Azusa Civic Center - Construction and History

Construction and History

The City of Azusa started work on its civic center in 1904 when the city's public library was moved to the area that is now the civic center. In 1928, the City completed construction of the two main wings of the civic center, with City Hall on one side and the municipal auditorium on the other. In 1929, a nine-foot by fifteen-foot miniature of the new Azusa Civic Center, made largely out of plaster-of-paris, was displayed as Azusa's exhibit at the Los Angeles County Fair. The Civic Center was completed in 1945 with the completion of the fire department's headquarters. At the time of the center's completion, the Los Angeles Times reported that the addition of the Fire Department to "Azusa's carefully designed Civic Center" added another section to the double-winged, one-story building that then housed the City Hall, Mayor's office, Chamber of Commerce, Public Library, Police Department, Water and Light Department, City Clerk, Treasurer, engineer and building inspector. All of the structures in the Civic Center were designed with a common Mission/Spanish Revival style of architecture. Since 1949, the Civic Center has been the location for musical events, a carnival, a parade, and other events associated with Azusa's annual "Golden Days" celebration conducted each fall.