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Collections
The W.D. Addison Heritage Room Collection includes books, pamphlets, photographs, slides, postcards, artifacts, maps, newspapers, microfilm, citrus labels and more! Some of the Heritage Room Collection is available through Corona Heritage Online. Please note that some collections are stored offsite and require advance notification for retrieval. Contact the Heritage Room staff to request retrievals in advance of your visit. Private viewings of the collection can also be arranged by contacting Heritage Room staff at 951.279.3593.
The Heritage Room collects a variety of three-dimensional objects related to Corona area events, people, and culture. Currently, there are about 1,600 items in the Artifact Collection dating from 1886 to the present. Examples of these objects include a letter sweater, wedding dress, the prior City logo, the whistle from the Exchange, and various agricultural tools and equipment.
The Blueprint Collection consists of architectural and landscape drawings of some historic and current Corona buildings. Included in the collection are the original blueprints of the Woman’s Improvement Club, the historic Corona Civic Center, Corona Public Library, and the architectural drawings created by local architect Leo Kroonen for the 1912 Corona City Hall.
Included in the Heritage Room Collection are over 2,800 books and pamphlets. This collection includes important statewide topics such as water rights, citrus history, flora & fauna, agricultural labor issues, indigenous people of California, and Chicano studies. Of specific local interest are our collection of Corona area yearbooks, city directories, telephone books, Municipal Code, assessment records, and works by local authors. The entire collection of books and pamphlets have cataloged and can be located in the Library Catalog.
Yearbooks
Our high school yearbook collection has been digitized and staff are in the process of editing and uploading these digital items to the Internet Archive. Corona High School Yearbooks starting in 1913 and ending in 1977, have been uploaded and are available to the public and can be accessed by clicking here. Because our collection of yearbooks has been obtained strictly through donations, the collection is incomplete.
A complete list of the Heritage Room's Yearbooks, including school and year, is available through the Library's online book catalog. Please click here to access the list.
City Directories
Print copies of the Corona City Directories are available for use in the Heritage Room. As with the yearbooks, the collection was obtained through donations so we only have select years. A complete list of all the City Directories and telephone books in our collection, is available through the Library's online book catalog. Please click here to access the list.
This collection also includes the Riverside City & County Directories 1889-1966 on microfiche.
Assessment Records
Assessment Records for Corona are available in the Heritage Room, a complete list of the records available can be found here. The records are organized in alphabetical order by land owner, but the lot & block are listed for each piece of land as well. If you are attempting to locate property owner through the lot & block numbers it is possible through this resource.
Starting Line-Up of the Corona Road Race, held on September 9, 1913. Photo by Prince of Los Angeles.
The Image Collection includes photographs, slides, negatives, and postcards. There are over 24,000 cataloged photographs and 3,500 slides that document the history of Corona from 1886 to the present within this Collection. The entire Shades of Corona Photograph Collection and a selection of other images are available through Corona Heritage Online. A complete list of the subject headings used to label the images in the collection is available by clicking here.
About Shades of Corona
Shades of Corona was part of the statewide Shades of California photo history project which documented the daily lives and historical, political, and cultural contributions of the diverse communities of California. Shades of California sponsored Photo Days at public libraries throughout the state where people were invited to bring their family albums and personal photograph collections. Community volunteers and project staff selected and documented photographs which were then copied on-site by professional photographers. These images have been archived by the libraries and are available to the public at the host libraries. Copies of the photographs will also be maintained at the California State Library.
In Corona, the Shades of California grant helped to expand the photograph collection of the Heritage Room at the Corona Public Library. The emphasis of the project was to collect photographs from communities that were not represented in existing photograph collections.
The Heritage Room Collection contains over 160 manuscript collections. The documents and photographs contained in these collections are primary sources that document the industrial, social, and cultural history of Corona. The finding aids provide a brief description of the collection and an inventory of all the materials belonging to the collection.
List of Manuscript Collections
M001 - Emma "Ocie" Taylor Songer Collection
The Emma (known as Ocie) Taylor Songer Collection provides the researcher with a personal view of early Corona history. Emma Josephine "Ocie" Taylor Songer was the daughter of Corona founder Robert B. Taylor and Emma Mason Taylor.
M002 - Robert B. Taylor Collection
The Robert B. Taylor collection provides invaluable information on Corona’s earliest days and its principal founder, Robert B. Taylor.
