A cabin is lost, but memories endure. Greg Vanni of Arcadia, had a cabin among the 80 historic Chantry Flat cabins in Big Santa Anita Canyon. It burned to its foundation in the Bobcat Fire. It was a 350-foot cabin built in 1910 during "The Great Hiking Era," a time between the 1880s to the late 1930s in Southern California, when settlers from the city were drawn to the San Gabriel Mountains looking for adventure. The historic Adams Pack Station survived the fire.
Chantry Flat Road, also known as Santa Anita Canyon Road, will reopen to the public on Wednesday, April 16, despite unfinished repairs. Fire in the Santa Anita Canyon had forced a 6-month closure of the road.
Kim Kelley, owner of the Adams pack station near Chantry Flat, has decided to sell the historic station for financial reasons. The heavily damaged roads to Big Santa Anita Canyon have hurt her business.
What's next for cabins in Santa Anita Canyon affected by Bobcat Fire? Historic cabins dating from the early 1900s were threatened by the fire in September. The number of cabins decreased to 63 from 80. Most were built during the Great Hiking Era. The cabin owners still use the original hand-crank telephone system invented by Alexander Graham Bell. Includes more history and description.
A brush fire that started Saturday in Santa Anita Canyon is being referrred to as the Santa Anita Fire. The fire is still raging in the mountains above Sierra Madre and Arcadia. It has destroyed 400 acres, forced the evacuation of 1000 people, and forced Sierra Madre to close its schools. Officials say it could take 4-7 days to contain the fire.
View toward the east believed to be from a point about at corner of present Santa Anita and Elkins Drive in the Highland Oaks area. The large canyon opening to left side of photo would be at mouth of Big Santa Anita. Large oak on right, dirt road, white building near center of photo.
1. Announcement of gold digging activity in Big Santa Anita Canyon in the mid 1880s. Clip from Pony Express Courier, March 1938. Copied from Mr. Sid Platford's copy. 2. Copy of claim staked for placer mining in Santa Anita Canyon in 1877 and filed with the Los Angeles County Hall of Records. …
1. Announcement of gold digging activity in Big Santa Anita Canyon in the mid 1880s. Clip from Pony Express Courier, March 1938. Copied from Mr. Sid Platford's copy.
2. Copy of claim staked for placer mining in Santa Anita Canyon in 1877 and filed with the Los Angeles County Hall of Records. The names appear to be J.N. Varnay or Vannay and Henry Matheys. Given to Library by Richard Courtney April 1981.
Bobcat Fire - Most Chantry Flat cabins survived - 62 of 80 structures, historic Adams Pack Station did not burn down in massive Bobcat Fire which broke out September 6.
Firefighters have gained the upper hand on the Santa Anita Fire yesterday after it had burned a total of 584 acres. Officials lifted mandatory evacuations throughout the area. A timeline of the fire is on page 11.
Santa Anita Canyon Road, aka Chantry Flat Road, has been jointly owned by Arcadia, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, and Los Angeles County for years. The 3-mile mountain road that leads to the Angeles National Forest will be turned over to Los Angeles County if the cities pay to fix it up. Arcadia and Sierra Madre have completed their repairs and are waiting for Monrovia to start a roughly $500,000 project.
View upstream of Big Santa Anita Stream. Man in suit and hat is seen fishing beside white alder tree. Original photo was by Shaffner's California Views, 500 Sixth Street, L.A.
A brush fire caused by a suspected arsonist broke out at 1:42 PM in the Santa Anita Canyon right on the Sierra Madre and Arcadia border last Monday. Flames reached within 100 feet of homes in Arcadia, but no structural damage was reported.
Art Wilson recaps the Santa Anita Handicap "Big 'Cap" race that took place yesterday. Included is a photo of race horse "Misremembered" and jockey Martin Garcia, who won the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap.
Arcadia City Council approves a temporary permit for an inflatable Fun Box play area in the parking lot of The Shops at Santa Anita mall (formerly Westfield Santa Anita mall, name was changed in 2022). It will run from March 1 through May 23. The Shops at Santa Anita is at 400 S. Baldwin Avenue.
Calmer winds helped firefighters battling the 538-acre Santa Anita Fire yesterday as crews focused on protecting homes and stopping a creeping western edge of flames that forced evacuations in neighboring Pasadena. Also see two accompanying articles on the front page.