A Special Place

Historically, to come home to Altadena is to leave behind the hectic pace of the urban world.  Altadena is an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County lying in the foothills of the majestic San Gabriel Mountains.  It is naturally bounded on three sides by wilderness (the Arroyo Seco, Angeles National Forest and Eaton Canyon) and on the fourth by the city of Pasadena.  For more than a century, this geography seems to have molded Altadena's independent spirit: citizens have consistently protested both incorporation and annexation to Pasadena preferring a more loosely structured community.

Altadena's roots date to the 1860's when water sources were found in the canyons.  Ranchers bought land and grew grapes, olives, walnuts, oranges, dates and avocados.  From the 1880's through the 1920's, business magnates attracted by the climate (and the orange blossoms) came from the East and Midwest to build winter and retirement homes.  Despite the grandeur of its estates, Altadena retained its rustic character and rural flavor, eventually adding artists and writers to the community roster.  In addition to many fine homes and estates, Altadena is home to many historically registered properties:

The National Register is a nationwide inventory of buildings, districts, sites, and objects that are important to the history of a local community, the state, or the nation.  Importance is based on factors such as architecture, archeology, culture, and associations with famous persons or events.  Nationwide, close to 80,000 properties are listed in the Register.  Altadena is home to eleven:

  • Pacific Electric Substation #8 (the only intact structure left of the historic Mt. Lowe Railway)
  • Keyes Bungalow
  • Parsons House
  • Mt. Lowe Railway Site
  • Woodbury House
  • Davies Memorial building at Farnsworth Park
  • Crank House
  • Scripps Hall
  • Christmas Tree Lane
  • Zane Grey Estate
  • Andrew McNally House

The charm that brought our forebears here endures, cherished and safeguarded by all who love this special place.

Location: 730 E. Altadena Drive Altadena, CA 91001-2351
Phone: (626) 797-8016       Email: altadenahistorical.society@yahoo.com