M003 - Janet Williams Gould Early California Collection
Janet Williams Gould, known to many in Corona as "The Duchess," she was also the first in Corona to recognize the inherent danger in not drawing attention to irreplaceable cultural resources. This manuscript collection contains the personal notes, collected correspondence, personal correspondence, newspaper clippings, and bibliographic references of Janet Williams Gould.
M004 - Howard & Irene Ware Collection
Howard & Irene (Nonhuf) Ware were long time residents of Corona. Some years after going to work for his uncle at Corona Lumber, Howard and his brother Frank took over the lumber business as partners. For 47 years, until his retirement in 1958, Howard was involved in this successful enterprise. Shortly after Howard retired he & Irene began to actively collect Corona memorabilia. The Ware Collection provides insight into the couple, local businesses, World War I & II, Temescal Tin Mines, Corona Road Races, Dr. Root, local families, Office of Price Administration and the history of Corona.
M005 - Exchange Lemon Products Collection
In 1915, California Fruit Growers Exchange organized a company, the Exchange By-Products Company to manufacture by-products from lower grades of lemons. In 1921, the name was changed to Exchange Lemon Products Company to differentiate it from orange processing plants. In 1958, the Exchange Lemon Products Company merged with Sunkist Growers, Inc. in order to ensure the most effective use of the processing plants and their marketing capabilities. It became known as the Lemon Products Division for Sunkist Growers, Inc. All operations ceased in 1983 when Sunkist opened a new facility in Tipton.
M006 - Mines & Mining Collection
Mining has been a part of Corona’s history since 1888 when the Temescal Rock Quarry was opened to furnish rock for macadamizing streets in Los Angeles and nearby towns. The majority of the collection contains photos of Blue Diamond Mining activities. Newspaper, magazine and journal articles concerning mining in the area are part of the collection, including information on the Temescal Tin Mining operations.
M007 - Friends of the Corona Public Library Collection
The Friends of the Corona Public Library are a non-profit organization that supports the Library. Formed in the fall of 1964, the Friends had originally planned on expanding Children’s Services by adding books and providing story hours. Since that time, the Friends have donated toward the purchase of not only children’s books, but items for the entire collection. The Friends have purchased various furnishings, equipment and decorations for the Library. The Friends activities and projects include: The Friends Book & Gift Shop, the Adopt-a-Book Program, the Summer Reading Program, author talks and other special programs, and major gifts to the Library. The collection reflects the organizations activities and contributions to the community.
M008 - Mary Kroonen Savage Collection
Mary Kroonen Savage was born in Corona on February 24, 1905 to Leo Kroonen and Mary Walkinshaw Kroonen. Savage’s parents moved to Corona in 1891, where her father Leo helped to build many of Corona’s fine old homes. Savage’s mother, Mary, was from the Eastvale and then later Rincon area, and died at 100 as the county’s oldest native. This collection contains personal history of Mary Savage’s family, including genealogy charts and photographs, correspondence between her and other notable Coronans, and research conducted by Savage on early Corona history.
M009 - Woman's Improvement Club Collection
The Woman’s Improvement Club of Corona was formed in February, 1899 as the Town Improvement Association of Corona, California. It soon became the Woman’s Improvement Club. The building itself, now on the National Historic Register, was built in 1913 on a site donated by Mrs. E.L. S. Joy and Mrs. W. H. Jameson. The organization is responsible for starting the Corona Humane Society, the City Sanitation Department, Settlement House, and they took on the care and planting of city parks until the city provided park maintenance. In recent years they donate significant amounts to the Settlement House, The Make a Wish Foundation, and provide scholarships for local high school students.
M010 - Historical Society of Corona Collection
The Andrew Carnegie Library of Corona closed its' doors on July 3, 1971, having served the community well for 65 years. Corona City Council then had to decide what to do with the building, which needed to be brought up to code. An Ad Hoc Committee, Keep Our Old Library, was formed with members of the Corona Art Association, Woman's Improvement Club, Chamber of Commerce, and interested individuals from the community. Jean Bobbitt was elected their first President. Recognition of her efforts were noted by many, resulting in her being elected to be the first President of the Riverside County Historical Society Historical Congress on October 1, 1977. Jean C. Bobbitt tendered her resignation as President of the Historical Society of Corona on 25 October 1977. No one stepped up to take her place at the Historical Society and the organization was dissolved.
