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Pasadena is probably most famous for the annual Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl Game. Yet, the city is also home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the world-renowned California Institute of Technology, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Art Center College of Design, the Pasadena Playhouse, California School of Culinary Arts Pasadena and the Norton Simon Museum of Art.
Located just 15 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, the city's popular shops and restaurants blend comfortably with tree-lined streets, distinctive neighborhoods, historic buildings and a vibrant cultural scene.
Old Town Pasadena features a cosmopolitan mix of of trendy boutiques and stylish restaurants. Most of the historic buildings dating back to the 1880s and 1890s have been restored and the street-front shops maintain their appeal to the hundreds who stroll the sidewalks each day. Old Pasadena abounds with night clubs, bars, over 50 restaurants and countless specialty shops. You can find all genres of live music plus dancing, comedy, and billiards.
Pasadena retains a
high-profile image throughout southern California due to its broad
economic base, noted cultural, scientific, and educational
institutions, and shopping and dining establishments that attract
customers from all over the region. This, along with Pasadena's many fine
examples of architecture and wealthy neighborhoods, provide Pasadena
with a prominence enjoyed by few cities in the Los Angeles area, and is
often considered the premiere city of the San Gabriel Valley.
PASADENA NEIGHBORHOOD INFORMATIONFor more information, click below:
DEMOGRAPHICS EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES HISTORY MUSEUMS & HISTORICAL LOCATIONS NEIGHBORHOODS RESTAURANTS SCHOOLS THEATRES & PLAYHOUSES
DEMOGRAPHICS Population (2006 Census): 144,133 Median Resident Age: 34.5 years Median Household Income (2006 Census): $59,301.00 No. of Households: 54,247 Average Household Size: 2.5 people Geographical Info: Elevation: 865 ft. Land Area: 23.1 sq. miles Population Density: 6,226 people/sq. miles Climate: January Average Temperature: 68 degrees F July Average Temperature: 89 degrees F Sunny Days : 286 Precipitation Days: 41 Rainfall (inches): 20 Race/Ethnicity of Pasadena Residents: White Non-Hispanic: 39.1% Hispanic: 33.4% Other race: 16.0% Black: 14.4% Two or more races: 5.4% Chinese: 3.3% Filipino: 2.1% Native American: 1.5% Korean: 1.0% Other Asians: 0.8% Asian Indian: 0.7% (Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races.) Educational Attainment of Pasadena Residents (25 years and over): Graduate or Professional Degree: 19.0% Bachelor’s Degree: 26.0% Associate Degree: 8.0% Some College: 14.0% High School Graduate: 17.0% 9th to 12th Grade, no diploma: 15.0% Employment Status: (Population 16 years and over: 116,983 In labor force: 75,209 Civilian labor force: 75,121 Employed: 72,382 Unemployed: 2,769 Armed forces: 58 Occupation: Management, professional & related occupations: 34,902 Service occupations: 11,207 Sales & office occupations: 16,863 Construction, maintenance & repairs: 4,984 Production, transportation & moving occupations: 4,426
Industry: Agriculture: 267 Construction: 3,635 Manufacturing: 3,772 Wholesale trade: 2,542 Retail trade: 6,166 Transportation, warehousing and utilities: 1,688 Information: 2,773 Finance, real estate, rental & leasing: 6,754 Professional, scientific, management and administrative services: 11,075 Educational services & health care: 17,714 Arts & entertainment, food services: 6,284 Public administration: 3,421 Others services: 6,290 Class of Workers: Private wage and salary workers: 54,655 Government workers: 10,407 Self-employed: 7,206 Unpaid family workers: 114 Pasadena Housing & Cost of Living: Total Housing Units: 57,580 Occupied Housing Units: 54,247 Owner-Occupied Units: 25,068 Renter-Occupied Units: 29,179 Median House/Condo Value (2000): $286,000 Median House/Condo Value (2006): $677,900 Median Gross Rent (2006): $954 Renter vs. Owner: Median Housing Costs for Mortgaged Owners: $2,551 Median Housing Costs for Non-mortgaged Owners: $467 Median Housing Costs for Renters: $1,093
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
