Altadena's Eldorado Inn Destroyed in 1969 Flood

We've updated this post because we now have a photograph of the Eldorado Inn before it washed away in the 1969  flood.  The photo, courtesy of Mark Molander, was taken in December, 1957, the day of his parent's marriage. 

Don't mistake the little run-off channel in the bottom of the photo for Eaton Canyon wash. That's just drainage for the parking lots. You can see the Eaton Canyon arroyo behind the restaurant sign.

July 24: Learn about the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team at a free program

Dramatic rescues of  lost and injured hikers in the San Gabriel Mountains by Altadena’s renowned Mountain Rescue Team will be featured in a 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 24 program sponsored by the Altadena Historical Society.

Pacific Electric - A Brief History

This year we were pleased to have Aveson Middle School student Asher Nee intern at archives.  Asher helped us with filing, copying, scanning and other AHS tasks, while learning more about Altadena's history. What follows is a brief history he wrote about Pacific Electric.

May 13: Have a (cannon)ball at our rummage sale

The Altadena Historical Society (AHS) will sell a wide variety of de-accessioned items from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 13, in the courtyard outside the Full Circle Thrift Store.

April 24: Learn about Altadena’s connection to the family of abolitionist John Brown

Writer and artist Hope Demetriades will discuss American abolitionists and Altadena’s connection to two sons of John Brown. The famous abolitionist lead the raid on an arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia n 1859 in hopes of starting a revolution to end slavery.

She will also display her original works of art that memorialize and canonize abolitionists.

The program is free and open to the public.

Monday, April 24, 2017
7:30 pm

Altadena Community Center
730 E. Altadena Drive
Altadena CA 91001

Memories about Altadena's Grocery Stores

We received so many memories from readers commenting on our January 2017 post about the closing of Ralphs, that we decided to include them here: 

Dick Bale wrote:

The store described in the blog as being on the southwest corner of Fair Oaks and Mendocino, was actually just south of Harriet. It was owned and operated by the McQuown family in the late 1930s through the ‘40s – perhaps later. Our home was just a few doors from the store and as a nine year old I liked to hang out with the man who operated the produce department. I’d help trim a crate of lettuce, pulling off any damaged leaves and rinsing the head in an outdoor sink behind the store. The McQuown’s also operated another modest grocery store on the east side of Altadena. I’m not certain but I believe it was on Altadena Drive near New York Drive or Washington St. Sometimes I’d go there with the produce man who let me ride on top of crates of vegetables in the back of his small stake truck. In the spring of 1942, when Roosevelt ordered all people of Japanese descent incarcerated, the Japanese produce manager signed everything, including his bank accounts and home, over to Mr. McQuown. When the war was over McQuown turned everything back to the returning Japanese family.