M011 - Phi Sigma Alpha Collection (inventory only)
M012 - The National Business and Professional Women's Club of Corona Collection (inventory only)
M013 - Soroptimist Club Collection
Soroptimist Club of Corona is a women’s service club that was chartered on February 27, 1947. The mission of the Soroptimist International of Corona is “to improve the lives of women and girls, through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.” The collection includes administrative, membership, and program records, as well as, scrapbooks, artifacts, and photographs.
M014 - Corona Senior High School Collection
M015 - Clayson, Mann, Arend & Yaeger Law Firm Collection (inventory only)
M017 - Music &Theater Collection
M018 - Special Events Collection
M019 - Corona City Government Collection
M020 - American Legion and Auxiliary of Corona Collection (inventory only)
M021 - Corona Racing Collection
M022 - Corona Civic Garden Club Collection (inventory only)
M023 - Company F, 224th Regimental Combat Team, 40th Infantry Division Collection (Inventory only)
M024 - Biographical Document File Collection
This collection is composed of a variety of people who had some history with the city of Corona. The items are mostly biographical in nature; however, some files contain extensive family history such as newspaper clippings, family trees, photocopies of photos and property deeds.
M025 - Corona Lions Club Collection
On July 11, 1923, eighteen Corona business and professional men met and organized the Corona Lions Club (later the Corona Host Lions) under the sponsorship of the Pomona Host Lions club. On September 20, 1923 the International Association of Lions Club chartered The Lions Club of Corona. There were 26 business and civic leaders of Corona who signed that original charter.
M026 - Navy in Norco Collection (inventory only)
M027 - Railroads Collection
M028 - Yellow Bus Workbook Manuscript Collection
M029 - Gleason Family Collection
Drs. J.C. Gleason & Flora S. Gleason received their homeopathic medical degrees from the Medical College of Iowa City, Iowa and later married. In December, 1887, they moved to South Riverside (Corona) where for several years they were the only physicians in the City. The collection provides extensive information on early medical care at the beginning of the 20th century in Corona, family correspondence the gives a soldier’s account of the Filipino-American War,and a diary that provides insight into the life of a teenage girl in 1912 in a small town.
M030 - Corona Historic Preservation Society Collection
The Corona Historic Preservation Society (CHPS) was originally known as the Corona Historic Preservation Group. The organization was founded on May 14, 1983 to address the preservation efforts in Corona and educate the community about Corona's history. The collection includes administrative and financial records as well as correspondence and publications produced by the organization.
M031 - Temescal Valley Collection (inventory only)
M032 - Temescal Water Company Collection (in processing)
M033 - World War II Collection (inventory only)
M034 - Riverside County Collection
M035 - Royal Neighbors of America Collection
M036 - Crossroads Toastmasters Club Collection (inventory only)
M037 - Corona-Norco Unified School District (CNUSD) Collection
M038 - Corona Chamber of Commerce Collection
The Corona Chamber of Commerce was formed on February 21, 1905 initially known as the Corona Board of Trade (Corona Courier, June 6, 1906). According to W. J. Pentelow, first President of the Corona Board of Trade, “the objective of the Board of Trade was to improve and better the conditions then prevailing in the city and colony by the united efforts of those who desire to live in and be part of a live, progressive community” (Corona Courier, June 6, 1909). The Corona Board of Trade kept its name until December 15, 1910 when the Corona Chamber of Commerce became the official name (Corona Courier, December 15, 1910). Today, the Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to “promote business, advocacy economic and community development while serving as a catalyst for improving the overall quality of life in our community and region.
M039 - Sunnyslope Cemetery Records Collection
M040 - Joe's Watch Repair Collection
M041 - Joe Bridges Collection (in processing)
M042 - Virgil Cunning Collection (inventory only)
M043 - Corona Downtown Redevelopment Project Collection (inventory only)
M044 - Corona Newcomer's Club Collection
In February, 1966 the City of Corona Recreation Department originated a program to bring together recent arrivals to the area so they might learn more of their new town and its people.