PASADENA TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE Held on New Year’s Day, main attractions include flowery floats, marching bands and equestrian units. (626) 449-4100 ROSE BOWL GAME Held in conjunction with the Tournament of Roses Parade, two championship teams battle it out in “The Granddaddy of All Bowl Games”. (626) 449-4100 SPRING HERITAGE TOUR Every March, tour some of Pasadena’s finest homes and architectural gems of the early 20th century. (626) 441-6333 PASADENA SHOWCASE HOUSE FOR THE ARTS In April, more than 50 designers transform the interior and grounds of an estate. (626) 578-8500 CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION Families enjoy games, rides, art exhibits, musical presentations and other activities. CHALK STREET PAINTING FESTIVAL A Lightbringer Project held in June, view hundreds of colorful chalk murals at your feet while experiencing live cultural music, good, a farmer’s market, outdoor art gallery and a Chalkland for kids. (626) 205-4029 AMERICAFEST A full day of family fun, food and entertainment, a spirited performance by the Pasadena Pops Orchestra and a spectacular fireworks show to celebrate the 4th of July. (626) 577-3100 PASADENA SYMPHONY SEASON OPENER In October, experience an orchestra of virtuoso musicians, led by a world-renowned conductor. (626) 793-7172 DOO DAH PARADE The Lightbringer Project brings Doo Dah Parade in November, spoofing the Tournament of Roses Parade with wacky and unusual entertainment. (626) 205-4029 OLD PASADENA TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY The day after Thanksgiving, One Colorado Courtyard and Old Pasadena host a festive celebration culminating in a tree lighting ceremony and Mr. Claus visiting with the kids. (626) 666-4156
HISTORY Pasadena was once occupied by the Hahamogna Tribe of Native Americans. Subsisting on local game and vegetation, the Hahamognas lived in villages scattered along the Arroyo Seco and the canyons from the mountains down to the South Pasadena area. With the arrival of the Spaniards and the establishment of the San Gabriel Mission on September 8, 1771, most of the Native Americans were converted and provided labor for the mission.
The San Gabriel Mission, the fourth in California, grew to be prosperous, with abundant orchards, vineyards and herds. The vast lands which it administered for the Spanish Crown were divided into ranchos. After the rule of California passed from Spain to Mexico, the Mexican government in 1833 secularized the mission lands and awarded them to individuals. The northeast corner of San Gabriel Mission, consisting of the 14,000 acres known as Rancho el Rincon de San Pascual, changed ownership several times before being granted on November 28, 1843, by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to his good friend, Colonel Manuel Garfias, son of a distinguished Mexican family.
In 1852, two years after California was admitted as a state to the Union, Garfias built an adobe hacienda on the east bank of the Arroyo, where he and his family proceeded to live in grand style, until he could not meet the interest payment due on a loan. Title to the land was then transferred in 1859 to his lenders, Dr. John S. Griffin and Benjamin "Don Benito" Wilson.
A group of investors from Indiana called the San Gabriel Orange Grove Association purchased 4000 acres of the Rancho San Pasqual from Griffin and Wilson in December 1873. In January 1874, the new settlement was divided among the settlers and mapped. Generously sized parcels which were intended for the planting of orange groves were arranged on either side of the north-south axis of the colony, a street soon known as Orange Grove Boulevard. The San Gabriel Orange Grove Association lands extended from north of what is today Mountain Avenue south to the Monterey Hills and from the Arroyo on the west to Fair Oaks Avenue on the east. Houses for the new residents began to be built on the parcels, the first of which was the A. O. Bristol home near the corner of Orange Grove and Lincoln Avenue, finished in March 1874. By the end of 1875, there were 40 houses set among orchards, groves and vineyards. It was that year that the stockholders of the San Gabriel Orange Grove Association voted to name their town Pasadena.
Growth of Pasadena proceeded steadily, and the center of the town shifted from Orange Grove and California to the intersection of Colorado and Fair Oaks, where a post office was opened in J. D. Hollingsworth's general store. Homes, churches, schools, and commercial establishments were constructed, with extensive tracts planted with citrus and other fruit bearing trees and grapevines. By 1880, Pasadena had a population of nearly 400.
