Sherman Library & Gardens

Sherman Library & Gardens includes a 2.2-acre botanical garden and a research library with collections about the history of the Pacific Southwest. This beautiful and tranquil cultural center dates back to 1955, when its founder, Arnold Haskell, purchased a charming adobe house (now part of the library) at the corner of Coast Highway and Dahlia. Over the course of a decade, Haskell managed to acquire surrounding lots, until he owned the entire block in 1967. In that same year, he donated the land to The Sherman Foundation, which he named after his mentor, Moses Hazeltine Sherman. The Sherman Foundation opened the first part of the Gardens in 1966. Between 1966 and 1974 the magnificent facilities took shape as Haskell oversaw the construction of the entire block, including the conservatory, central garden, gift shop, café and library.