The herald., 1895-03-30
PASADENA, THEN AND NOW

Twenty years ago few mon came up
the Arroyo Seco from Los Angeles into
the San Gabriel valley. They were de-
promised, lane. in Southern California,
and had Examined the country from San
Diego north. They found the present
site of Pasadena-a barren sheep run
covered here and there with low brush.
and cut by washes from the mountain
streams, says Charles Frederick Holder
The locality impressed them at once.
The, broad valley, the lofty mountains,
the grand snow-capped peaks ten and
eleven thousand feet in air, the deep can
yons-their verdure wedging into the
heart OF the range, to waterfalls and cas-
was balmy, and all nature seemed to give
them welcome. A location at the head
of the San Gabriel valley was selected
and named Pasadena. Today here is
city which ranks third in Southern Cali
fornia in size, second in wealth and first
in beauty.
Pasadena is not resort in the sense
that st. Augustine or Jacksonville are.
They are occupied in winter, deserted in
summer; while Pasadena is a citv OF
homes, with permanent population OF
10000.
Pasadena seems to have been built up
on the reputation of its winter climate;
but in fact the summer is equally delight
ful-and far more comfortable than the
average Eastern summer. To Easter n
readers it is difficult to convey any ade-
quate idea of the conditions which hold
here.
To those who have given it ten or twelve
health, it seems as near perfection as one
can expect. 1t is not "a perfect climate"
such thing does not exist But after a
long acquaintance with Florida and fa-
milarity with the Eastern resorts and
Colorado, have no hesitation in placing
health and leasure resort while in the
opinion of many, no place in the world
so near civilization can compare with it.
The climate is an enigma. We have win
ter and ummer-between which there is
a difference of about Is degrees. You may
know ie is winter here by the occasional
rains that give an annual fall of about
twenty inches. They come in October or
November and continue until April, at
intervals of two or three weeks The
country soon takes on coat of green and
by February, or earlier, the entire land is
a garden. The wild flowers cover the
mesas; there are great patches Of blue
Rivers of golden yellow wind away
poppy" The roadsides are lined
with the yellow violet; while the 'shoot-
ing star, the Mariposa lily. the wild rose
and host of others carpet the land. The
air is soft; the west wind sends the white
os pink tinted blossoms Of almo. d. peach
and other trees scurrying over the
ground-the snowflakes OF a Pasadena
winter. You know it is winter by the
rustling Of the palm and banana leaves;
the song of the meadow lark and the JOY
GUS note of the night-long mocking bird.
The trees are fill with birds. the air
redolent with sweet odors the doors and
windows are wide open. You know it is
winter by the snow on Mount San An
tonio-and as write, with birds singing
and air sweet with orange blossoms, can
see the snow flying on the slope of the
great mountain. There is no doubt win
ter is here-but only looking over the
it never comes into the val
ley. Its icy breath has never injured the
palms and orange trees that have grown
about the old mission of San Gabriel so
many generations.