In 1886 Pasadena incorporated, largely as a measure to rid the city of its saloon. In the ensuing decade, amenities such as sewers, paved streets, and electric street lighting were installed. On January 1, 1890, the Valley Hunt Club initiated a mid-winter festival with a procession of flower-bedecked horses and carriages. This became a yearly tradition that in 1898 was formally sponsored by the Tournament of Roses Association. An added tourist attraction was the Echo Mountain incline railway which opened in 1893 and included a mountain chalet resort and the Alpine Tavern at Crystal Springs.
In the early 1900's more grand hotels were built. The city government was reorganized and in 1901 Pasadena became a charter city with an elected mayor. The city population grew from 9,117 in 1900 to 30,291 by 1910. The population included Chinese and Mexicans, who were brought in to work on the railroads, and Blacks, who moved in and started small businesses or worked as servants in the big houses and hotels. The area of the city increased through annexations, first of sections to the north and east, then in 1914 San Rafael Heights and Linda Vista, which had been physically linked to the city by the Colorado Street Bridge in 1913. Some of the best architects settled in Pasadena, which became known for its fine architecture, particularly the Craftsman style, perfected by Greene and Greene.
By 1950 the population was 104,777. In the mid-'40's and early '50's, to relieve the housing shortage, new housing tracks were opened in the Linda Vista, San Rafael and Allendale areas and to the east in the Hastings Ranch and Coronet areas. Retail sales showed a steady increase and in 1947 the opening of Bullock's heralded what was to become an exclusive shopping area on South Lake Avenue. A new shopping center opened in Hastings Ranch in 1956.
An awakened respect for the city's architectural treasures led to the renovation of historic homes and buildings throughout the city. Nowhere was this more apparent than in Old Pasadena, where the city's business district first started. Revitalization of this area occurred throughout the eighties, and culminated at the end of 1992 with the completion of the One Colorado historic block. Transformed into a restaurant and entertainment center, Old Pasadena has become a major attraction in Southern California.
Source: City of Pasadena
MUSEUMS & HISTORICAL LOCATIONS
BUNNY MUSEUM 1933 Jefferson Drive 91104 (626) 798-8848
CASTLE GREEN 99 South Raymond Avenue 91105 (626) 793-0359 GAMBLE HOUSE 4 Westmoreland Place 91103 (626) 793-3334 KIDSPACE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM 480 N. Arroyo Boulevard 91103 (626) 449-8144 JET PROPULSION LABORATORY 4800 Oak Grove Drive 91109 (818) 354-4321 NORTON SIMON MUSEUM OF ART 411 West Colorado Blvd. (626) 449-6840 PACIFIC ASIA MUSEUM 46 North Los Robles Avenue 91101 (626) 449-2742 PASADENA MUSEUM OF HISTORY 470 West Walnut Street 91103 (626) 577-1660 THE PASADENA MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA ART 490 East Union Street 91101 (626) 568-3665
NEIGHBORHOODSThere are many specialized neighborhoods in Pasadena, each with its unique personality. Here is some information on a few of them:
Bungalow Heaven Pasadena's first historic district is a rare and mostly intact collection of over 800 homes built from the 1900s through the 1930s. You’ll find bungalows in many styles—Dutch Colonial, Tudor, and Spanish. Bungalow Heaven experienced a surge of restoration activity beginning in the late 1970s, so a majority of the houses have now been refurbished in authentic historical style. Boundaries: Washington Boulevard on the north, Orange Grove on the south, Mentor Avenue on the west, Holliston Avenue on the east.
Garfield Heights Garfield Heights, Pasadena's second official Landmark District is a small fragment of the original acreage which was bound by Woodbury, Arroyo, Lake and Villa. Many of the homes in the area were built during the boom years between the late 1880’s and the 1920’s. Although some homes were built by notable builders, it's an eclectic area ranging from Craftsman bungalows to historic two and four unit apartments. Each home reflects a sense of charm and grace, including distinctive architectural features like pillars, retaining walls, and foundations made of river rock.