M045 - Press Enterprise Collection
M046 - Foothill Properties Collection
M047 - Deegan Collection
M048 - Keller Collection
M049 - Tuthill Family Collection (inventory only)
M050 - Corona Public Library (Board of Trustees & Expansion Committee) Collection
M051 - Ben Sampselle Collection
M052 - Humble Family Collection (inventory only)
M053 - Corona Boat & Ski Club Collection
M054 - Better Corona Collection
M055 - Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) Collection (inventory only)
M056 - Corona Security Corp Collection (inventory only)
M057 - Trevor Larson Collection
M058 - Rathbone Collection
M059 - Citizen's Bank/First National Collection
M060 - Ganahl Family (journals, etc.) Collection
M061 - California State Archives Collection
The California State Archives collections document the broad scope of California government and its impact on the people of the state. In 1989, the W.D. Addison Heritage Room purchased photocopies of articles of incorporation from the California State Archive. The collection contains copies of incorporation records for Corona businesses and institutions. The records date from 1886 to 1950.
M062 - League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Collection (inventory only)
M063 - Todd Family Collection (in processing)
M064 - R.H. Verity, Sons & Company Collection
R.H. Verity, Sons and Company emerged from a business founded in the early 1900s by A.F. Call. Call named the business Call Lemon Association. In 1932, the company was renamed, R.H. Verity, Sons and Company. The business now owned 250 acres of groves, rented another 60 acres. It owned a citrus packing house and offices located on East Ontario and Compton streets.The collection consists of partnership records, property records (1958-1978), financial records (19730-1977), ledgers, legal records (1938-1978), sales record (1931-1948), pool statements (1948-1977), association records (1932-1977), citrus marketing records, labor records (1940-1949), physical plant records, correspondence (1932-1975), bulletin, circulars, newsletters (1913-1950, mostly 1930-1959).
M065 - Phil Newhouse Collection
M066 - KO-HI-NUR (CHS newspaper) Collection
M067 - YMCA Collection
M068 - Dr. Herman Collection
M069 - Red Cross Shop and Salvage Collection (inventory only)
M070 - Corona Calendar Collection
The Corona Calendar Collection is an assortment of calendars with Corona themes or by Corona associations. They encompass almost one hundred years of calendars created by and for Coronans. Thematically, they range from official, professional calendars, to Citrus Label and Centennial calendars.
M071 - Emerson Collection
M072 - Hammond Collection
M073 - A Photographic History of Corona, California Manuscript Collection (inventory only)
M074 - The Southlander Collection
M075 - Rotary Collection
M076 - Church of Christ Collection
M077 - Noah Smith Joseph & Anna Lula Joseph Ritchie Collection
Noah Smith Joseph moved his family to Corona in 1889. He moved into a mountain ranch in what is now Joseph/Fisher Canyon. In 1900, a company of Seventh-day Adventists was organized in his home in Corona.
M078 - Fowles Collection
M079 - Centennial Collection
M080 - Ramsey Collection
M081 -Settlement House Collection (inventory only)
M082 - Readers Club Collection
The Readers, an organization of Corona women, grew out of the nationally known Delphian Society. A chapter of the Delphian Society was formed on April 11, 1923 at the Woman’s Improvement Club. The purpose of the Society was primarily educational and for the personal development of its members. The minutes themselves give serendipitous insights to the life of the well-to-do in early Corona. The bank and treasurer’s records reflect an early twentieth century economy. The reading tastes and programs reveal life in the twenties and thirties and both world wars.
M083 - Corona Area Welfare Council Collection (inventory only)
M084 - Kimball School Collection
M085 - Disabled Veterans/Ragsdale Collection
M086 - Corona Citrus Association Collection
M087 - Berg Collection
M088 - Kiwanis Collection
M089 - Real Estate-House Tract Plan Collection
M090 - Stiles Collection
M091 - Desborough Collection
M092 - Lois and Lawrence Thome Collection
Lois and Lawrence Thome arrived in Corona in 1924, when “Coach” Thome became Director of Athletics at Corona High School. He taught physical education classes to elementary, junior, and high school students while coaching Corona High School’s baseball, basketball, football, tennis, and track teams. During that time Mrs. Thome trained with the Red Cross and became an active member of the Grey Ladies at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Corona. In 1958, Mr. Thome retired his educational career. From April 19, 1960 to April 21, 1964 he was a member of the Corona City Council and served as Mayor from April 17, 1962 to April 1, 1963. The collection documents Corona High School’s early athletic programs, student life, and the development of adult education for the Corona Unified School District, as well as the Red Cross activities in Corona during World War II.
