Who was Clara Baldwin Stocker? Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin's eldest daughter lived lavishly at her home Twin Oaks in Arcadia. See hard copy in VF Baldwin, Clara.
Arcadia City Council makes changes to Historic Preservation Ordinance. Council member Tom Beck speaks about saving Clara Baldwin Stocker's home, which is facing possible destruction. See hard copy in VF City Council (2010-2019).
Santa Anita Racetrack back in the day. A stroll down memory lane courtesy of Arcadia Historical Society and Arcadia's Best. Photo shown of Clara Baldwin Stocker and her friends at her father's Santa Anita Racetrack in 1907. Clara Baldwin Stocker had a house on Foothill Boulevard and an establishment called "Clara Villa."
A pictorial collection of historic estates and vintage homes from the collections of the Arcadia Historical Society is now exhibiting at the Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum, through August 20, 2011. Carol Libby curated it. On exhibit are Anoakia, the Southern California Nursery (later a residence), La Cuccia, Prince Eric of Denmark's home, and the Burnell Oaks Estate, among others.
Arcadia Historical Society dedicates its 9th "History Lives Here" historical marker at the Los Angeles County Arboretum, once the home of Arcadia founder, Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin, on October 2, near the front entrance.
The historic Adams' Pack Station is having a fundraiser tomorrow. The funds are needed for the 50+ year old general store at Chantry Flat, to make upgrades to meet health codes. The pack station, originally established in Sierra Madre before it moved to Chantry Flat in 1936, uses a team of donkeys to carry supplies to the cabins in the Big Santa Anita Canyon, a camp owned by the United Methodist Church.
Arcadia's Baldwin Stocker Elementary School and Pasadena's Roosevelt Elementary have been nominated for National Blue Ribbon honor. The program recognizes some of the highest performing and most improved schools in the nation.
Residents object to proposed home to be built at 920 South Fifth Street. At issue are the size of the house and how its design may not fit in with the neighborhood.
City lacks votes to adopt a temporary moratorium. Arcadia City Council will not consider a temporary moratorium on any stage of residential development because they don't have enough votes (4 are required) to pass the proposed ordinance. A moratorium would have initially been in place for 45 days, with an option to extend it, while the city updates its residential and commercial standards and conducts a historic preservation survey.
Denny's windmill spins again. The windmill atop Denny's at northeast corner of Santa Anita Avenue and Huntington Drive was designed by Harold Bissner as the template for Van de Kamp's Holland Dutch Bakery's coffee shop franchise. It opened in 1967 in Arcadia, the first of 15 built from his designs. Denny's bought the location in 1989. Denny's spent $100,000 refurbishing the windmill.
Arcadia’s Baldwin Lake makes history. A “History Lives Here” historical marker was dedicated at Baldwin Lake at the Los Angeles County Arboretum last Thursday. The marker was donated by Arcadia Historical Society.
Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden will have its historic buildings upgraded and a new 5-year strategic plan is being drafted for the first time in many years. Among items to be improved are the roof replacement and stabilization of the Hugo Reid Adobe (aka Baldwin Adobe), the rehabilitation of the library, as well as roof replacements for the 126-year-old Queen Anne Cottage of "Fantasy Island" fame, and the Coach Barn. Mitchell Bishop, curator of the historic collections, said he plans to rehabilitate Baldwin Lake.
Los Angeles County Arboretum and Baldwin family push to revive Baldwin Lake. The 4-acre lake in the middle of the Arboretum stands polluted, filled with tons of mud and filth from years of urban runoff. Tony Zampiello, executive officer of the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster, along with the county's Department of Parks and Recreation, have formed a task force with goal of dredging the old lake built by Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin in the late 19th century. Margaux Viera, Baldwin's great-great-great granddaughter, a member of the "Save Baldwin Lake" task force, says the shoreline around the lake is collapsing and eroding. See hard copy in VF "Arboretum."
Arcadia Gold Line plaza design chosen. Concept is "Town Square" for the transit plaza adjacent to the Gold Line Arcadia station and parking lot, to be built on the northwest corner of First Avenue, across Santa Clara Avenue.
Congressional Gold Medal of Honor presented to Sierra Madre Nisei soldier Shoso Nomura, age 93. It has been 68 years since Nomura served as a Japanese-American intelligence officer for the U.S. Army in World War II. He was born on Lucky Baldwin's daughter Anita Baldwin's ranch (corner of Foothill Boulevard and Double Drive--known today as Santa Anita Avenue).
Downtown Arcadia businesses create "Community Benefit District." Each business owner would pay extra in property taxes to go into a fund to better market the area to customers and visitors. With the Gold Line Station at North First Avenue and East Santa Clara Street scheduled to open in 2015, efforts to help brand the area have been fast-tracked.
Historic preservation coming to Arcadia. City is in process of drafting ordinances on historic preservation aimed at safeguarding historic districts, structures and buildings. Ordinances are expected to provide defined procedures and criteria for property owners and communities to judge their historic relevance. Correction: see Arcadia Weekly, p. 10, February 22, 2018 and another correction Arcadia Weekly, p. 13, March 1, 2018. Correction to the Historic preservation coming to Arcadia article. Arcadia Weekly recently ran an article about the Arcadia City Council drafting a historic preservation ordinance. It incorrectly read, "The draft would demand the consent of 60% of property owners along with Planning Commission review and City Council adoption." The corrected statement reads, "The Draft Historic Preservation Ordinance proposes that at least 60% of properties within the district must contribute to the historic significance of the district and 75% of the property owners within the district need to consent to the designation."
Arcadia Transit Plaza dedication ceremony held November 6, 2014. It is located at 99 Santa Clara Street, at First Avenue, where the Gold Line Station in Arcadia is being built. It will serve as a transportation hub and a gathering space for the community. Many VIPs attended (photos).
Fifty years tell a story. Baldwin Stocker PTA presents "Come back to play" to celebrate the elementary school's 50th anniversary on October 14, 5-8 PM at 422 W. Lemon Avenue.