Hastings Heights This elite neighborhood in Northeast Pasadena overlooks Hastings Ranch and the Eaton Canyon Nature Reserve. It offers new estate homes constructed on a grand scale with all modern amenities.
Hastings Ranch Hastings Ranch features mostly 1950s ranch style homes with mountain views and tree lined streets. Upper Hastings Ranch has become one of the most popular areas for neighborhood outdoor Christmas displays. The Hastings community has remained educated, affluent and mobile, with a large number of professionals. Upper Hastings Ranch Boundaries: Ranch Top Road on the north, Sierra Madre Blvd. on the South, Eaton Canyon Golf Course on the west, Michellinda Ave. on the east. Lower Hastings Ranch Boundaries: Michilinda on the East, Sierra Madre Boulevard on the North, Rosemead/Sierra Madre Villa on the west and Sears Way on the south.
Historic Highlands The Historic Highlands Neighborhood, a designated Landmark District, is situated between New York Blvd. on the north, Washington Blvd. on the south, Lake Ave. on the west, and Hill Ave. on the east. The approximately 730 homes find architectural inspiration from all over the world, including Craftsman, Prairie, Japonaiserie, Mission and Colonial. Historic Highlands is a vibrant neighborhood, with many community activities reinforcing and encouraging a strong bond between neighbors.
Linda Vista / Annandale The Linda Vista-Annandale Area consists of roughly 2.5 square miles, extending from the west bank of the Arroyo Seco to the ridge of the Linda Vista Hills, and from the Devil's Gate Dam on the north to Colorado Boulevard on the south. The quiet, lushly wooded residential community, was first annexed by Pasadena in 1914 and is now one of Pasadena’s most sought after communities. The approximately 1,350 homes in the Linda Vista area are known for their eclectic architecture, ranging from sprawling ranch-style properties to Mediterranean villas. Many homes in this neighborhood have outstanding views of the San Gabriel foothills or the Arroyo Seco.
Madison Heights The Madison Heights neighborhood, next door to the South Lake Avenue District, was largely developed between 1910 and 1917, when it consisted of family homes of professional people. The entire area is flowing with tree-lined streets. The homes here vary but there is a large presence of craftsmen homes and cottages. There are also various upscale condominium and town home complexes - some as old as 50 years and others as young as 5 years old. Madison Heights is known for its strong sense of community and hosts events such as a 4th of July Parade.
Oak Knoll Oak Knoll is bordered by E. California Blvd. to the north, S. Los Robles Ave. on the west and covers an area which is split by the winding South Oak Knoll Avenue. The grand estates in this neighborhood were built to showcase the beautiful native oaks growing in the area before the turn of the 20th century. The most famous estate in the area is the former Ritz Carlton, now Langham Hotel & Spa. Oak Knoll boasts the architecture of the famous Greene & Greene brothers, Sylvanus Marston and Wallace Neff.
Orange Heights Orange Heights was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. It is bounded to the West by Los Robles Avenue, to the East by El Molino Avenue, to the North by Jackson Street, and to the South by Mountain Boulevard. Orange Heights, which was once known as "Pill Hill" because of the large number of physicians and care givers who lived in the neighborhood, still appears today much as it did over eighty years ago. Homeowners are attracted by the beautiful architecture, terraced yards, tree lined streets, and mountain views.
Prospect Park Prospect Park is a tiny neighborhood just north of the 134 Freeway and west of 210, off of Orange Grove and Prospect Boulevards. The Prospect Park area was a tract built in 1906 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, Beautiful and mature camphor trees create a shady arch over the wide boulevard as you enter from Orange Grove. This neighborhood showcases a collection of Greene & Greene houses, the Gamble House and Frank Lloyd Wright's La Miniatura.
San Rafael The San Rafael neighborhood, south of the 134 freeway and west of the Arroyo, was developed in the 1940s as new residences that reflected the upper middle class and very wealthy families. This sought after community features many secluded, hillside properties, including some dramatic contemporaries, with sweeping vistas of the city, mountains and arroyo below.
