Altadena's Grand Homes

In 1926 the Chamber of Commerce touted Altadena as “the land of dreams, beauty of scenery, mixed with sublimity... beauty personified … It is charm converted into convincing masterfulness.”  Playing the role of community booster, the Chamber published pamphlets that often featured grand Altadena homes including the Craftsman below owned by Dr. J. E. Minney.  Never at a loss for words, the Chamber editor wrote,  "Dr. J. E. Minney, [is] a student of nature, a retired physician of note, thankful and thoughtful to God, faithful to the Golden Rule.”

The Egyptian revival home  (below) belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Frederick T. Griffith.  The opening of King Tut’s tomb in 1922 flamed an interest in exoticism and all things Egyptian, a trend that did not bypass Altadena.

Both houses, like so many treasures in Altadena, still stand in near original condition, looking very much as they did when they were featured in the Chamber’s 1926 publication, Altadena the Beautiful.   The gardens remain relatively unchanged as well.  The deodar to the left of the Minney house is still there.  The two palms in the Griffith garden now tower over the house shading most of the front yard.

 

Altadena Envelope Seal circa 1970

AHS received a package of these stickers recently. The donor told us they were printed in the 1970s and were used as Christmas envelope seals.  We suspect the tree represents Altadena's historical landmark, Christmas Tree Lane.

1 inch x 1.5 inches
Green foil with gold foil print

Altadena's First Catholic School - St. Elizabeth's Parochial School

In 1926, St. Elizabeth of Hungary Roman Catholic Parish (Los Angeles Archdiocese) dedicated its new church building at the corner of Lake Avenue and Woodbury, designed by architect Wallace Neff.  The accompanying grade school, just west of the church (facing Woodbury Road) was designed by Albert C. Martin and Associates.

In a 1926 brochure about churches in the community,  Altadena Chamber of Commerce boasted, "Well equipped, and modern, with large recreation grounds attached to, and a part of the beautiful [church] this school is highly represented, and amply provided for years to come. Great credit is due Rev. Dr. Wm. E. Corr, for his untiring efforts and foresight in securing this beautiful site and splendid building."  

As outlined in the article in the Altadena Press, in 1955 the school was re-purposed as the kindergarten and Parish Administrative offices. A new modern school, built by Driver Construction Company at a cost of $130,000, opened on the east side of Lake, and is still used today. 

New school built in 1955

In 1970, the old school was destroyed by a fire that started in the kitchen.  Today it is a garden bordering the south side of the parking lot behind the church.

Theosophical Society in Altadena

Altadena's best kept secret is the Theosophical Society. The organization has been headquartered in Altadena since 1951, housed in two local historic buildings.

Headquarters- 643 E. Mariposa            Library - 2416 N. Lake

Founded in New York in 1875, the non-sectarian organization went through more than a few hostile schisms, too numerous to mention here, but definitely interesting reading if you like gossip. 

According to the society's literature, today the organization is a “worldwide association dedicated to uplifting humanity through a better understanding of oneness of life and the practical application of brotherhood. Unsectarian and nonpolitical, the objectives are:

• to form an active brotherhood among mankind;
• to promulgate the essential unity of all that is, and to demonstrate that this unity is fundamental in nature;
• to promote the study of ancient and modern religion, science, and philosophy;
• to explore the hidden side of nature and mankind.”

The Society's International Headquarters is located in a grand old house at the northeast corner of Mariposa and Santa Rosa Avenue. It's the last of three significant homes built on the same millionaire's row lot. 

The house today

The first house was a massive thing, built in the shingle style and designed by architect Frederick Roehrig in the 1880s for Baynard Smith who was instrumental in setting up the Valley Hunt Club of Pasadena, which in turn founded the Rose Parade.  This architectural gem burned to the ground in 1894.

Looking north from Mariposa. 
That's Echo Mountain in the
background, left of house.
Photo: Huntington Library

Soon after, Daniel Cameron purchased the property and built a new house in the trendier mission style, also designed by Roehrig.

The second house

In 1920 the mansion was "remodeled" (beyond recognition) by architect Myron Hunt, in the Beaux Art style.  The house was purchased by the Theosophists about thirty years later, and has changed very little, except for the overgrowth of trees and bushes. 