M093 - Mattie Moore Collection
M094 - Citrus Collection Collection
M095 - Eunice Read Collection (inventory only)
M096 - Charette (City of Corona) Collection
M097 - United Way Collection (inventory only)
M098 - Steiner Collection
M099 - Corona Commentaries Manuscript Collection
M100 - First Congregational Church Collection
This collection consists of the First Congregational Church’s documents, receipts, newsletters, bulletins and records dating from the 1930’s through the late 1980’s. The bulletins and newsletters announce the day’s service, prayers, psalms, as well as various activities, and meetings which would have occurred during this time period.
M101 - Orange Heights Orange Association (OHOA) Collection (in processing)
M102 - Corona Jaycees Collection
M103 - Local Author Collection
The collection is composed of booklet and pamphlet type materials published by authors who live or have lived in Corona. The publications in this collection are too small to fit on the shelves. Also included are books written by local authors. Books in the collection with catalog records are hyperlinked for easy access to the full catalog record of the book. The majority of the books are housed in the Heritage Room. The Heritage Room will add to the collection as additional material is collected by local authors. Materials include nonfiction from cookbooks and self-help to poetry and songs as well as fiction-short stories, books for children and adult fiction books.
M104 - Cast Art Collection
M105 - Boy Scouts Collection
M106 - St. Edwards Church Collection
M107 - open
M108 - open
M109 - Corona Art Association (CAA) Collection
M110 - History Day Collection
M111 - Southeast Grand Boulevard Association Collection
M112 - America Association of University Educated Women Collection
M113 - Sister Cities Collection
M114 - Navy League Captain Collection
M115 - Historic Building Survey Collection
The Historic Building Survey Collection is largely composed of historic building surveys which identified and documented early historic buildings in Corona. Two surveys were conducted. One directed by former Heritage Room Librarian Gloria Scott Freel and conducted by volunteers in 1982-1983 identified approximately 400 historical properties located primarily in the downtown core. The second survey, conducted by the firm AEGIS in 1986 added another 286 properties to Freel’s survey.
M116 - First Baptist Church Collection
M117 - City Park Air Compressor Collection (inventory only)
M118 - Corona Hospitals Collection
M119 - open
The origins of the Corona Municipal Court date to the founding in 1903 of the Temescal Judicial District. The district provided court services for the Rincon and Temescal townships. The collection includes dockets from traffic, civil, and criminal court cases from 1903-1953.
M121 - Heritage Park and Museum Collection (inventory only)
M122 - Corona Heights Water Company / Rolla Cook Collection
Water development can be directly linked to land development throughout Southern California, the Corona Heights Water Company Collection provides documentation of this connection on a local level. The collection contains various documents from the Corona Heights Water Company, a company made up primarily of stockholders based in Los Angles, California, who entered into a water development agreement with the City of Corona.
M123 - Tucker Knorr Family Collection (inventory only)
M124 - Medfly Collection
M125 - Lauback Literacy Council Collection
M126 - Joe Greer Collection
Joe Greer was an officer, trainer, administrator, student, writer, teacher and an airplane pilot.In 1941 at the age of 25 he joined the Corona Police Department. He worked as the police chief from 1966 to 1976 after starting out as a patrolman. Mr. Greer worked for the Corona Police Department for 35 years and worked for the city until 1989. After his retirement from the police force, Mr. Greer continued to serve the city as general manager of the Corona Municipal Airport, a job he took on in 1972, while still police chief. The collection includes information about Mr. Greer's career in law enforcement and the general operations of the airport.
M127 - Corona City Atlas Collection
M128 - Robert T. Smith Collection
M129 - Corona Daily Independent Collection (in processing)
M130 - Business Cards Collection
M131 - UNITY Collection
M132 - Water Collection
M133 - Corona Daily Independent Collection
M134 - Tomislav Gabric Collection
Architect Tomislav Gabric was born in Yugoslavia in 1933. Gabric's eye for detail can be seen in this collection of pen & ink drawings of Corona houses, his Croatian homeland, European monuments & buildings, and the California Missions.
