Founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold Haskell, and named after his mentor, Moses H. Sherman, this cultural center includes a historical research library, botanical garden, and art collection.
For decades, Sherman Library & Gardens has been a source of beauty and education. It is California Historical Site No. 58 which was dedicated by the Orange County Board of Supervisors and Orange County Historical Commission. The plaque was placed in 2022.
Stroll through the magnificent grounds and experience a highly fragrant garden. This site offers a horticultural oasis which is comprised of 2.2. acres. Discover new blooms to plant in your own garden. They can be purchased from the shop.
The Garden Shop contains an amazing array of books, gifts, and plants. There are seasonal flowers that are harvested from the garden and sold in an assortment of beautiful glass vases. You can make reservations for lunch at the 608 Dahlia restaurant.
Schedule an art class or attend a lecture on-site with their amazing programs.
The library contains an incredible heritage of the Southwest. The Arnold Haskell personal papers include the development of the area from Hollywoodland to Arizona.
We first learned about the library’s history in 2013 when the director invited us to explore the collection. Learn about land use. Haskell’s papers encompass information from railroads to residential communities.
The archival collections is divided into three parts:
- The Papers of M. H. Sherman
- Records of Organizations: which include businesses, government and institutional records
- Personal Papers and Photograph Collections: which include materials created and collected by individuals or families.
Sherman Library’s photograph collections document places and events in southern California, Arizona, and Northern Mexico. A selection of the roughly 40,000 photographs in the Library’s holdings are available through the Sherman Library Digital Catalog.
Sherman Library’s book collection contains more than 15,000 volumes. It includes a large collection of California city directories. It is a reference library. A research appointment should be scheduled to view the collection. All archive images are courtesy of the Sherman Library and Gardens.
