Falling ill in 1868–69, she moved to California in 1869, after hearing from her friend how the trip helped his health.[1][8] Newspapers of the day described Plummer as "one of the first 'intellectuals'" to move to Santa Barbara,[9] Indeed, in 1871[4] she established a lending library that became an important cultural center for Santa Barbara.[6] Shortly after arriving in Santa Barbara, she established the "Lending Library and Stationery Depot", with the aid of a friend, Unitarian minister Henry Bellows, who helped her acquire her first few hundred volumes.[6] Operating out of a jewelry store on State Street, Plummer charged $5 membership or 10 cents for borrowing books, and sold a variety of art and music supplies, and held cultural gatherings including lectures and art exhibits.[6]