Washington Square This historic district encompasses approximately 250 homes built mainly between 1910 and 1940. Architectural styles range from California Craftsman, Spanish Colonial, Tudor, English Cottage to Traditional. Boundaries: Washington Boulevard on the north, Mountain Avenue on the south, El Molina Street on the west, Lake Avenue on the east.
RESTAURANTS
ARROYO CHOP HOUSE 536 S. Arroyo Parkway (626) 577-7463 BISTRO 45 45 S. Mentor Ave. (626) 795-2478
CAFE SANTORINI 70 W. Union St. (626) 564-4204 CHADO TEA ROOM 79 N. Raymond Ave. (626) 431-2831
HOUSTON'S 320 S. Arroyo Parkway (626) 577-6001
LA GRANDE ORANGE CAFE 260 S. Raymond Ave. (626) 356-4444
LANGHAM HOTEL DINING ROOM 1401 S. Oak Knoll (626) 585-6218
MADRE’S 898 Granite Drive (626) 744-0900 MAISON AKIRA 713 E. Green St. (626) 796-9501
MOJITOS 69 N. Raymond (626) 796-2520
OBA SUSHI AND SAKE 181 E Glenarm (626) 799-8543 PARKWAY GRILL 510 S. Arroyo Parkway 91105 (626) 795-1001
PIE 'N BURGER 913 E. California Blvd. (626) 795-1123
PORTA VIA ITALIAN FOODS 1 W. California Blvd, Ste. 312 (626) 793-9000 RAYMOND RESTAURANT 1250 S. Fair Oaks Ave. 91105 (626) 441-3136 SALADANG SONG 383 S. Fair Oaks Ave. 91105 (626) 793-5200
TRATTORIA TRE VENEZIE 119 W. Green St. (626) 795-4455 XIOMARA 69 N. Raymond Avenue,91101 (626) 796-2520
SCHOOLS Home to a racially and economically mix population, Pasadena has some of the best educational institutions in the country, which includes: Fuller Theological Seminary, one of the largest multi-denominational seminaries in the world; The California School of Culinary Arts; the Art Center College of Design, which ranked as one of the top five art schools in the United States and one of the top 10 art schools worldwide; and California Institute of Technology, which maintains a strong emphasis on the natural sciences and engineering is ranked in the top 10 universities worldwide, among others. Pasadena’s Unified School District schools have experienced phenomenal API score growth in the last six years. COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
California Institute of Technology 1200 East California Boulevard Pasadena, CA 91125 (626) 395-6811
Art Center College of Design 1700 Lida Street, Pasadena, CA 91103 (Hillside Campus) (626) 396-2200 950 S. Raymond Avenue Pasadena, CA 91105 (South Campus) 626 396 2319 Pasadena City College 1570 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91106 (626) 585-7123 Living Word Bible College 2495 E. Mountain Street Pasadena, CA 91104 (626) 791-7295
Pacific Oaks College 5 Westmoreland Place Pasadena, CA 91103-3592 (626) 397-1300 William Carey International University 1539 East Howard Street, Pasadena, CA 91104
PUBLIC SCHOOLS Click here to locate the schools assigned to your home address.
High Schools Click here for a map of High School boundaries.
Blair International Baccalaureate School 1201 S. Marengo Ave. 91106 (626) 441-2201
John Muir High School 1905 Lincoln Ave. Pasadena, CA 91103 (626) 789-7881
Marshall Fundamental 990 N. Allen Ave. 91104 626-798-0713
Pasadena High School 2925 East Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91108 (626) 798-8901
Middle Schools Click here for a map of Middle School boundaries:
Washington Middle School
1505 North Marengo Ave. Pasadena, CA 91103 (626) 798-6708
Wilson International Baccalaureate Middle School 300 S. Madre St. 91107 626-449-7390
Elementary Schools Click here for a map of Elementary School boundaries.
