Colton Public Library was built through a vision begun by the Colton Womens Club in 1902. A charitable trust created by steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie helped communities across America build public libraries, and Colton secured a grant through the Womens Club's efforts, allowing the building to be completed and first occupied on November 11, 1908. The site was purchased by public subscription, and the city added to Carnegie's gift to complete the financing. The building served as a library for many decades, later became home to the Colton Area Museum and the Homework Assistance Center, was declared a City Historical Site on December 21, 1976, and has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.