M135 - Thomas Ranch Manuscript Collection
Thomas Ranch is a 38-acre parcel of land located in Corona, CA, south of Palisades Drive and west of Serfas Club Drive. From 1941 until 1942, oil companies disposed of waste on the property. The Department of Toxic Substances Control provides oversight of investigative and cleanup activities at Thomas Ranch. The collection includes Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) and other publications produced by the Department of Toxic Substances Control.
M136 - Corona Citrus Labels Collection
The Corona Citrus Labels Collection is one of the Heritage Room’s most prized possessions, and a treasure for any researcher of the citrus industry or late 19th and early 20th century advertising.Our collection compromises 42% of all known existing Corona citrus labels dating from before 1906 and up until the mid to late 1950s (when the labels were no longer produced).
M137 - Wyle Laboratories Manuscript Collection
The Wyle Laboratories site is located at 1841 Hillside Avenue in the City of Norco, Riverside County, California. The Wyle site operated as a commercial testing facility since 1957 for a number of markets including defense. The Department of Toxic Substances Control provides oversight of investigative and cleanup activities at Wyle Labs. The collection includes Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) and other publications produced by the Department of Toxic Substances Control.
M138 - Hawkeye Aerial Art Collection
M139 - The Former IMCO Waste Disposal Area Collection
The former IMCO Waste Disposal Area site is located at 1462 Quarry Street in the City of Corona, Riverside County, California. The Site owner, 6th and Radio Road Business Park II, LLC, entered into a Voluntary Cleanup Agreement (VCA) with Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) on December 12, 2003. The goal of the VCA is to evaluate the risk to public health and the environment from chemicals of concern at the Site, and to ensure that the area is cleaned-up to levels acceptable for future industrial and commercial use under the oversight of DTSC. The collection includes Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) and other publications produced by the Department of Toxic Substances Control.
M140 - Corona Chapter #3611 AARP Collection
On November 18, 1983 the Corona Chapter #3611 of the AARP was created, members worked with the City of Corona’s Senior Center to provide services to Corona’s older persons.The collection includes articles of incorporation, bylaws, correspondence and newsletters.
M141 - Rudy Ramos Collection
M142 - Glen Ivy Collection
M143 - VFW Ladies Auxiliary Collection
M144 - South Riverside Land & Water Company Collection
M145 - High Tower Comics Collection
High Tower Comics is Corona’s first comic book publisher. The publishing company was founded by Corona native John C. Narcomey, Jr. (Creative Director/ Graphic Novelist) and Southern California native Jacob Crippen (Illustrator). The collection includes copies of their comics and well as promotional materials.
M146 - Serrano Collection
In 1879 Francisco (II) and Concepcion (Aros) Serrano moved their family to Prado and established the Serrano Ranch. After the move to Prado Francisco opened a general store in the area and a combination general/hardware store in Corona. Francisco and Concepcion lived in Prado until their deaths in 1922 and 1938. The family resided at the home they built until the Army Corps of Engineers began construction of the Prado Dam in 1938.
M147 - James Philip & Robert Stewart Beggs Collection
This is a personal collection from the Beggs brothers, James Philip & Robert Stewart. The collection provides the researcher with information pertaining to Corona High School during the years 1932-1945. Also of significance are the World War II memorabilia from James Philip Beggs’ service in the Army during World War II. Personal as well as official military correspondence, propaganda materials, military honors, military newspapers and magazines encompass this collection.
M148 - St. Patrick's Day Parade (Dan Brees) Photograph Collection
M149 - John L. & Anna B. (Lewis) Merriam Collection
M150 - Jose Alamillo Research Collection (inventory only)
M151 - Present Day Club Collection (inventory only)
M152 - Frances Martinez Collection (inventory only)
M153 - Dominick Frascella Collection
Dominick A. Frascella served in WWII. Upon leaving the Army, he moved to California where he, along with Robert Burrell, opened a restaurant called the Live Oak Inn on November 11, 1949 which was located in the Temescal Canyon area at 21700 State Highway 71 (off of Weirick Road off ramp). He was an active member of the Riverside Art Association before becoming a founding member of the Corona Art Association along with Maxine Piester in 1960. The collection is divided into three series one encompassing the Live Oak Inn, the second series focuses on Dominick Frascella as an artist and founder of the Corona Art Association, and the third filled with miscellaneous documents and records.
