W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library

Kellogg and Arabian Horses

1893: The American fascination with the Arabian horse perhaps began on a large scale at the Chicago World’s Fair, when 45 Arabians from what is now Syria were put on display.
1925: Breakfast food millionaire W.K. Kellogg purchased 377 acres for $250,000 in Pomona as the site of his Arabian Horse Ranch.
1926: The first of many film appearances of a Kellogg Arabian: Jadaan, ridden by Rudolph Valentino in Son of the Sheik. The death of Valentino shortly thereafter brought much attention to the Ranch.
Many people, including Hollywood celebrities as well as politicians, came to the Ranch to see the regular "Sunday Shows."
1932: Mr. Kellogg donated the then 750 acre W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Ranch and 87 Arabian horses to the University of California.
1943-8: The Ranch was owned by the War Department and known as the “Pomona Quartermaster Depot (Remount).”
1948: The Ranch was transferred to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
1949: The Ranch was deeded to W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan. The title to the Ranch and horses were then passed to the State of California, with the provision that the herd of Arabian horses be maintained and the public be educated about them.

1956: The Voorhis Unit of California Polytechnic State College, San Luis Obispo, moved from San Dimas to the Ranch, then known as the Kellogg campus.
The first volumes added to the Arabian horse collection came from the Kellogg Stables and the Voorhis Campus Library. The Arabian horse collection was moved to Pomona from Voorhis when Cal Poly Pomona's first library opened. The materials were shelved in a glass case and were permitted to circulate.
1966: The Kellogg campus separated from the San Luis Obispo campus, and became a state college, called the California State Polytechnic College, Kellogg Campus.
1972: University status was granted and the Kellogg Campus became known as the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona or Cal Poly Pomona.
As more materials arrived from the Kellogg Stables, it was decided the Arabian horse collection merited special facilities and would no longer circulate.
1975: A separate room was constructed in the University Library to house the Arabian horse collection (at this time, there were about 70 volumes in the collection).
1975-1980s: A concerted effort was made to expand the Arabian horse collection. Advice from breed experts was solicited, and out-of-print items were acquired. Through this effort, the Arabian horse collection became one of the world's largest public collections of Arabian horse materials.

1982: In recognition of its unique status, and in view of the continued financial support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Arabian horse collection was renamed the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library (WKKAHL).
1990s-2007: The WKKAHL was separated from the University Library and often moved. It found itself in various locations on campus, including the Bronco Student Center as well as the "Old Stables." During this time, most of the collection was inaccessible due to space and staffing restrictions and limitations.
2007: A Kellogg Foundation Grant was awarded to create a new space for the WKKAHL.
2010: The WKKAHL returned to the University Library.
2011: Construction began in March on the new space - located inside the University Library on the first floor - and in May a new specialist was hired. Much collection development was undertaken and by the end of the year the collection consisted of approximately 1200 items. Construction was completed in December.
2012: The new space opened February first, complete with shelf-lined walls, display areas, a table with projector and screen, areas for storage of large format and more fragile items, chairs for reading current periodicals, and two public computer workstations.