The original Masonic cornerstone was dedicated in October 1908 by Dr. W.T. Lucas, past Grand Master of Masons in California, and the officers of Santa Maria's Hesperian Lodge #264, E.&A.M. A $10,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie financed Santa Maria's first public library in 1908 after the Ladies Literary Society, now the Minerva Club, began the effort with letters to the steel magnate in 1901 and later enlisted the city council's help. Carnegie gave millions of dollars for more than 1,600 libraries between 1889 and 1928, requiring local officials to support each building with tax funds and communities to provide sites. Citizen donations supplemented city funds to purchase a lot for the library and park at Broadway and Cook Streets. The Classical revival style building served until 1941, when a larger library was constructed adjacent to it. The original Carnegie Library then became a USO center during the war, later the community youth center, and was demolished in 1966.