M154 - Talbert Collection
Darrell and Kym Talbert are longtime residents of Corona who collect images, documents, and ephemera related to South Riverside, Corona, and the Inland Empire. The Talbert Collection consists of plate glass negatives, postcards, photographs, and documents that were formerly part of their private collection. The images contained on the negatives and postcards document the citrus industry, special events, leisure activities, transportation, local businesses, private residences, and landscape of the region.
M155 - Corona Genealogical Society Collection (inventory only)
M156 - G. Manley Cole Collection
M157 - Methodist Episcopal Church Collection
M158 - Corona/Norco Tackle Football League Collection (inventory only)
M159 - Corona Weekly News Collection
M160 - Corona This Month / Peter Fischetti Collection
Peter Fischetti lived in Corona from 1995 to 2014. During that time he wrote for the Press-Enterprise and he produced the Corona Chamber of Commerce's periodicals Corona This Month, Spotlight on Corona, and Chamber This Month. The collection focuses on the periodicals produced for the Chamber and includes copies of magazines and photographs produced for the publications.
M161 - Prado Dam Scrapbook / Lawrence A. Cenotto Collection
M162 - Norman Smith Collection
Over the years Mr. Smith collected photographs, documents, scrapbooks, and various artifacts regarding his great-aunt Letha Raney and Robert B. Taylor to whom he was related by marriage. The collection includes correspondence, scrapbooks, articles, and photographs about Letha Raney’s work during World War II, her teaching career, and work as a principal at Corona Junior High School. The Raney portion of the collection documents the impact that Letha Raney had the community and the development of Corona schools. There are twelve photographs of the Taylor and Mason families from the mid-to-late 1800s. The Taylor images provide early glimpses of Corona’s founding father and his family.
The entire Map Collection is available for review in Corona Heritage Online. The collection includes oversize maps (larger than 8.5" x 11" inches) The Map Collection consists of draft, topographic, plat, and project maps for the South Riverside/ Corona region. In addition to the Corona maps, there are materials that include other regions of Riverside County, San Bernardino County, as well as Southern California. Included in the collection is an 1868 Plat map of Rancho La Sierra confirmed by Bernardo Yorba, a 1911 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, an 1877 map of Auburndale Colony, and a map of the Pacific Electric Railway System. The collection spans the mid-1800s to the 2000s with the bulk of the collection from the 1950s and 1960s.
There are also map books and atlases in the Heritage Room's Book Collection. The Renie Atlas for Riverside and San Bernardino Counties and several Thomas Guides are located there.
The Heritage Room has the local newspaper available on microfilm and online (in-house use only). There are also some original editions, and reproductions, available to view when visiting the Heritage Room. A complete list of these items is available through Corona Heritage Online.
Press-Enterprise on NewsBank
Search more than 25 years of Riverside County history with the Press-Enterprise. NewsBank's PE Collection includes the newspaper from 1992 through today. Explore current and archived issues of the Press-Enterprise with some full-color newspaper pages and individual articles. A valid Corona Public Library card or SmartPass will be required to access NewsBank.
Local Newspapers on Microfilm
The microfilmed copies of the newspaper are available during normal Library hours. Ask at the Adult Information Desk for a reel and staff will be able to assist you. Below is a list of our collection of newspaper microfilm:
- South Riverside Bee, June 2, 1887 - June 20, 1896;
- Corona Courier, January 6, 1900 - April 29, 1938;
- Corona Daily Independent, August 24, 1906 - April 30, 1983;
- Corona-Norco Independent, May 1983 - December 19, 2003;
- Riverside Press-Enterprise, July 15, 1979 - April 30, 1990, 2000, January 1, 2007 - June 30, 2009.
The Oral History & Sound Recordings Collections consists of over 200 recordings from Corona area residents and local events. A complete list of the collection is available through the Library Catalog. Each recording is on cassette and is available for check out.
The collection is now available to explore online!
Currently, copies of the recordings are with the California Audio Visual Preservation Program (CAVPP) for digitization, this project is part of the larger California Light and Sound Collection funded by California State Library, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
Oral History Kit
Everyone has a story to tell…share & preserve your story for generations to come with the Heritage Room’s Oral History Kit. With a valid Corona Public Library Card the kit can be checked out for 6 weeks.
Included in the kit are a digital voice recorder, microphones, guidelines for interviews, sample questions & more.
For more information please contact the Heritage Room at 951.279.3593.