The Theosophists also maintain a library in Altadena, staffed by very nice, helpful people, located in the old Cobb garage on the Southeast corner of Marcheta and Lake Ave. On their website it says: 

Theosophical Library Center makes available to the public a large and unique reference collection with significant works on philosophy, science, and the world's religions. Prominence is given to the ancient traditions of the Americas, Asia, the Near East, Africa, Europe, and Australasia, with sacred texts and commentaries arranged in the historical, cultural, and geographical context in which they evolved. In this way, the reader may follow the recurrent ideas that have helped people of all cultures find a deeper meaning in life.

If you haven't dropped in, you're missing a little Altadena treasure.
It's open daily from 2:00 to 4:30 or by appointment.
Phone (626) 798-8020
tstec@thesociety.org

You can read more about Theosophy here or visit the library online.

Altadena Dairy

     There really was an Altadena Dairy 

It was a local dairy and a distant relative of the gi-normous Alta Dena Dairy Corporation that operates today in the City of Industry. The first Altadena Dairy, with real cows, stood on land near Lincoln and Ventura in west Altadena. Operated by Charles Sunderland, the dairy was in business as early as the 1930s as indicated in this 1939 Altadena Press newspaper advertisement.  

Whether or not it’s accurate, the story we’ve been told is that the Stueve family, who had a small dairy in Monrovia, purchased Altadena Dairy in 1945. They hyphenated the name and moved it out of Altadena. The Lincoln Avenue property was sold soon after, for post-war housing.

The Alta Dena Dairy (the one with the hyphenated name)
was started in 1945 by the Stueve family, and
is now part of Monterrey Provision Company.

The Alta-Dena Dairy drive-thrus that still dot the area were built in the 1950s by the Steuve family. Read more about their history here.

http://www.kcet.org/living/food/the-nosh/alta-dena-dairy-drive-thrus.html

Some years later, Harold Steuve became a raw milk activist, in opposition to pasteurization. After a brief arrest for contempt of court, Steuve, the mayor of Monrovia, said in an LA Times article, that he is strongly opposed to pasteurization because it causes milk to lose almost all of the enzymes.  Read more about the history of the raw milk controversy and the Alta Dena Dairy in an article on the KCET website, Grab a Pint: Altadena Dairy Drive Thrus by Jessica Ritz. 

Christmas Tree Lane's Santa Rosa Park in Altadena

Drive by and you’ll likely miss this little pocket park on the north east corner of Santa Rosa and Woodbury.  Unless you get out of your car, and walk to the monument you won’t know that it says:  “This park is given to the public by property owners on Santa Rosa Avenue in grateful appreciation of the planting of these cedrus deodara trees in 1885 by Frederick J. and John P. Woodbury.” 

The Altadena Woman’s Circle donated the bronze plaque in 1928,
just 8 years after the first lighting of the trees.

The street wasn’t called “Christmas Tree Lane” until later.  A 1926 Chamber of Commerce publication referred to the street as “Deodar Drive” or “Mile Of Christmas Trees.” The same year the Chamber stated, “Forty years ago those seed were planted by Mr. T. L. Hoag, a ranch foreman [who worked for] John and Fred Woodbury.” That’s Tom Hoag in the photo lower below.

The Himalaya native cedrus deodara seeds were imported from Italy, and then planted in cold frames at the ranch. In the early 1880s Tom Hoag transplanted about 100 trees to what was to have been the driveway of John’s grand home - one that was never built due to the real estate bust of 1887.  By that time the saplings were two feet tall. Eventually the driveway was re-purposed as Santa Rosa Avenue and in 1920 was decorated with Christmas lights for the first time. For more than 40 years Tom Hoag was the honored guest who officially turned the lights on at the annual Christmas Tree Lane lighting event. He died in the 1940s.

"Looking up Santa Rosa Ave. in Altadena, Pacific Electric no. 1123
heads into Los Angeles via the Pasadena Short Line
along East Mariposa Street in 1938."
Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society 

What we don't know is the significance of the monument featured in the photo below. It's closer to Woodbury Road than other features in the pocket park, but almost invisible as you drive by because of the trees.  If you know why it's there please leave a comment.

AHS thanks Tony and Maureen Ward and all the volunteers who work throughout the year rebuilding lines, protecting trees, and maintaining the historic stone gutters. Find out more at their website. Christmas Tree Lane Association