The facility was named after Sybil Brand (May 8, 1899-February 17, 2004), a noted local philanthropist and civic leader; immediately prior to her death she was generally regarded as the oldest more-or-less well-known individual still alive in the United States.
Opened in 1963 with the aid of funds approved by voters when a bond measure passed in a referendum three years earlier, the institution often provided the setting for scenes from movies and television shows. It was forced to close in 1997 after sustaining extensive damage in the 1994Northridgeearthquake, and has yet to be reopened or remodeled due to persistent budget shortfalls affecting both Los Angeles County and the State of California.
