history. The Center will also develop programs to make history more relevant for all age groups by connecting the past to present-day challenges faced in South County and California. For more information phone 489-8282.