George Coffin Power was born in Hudson, New York in 1851. He was the son of George H. and Adeline (Coffin) Power. The Power family history goes back to the Nantucket colony. In 1875, Power and Mary Brace were married, and in 1876, their daughter Helen was born. Power started his civil engineering career circa 1877 after graduating from Yale College and spending three years in England perfecting his engineering skills. After returning to the United States, Power enjoyed success in leading many engineering projects, most notably in the design and construction of bridges. Power and his family moved to Ventura in 1887 due to Mary’s ill health, which necessitated a milder climate.

Power played a significant role in the early stages of the development of Ventura. Among Power’s achievements are the design and construction of the city of Ventura sewer system, which was also the first attempt at discharging sewer water into the ocean. This system was later adopted by the city of Los Angeles. Power was also responsible for the design and construction of the first Santa Clara River bridge, connecting Oxnard and Ventura. Power is credited with publishing the first ever map of Ventura County in its entirety in 1897. In addition, Power was one of the founders of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Ventura, where he built the church’s parish house in memory of his wife Mary after her passing. Power developed the Rancho El Rio de Santa Clara del Norte into a thriving farm producing lima beans and other farm products. Power spent his later years cultivating and growing lemons, successfully running the Power Lemon Ranch and Packing House. He became a recognized authority on growing lemons.

Power died at 90 years of age in 1942 at Foster Memorial Hospital in Ventura. He succumbed after a weeklong illness. Power was survived by his daughter, Helen Power Wright, benefactress of the Wright Library and a major philanthropist of Community Memorial Hospital.