A.K. Smiley Public Library will celebrate Patron Saints’ Day, the birthday of Redlands’s best-known benefactors, Albert and Alfred Smiley, on Sunday, March 17 at 1pm in the Assembly Room and on Zoom. Presented by Director Emeritus Larry Burgess and Archivist Nathan Gonzales, the special program will honor the Smileys and their gifts to the city.
Born in Maine in 1828, identical twins Albert and Alfred were successful educators before embarking upon careers as resort owners in New York state in the decades that followed the Civil War. Discovering Redlands in 1889, the pair went on to create a public botanical oasis known as Canyon Crest Park in the hills southwest of Redlands and were involved in many philanthropic projects in the city. Their immeasurable impact is best exemplified by A.K. Smiley Public Library, which is named for Albert, but would not have been possible without the contributions of both brothers.
This event is free and open to the public. A.K. Smiley is located at 125 W. Vine Street. If you have any questions, please contact the Heritage Room at (909)798-7632.