Arcadia's new city government first formed in 1903 and its first meeting took place at Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin's Oakwood Hotel, located at First Avenue and Santa Clara Road. Baldwin's hotel featured gambling and fine dining along with city government. The Oakwood Hotel burned down in 1911, and the city government moved to the McCoy Building at First Avenue and St. Joseph Street. Two years later, City Hall moved across the street to the Hibbard Building. In 1917, the first building was constructed as a City Hall at Huntington Drive and Second Avenue (?). A two-story colonial building was built for $18,000. This City Hall opened on July 13, 1918. City Hall moved in 1949 to a 13-acre parcel between Huntington Drive and the Pacific Electric railroad tracks.
Photos and caption show Alexandra Norwood, 11, of Monrovia, and others, volunteering for Operation Christmas Child, a project at Arcadia Presbyterian Church, to help children in Third World countries.
Arcadia City Council has gone on record as supporting the building of a new city hall that would be built on the other side of the Civic Center property. Out of three options presented by city manager Bill Kelly, the council consensus was for a new building at a cost of $6.6 million and adjacent to Huntington Drive West.
The City of Arcadia has finalized a deal with the Church of Arcadia so the church can move forward with its expansion. The city will pay the church $3.6 million and give it a 1.2 acre property at 630 E. Live Oak Avenue, in exchange for the church property at 21 Morlan Place. The church plans to build a two-story, 23,000 square feet church and meeting hall on the Live Oak Avenue lot. The Morlan Place property is near Rusnak Mercedes Benz.
Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. was awarded $2.7 million in a lawsuit against Huntington Ambulance Service. He claims that Huntington's treatment of him after a riding accident in which he broke two bones in his neck and a spinal injury, caused him to end his career. The Ambulance company is not affiliated with Huntington Hospital.
Arcadia wants to declare a section of Live oak Avenue and Las Tunas Drive in south Arcadia a redevelopment zone to qualify for county funding. The County says area is not blighted and does not meet qualifications for funding.
Arcadia loses a redevelopment battle with Los Angeles County. The ruling stated that the Las Tunas Drive - Live Oak Avenue area in South Arcadia did not meet the criteria to be declared blighted in order to receive redevelopment funds.
The expansion of Rusnak Mercedes-Benz, Arcadia's largest sales tax generator, still faces hurdles. The Church of Arcadia has agreed to move from 21 Morlan Place, but it has encountered delays with the county's plan checks. The City of Arcadia still needs to acquire Rod's Grill at 41 W. Huntington Drive, but proprietor Manny Romero has not accepted any of the city's numerous offers. Tom Valasek, director of marketing at Rusnak Auto Group says the dealership will have to move if the city cannot deliver the land for the expansion plan.
Plans are underway for "Peacock Corner" at the fountain and entrance at Arcadia County Park at Santa Anita Avenue and Huntington Drive. The bronze peacock will be 8 feet tall.
The proposed site for Arcadia's Gold Line station is just east of Santa Anita Avenue, at the First Avenue/Santa Clara intersection. City leaders want to separate the railroad tracks from the street.
Issues discussed at City Council meeting included redevelopment of South Arcadia along Live Oak Avenue and Las Tunas Drive, between just east of 6th Avenue and west of the Arcadia wash. The meeting lasted 18 minutes.
Temple City will not try to annex an unincorporated area near Arcadia, bounded by Daines Drive on the north, Tyler Avenue on the east, West Hondo Parkway on the south and Santa Anita Avenue on the west. Temple City will continue efforts to expand the city's north and south boundaries but wanted to avoid a fight with Arcadia for this area.
Joyce Miller, 86, of Arcadia is shown in photo at Holliston United Methodist Church, the century old church at 1305 E. Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, on Easter Sunday with new Korean congregation members.
Johnny Longden, the Hall of Fame jockey who rode Count Fleet to the Triple Crown in 1943 and was the first rider to win 6000 races, died on Feb. 14. Services will be held on February 24 at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Arcadia.
Architectural drawings and the design for the new Arcadia City Hall have drawn criticism from the City Council. The new City Hall building is estimated to cost $11 million.
City planners will try to preserve Rosemarie Drive in Arcadia, as they work with a developer and neighbors on the possibility of a split lot for Joseph Winn's property at 460 W. Walnut. Currently the street has a cul-de-sac to the west and dead ends to the east.