Azusa Civic Center, Municipal government building in Azusa, California.
Azusa Civic Center is a one-story, double-winged Mission/Spanish Revival complex in Azusa, California, with City Hall on one side and a municipal auditorium on the other, plus a fire department headquarters section added in 1945. All structures share stucco walls, red-tiled roofs, and arched openings.
The complex began in 1904 with the relocation of the public library and was later expanded through major construction projects in 1928 and 1945. These building phases shaped the current form and layout of the facility.
Since 1949 the Civic Center has hosted the annual Golden Days celebration each fall, with musical events, a carnival and a parade. In 1966 it staged "Jack Benny Day", when a parade circled city hall with marching bands and Benny rode a small red wagon pulled by four Liliputian horses.
The civic center occupies a single site rather than several blocks, so the Mission/Spanish Revival buildings can be seen together on foot. The complex is a working government site, with City Hall, the auditorium and the fire headquarters in use on weekdays. The fall Golden Days events bring parades and a carnival to the grounds.
The location gained national recognition through the Jack Benny Program radio show, which referenced Azusa in a recurring comedic segment. This mention in a widely-heard radio program brought the town attention beyond its local area.
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