Where Community Connnects

Since 1926, the Burnham Library has stood as a center of community and life-long learning in Bridgewater. Its story begins, not in the handsome stone building that graces our downtown but scattered in multiple homes, organizations and spaces throughout Bridgewater. The desire to have a place to house a public library was finally realized thanks to the generous bequest of Captain William Dickson Burnham. Since this point, the Burnham Library has continued to keep its vision forward-thinking while being informed and guided by its past.

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Our History

This is a story with an unusual cast of characters: some civic-minded townspeople, a wealthy ship captain, a respected man of letters, a hermit, and a bulldozer operator. And the State of California.

The first name in the story is that of Captain Nathaniel Randall, who between l8l0 and l840 maintained a circulating library in his house, using his own large collection of books. A smaller collection was kept and lent out by Augusta Lyon, who established a district library in the building that housed the original Bridgewater post office.

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Susan Beris, MD Youth Learning Center

Dr. Beris has generously donated the funds to establish the Susan Beris, M.D. Youth Learning Center, aiming to unite her passion for education, lifelong learning, and child advocacy. The establishment of this center embodies her commitment to Bridgewater, the Burnham Library, the youth of the town, and neighboring communities.

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