Allendale Elementary School 1135 S Euclid Ave. 91106 (626) 799-7131
Cleveland Elementary School 524 Palisade St., Pasadena 91103 (626) 794-7169
Don Benito Fundamental School 3700 Denair St., Pasadena 91107 (626) 351-8895
Edison Elementary School 3126 N Glenrose Ave., 91001 (626) 794-7153
Field Elementary School 3600 E Sierra Madre Blvd., 91107 (626) 351-8812
Hamilton Elementary School 2089 Rose Villa St., 91107 (626) 793-0678
Jefferson Elementary School 1500 E Villa St., 91106 (626) 793-0656
Linda Vista Elementary School 1259 Linda Vista Ave., Pasadena 91103 Temporary Location 725 W. Altadena Drive, Altadena 91001 (626) 793-2197
Longfellow Elementary School 1065 E Washington Blvd., 91104 (626) 794-1134
Madison Elementary School 515 Ashtabula St., 91104 (626) 793-1181
McKinley School (K – 8) 325 S. Oak Knoll Ave., 91101 (626) 844-7880
Norma Coombs Alternative School 2600 Paloma St., 91107 (626) 798-0759
Roosevelt Elementary School 314 N Pasadena Ave., 91103 (626) 795-9501
San Rafael Elementary School 1090 Nithsdale Rd., 91105 (626) 793-4189
Sierra Madre School 141 W. Highland Avenue and 160 N. Canon Avenue Sierra Madre, CA 91024 (626) 355-1428
Webster Elementary School 2101 E Washington Blvd., 91104 (626) 798-7866
Willard International Baccalaureate Elementary School 301 S Madre St., 91107 (626) 793-6163
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Aria Montessori School
693 Euclid Avenue Pasadena, CA 91106 (626) 793-3741
George Mueller Academy 1539 East Howard Street Pasadena, CA 91104
High Point Academy
1720 Kinneloa Canyon Road Pasadena, CA 91107 (626) 798-8989
La Salle High School
3880 East Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91107-1996 (626) 351-8951
Lake Avenue Church School
393 North Lake Avenue Pasadena, CA 91101 (626) 844-4475
Lycee International of Los Angeles
30 North Marion Avenue Pasadena, CA 91106 (626) 793-0943
Mayfield Junior
405 South Euclid Avenue Pasadena, CA 91101 (626) 796-2774
Mayfield Senior School
500 Bellefontaine Street Pasadena, CA 91105 (626) 799-9121
Pasadena Christian School 1515 North Los Robles Pasadena, CA 91104 (626) 791-1214
Polytechnic School
1030 East California Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91106 (626) 792-2147
Walden School of California 74 South San Gabriel Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91107 (626) 792-6166
Waldorf School209 E Mariposa St Altadena, CA 91001 (626) 794-9564
PRESCHOOLS
Altadena Nursery School 789 N. Altadena Drive, Pasadena 626-296-1231
Cottage Co-op 169 Arlington Dr. Pasadena 626-799-0387
Hastings Ranch 3740 Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena 626-351-9171
Pasadena Christina Preschool 1485 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena 626-791-1277
Sunrise Preschool 3700 E. Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena 626-351-9899
THEATRES AND PLAYHOUSES
Boston Court Theatre 70 North Mentor Avenue, 91116 (626) 683-6883 Furious Theatre Company 39 South El Molino Ave, 91101 (626) 356-7529
Laemmle’s – One Colorado Cinemas 42 Miller Alley, Pasadena, CA 91101 (626) 744-1224 Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 673 E. Colorado Blvd., 91101 (626) 844-6500 Levitt Pavilion 87 N. Raymond Ave., Suite 250 91103 (626) 683-3230
Pacific Asia Museum 46 North Los Robles Avenue, 91101 (626) 449-2742
Pacific Paseo Stadium 14 336 East Colorado Blvd., 91101 (626) 568-8888
Pacific Theatres Hastings 8 336 E. Colorado Blvd., 91101 (626) 568-8888
Pasadena Playhouse 39 South Molino Avenue, 91101 (626) 356-7529
Regency Academy Cinemas 1003 E. Colorado Blvd., 91101 (626) 229-9400
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