Altadena, California | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of Altadena andEaton Canyon | |
 Location of Altadena inLos Angeles County,California | |
  Altadena, California Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates:34°11′19″N118°8′5″W / 34.18861°N 118.13472°W /34.18861; -118.13472 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Los Angeles |
| Area | |
• Total | 8.48 sq mi (21.97 km2) |
| • Land | 8.46 sq mi (21.92 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2) 0.19% |
| Elevation | 1,358 ft (414 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 42,846 |
| • Density | 5,061.55/sq mi (1,954.26/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 91001, 91003 |
| Area code | 626 |
| FIPS code | 06-01290 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1652662,2407732 |
Altadena (/ˌɑːltəˈdiːnə/pronunciationⓘAL-tə-DEE-nə) is anunincorporated area,[3][4] andcensus-designated place in theSan Gabriel Valley and theVerdugos[5] regions ofLos Angeles County, California. Directly north ofPasadena, it is located approximately 14 miles (23 km) fromDowntown Los Angeles. Its population was 42,846 at the 2020 census, up slightly from a 2010 figure of 42,777. In early 2025, the community was severely impacted by theEaton Fire.
The name Altadena was coined by Byron O. Clark, who established Altadena Nursery in 1875. The name combines theSpanish alta, meaning 'upper,' with dena, a term he likely adapted fromPasadena, though its precise origin remains unclear. The area is adjacent to, but at a higher elevation than, Pasadena.[6][7]
In the mid-1860s, Benjamin S. Eaton first developed water sources from theArroyo Seco andEaton Canyon to irrigate his vineyard near the edge of Eaton Canyon. This made possible the development of Altadena, Pasadena, and South Pasadena. He did the construction forB. D. Wilson andDr. John Griffin, who jointly owned the Mexican land grant ofRancho San Pascual, about 14,000 acres (5,700 ha), that would be the future sites of these three communities. They hoped to develop and sell this land in a real estate plan called the San Pasqual Plantation. Their efforts failed by 1870, despite Eaton's irrigation ditch that drew water from the site of present-dayJet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in theArroyo Seco, because the land was relatively inaccessible and few believed crops could thrive that close to the mountains.
Eaton tried to sell the land for the partners, and in late 1873 he helped broker a deal with Daniel Berry, who represented a group of investors from Indiana, to buy 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) of the rancho. This included the land of present-day Altadena, but they developed a 2,500 acres (1,000 ha) section further south as Pasadena.
Byron O. Clark established a nursery in the foothills in 1875, which he named "Altadena Nursery", a name he coined from the Spanishalta meaning "upper" anddena from Pasadena.
In 1880 or 1881, Capt. Frederick Woodbury, and his brother, John Woodbury ofMarshalltown, Iowa, purchased 937 acres (379 ha) known as the Woodbury Ranch. The land remained primarily agricultural, though several Eastern millionaires built mansions along Mariposa Street, and a small community developed through the 1890s and into the next century.
John Woodbury established the Pasadena Improvement Company in 1887, with a plot plan of residential development referred to as the Woodbury Subdivision. They contacted Byron O. Clark, who had moved away, and asked if he could use the name "Altadena" for his subdivision; Clark agreed.
The newly-sprouted community of Altadena immediately began to attract millionaires from the East. In 1887Andrew McNally, the printing magnate from Chicago, and his friend,George Gill Green, had built mansions on what was to become Millionaire's Row: Mariposa Street nearSanta Rosa Avenue. Newspaper moguls William Armiger Scripps and William Kellogg built homes side by side just east ofFair Oaks Avenue. A bit farther east,Zane Grey bought a home from Arthur Herbert Woodward, and added a second-floor study. The famous Benziger Publishing Company built a mansion on the corner of Santa Rosa Avenue (Christmas Tree Lane) and Mariposa. Mariposa was taken from the Spanish name for a butterfly. The grandson of Andrew McNally,Wallace Neff, became a famous Southern California architect. He started his career in Altadena with the design and construction of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church (parish est. 1918), which was dedicated in October 1926.
From 1924 to 1926, 160 homes were built in Altadena byfugitive conman Elisha Paul Janes, with distinctive steep roofs and multiple gables; despite his lack of qualifications, they proved popular, and this neighbourhood was designated as a heritage area in 2002.[8][9] Many notable buildings followed in the 1930s, including Eliot Junior High School (1931) and Davies Community Center inFarnsworth Park (1934).[10]
Redlining policies preventedAfrican Americans from acquiring land or purchasing property in much of California.[11][12] One of the areas exempt from these policies was Altadena Meadows, which thrived and became one of first middle-class African American neighborhoods in the area.[12][13]
While Altadena long refused wholesaleannexation by neighboringPasadena, the larger community nibbled at its edges in several small annexations of neighborhoods through the 1940s. Attempted annexation was stopped in 1956 by community campaigns, though it has been resurrected several times since by Pasadena without success. Had the annexation succeeded, Pasadena would be the108th largest city in the United States.
With early-1960s redevelopment in Pasadena, the routing of extensions of the 134 and 210 freeways, and lawsuits over the desegregation ofPasadena Unified School District, there was white flight and convulsive racial change in Altadena. In 1960, its black population was under four percent; over the next 15 years, half the White population left, and was replaced by people of color, many of whom settled on the west side of town after being displaced by Pasadena's redevelopment and freeway projects.
In 1993, theKinneloa Fire, begun accidentally on the slopes aboveEaton Canyon, burned dozens of homes in Altadena and neighboringKinneloa Mesa as part of a rash of late October wildfires driven bySanta Ana winds in Southern California. One man died of complications from smoke inhalation and dozens were injured.[14][15]
In 2022, Altadena gained local coverage in Los Angeles as the place of the first land return to theTongva since the arrival of Europeans in theLos Angeles Basin area, after a resident donated her 1 acre property to theTongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy.[16][17] It was described as marking the first time in nearly 200 years that the Tongva have had land inLos Angeles County.[18]
In 2022, a single lottery ticket was sold to Edwin Castro, which would win a world record US$2.04 billionPowerball jackpot.[19]
On January 7, 2025, theEaton Fire started in Altadena around 6:30 PM local time during a powerfulSanta Ana Winds. It quickly spread to 14,000 acres by January 10, with 17 confirmed fatalities.[20] Over 9,000 structures were damaged or destroyed, including theAndrew McNally House,Altadena Community Church,St. Mark's Episcopal Church,The Bunny Museum,Scripps Hall and much of the downtown area. The entirety of Altadena was put under an evacuation order.[21] Nearly half of the Black households in Altadena were damaged or destroyed by the fire.[22] In the aftermath of the fires, many homeowners struggled with high rebuilding costs and some were forced to sell, while luxury developers and wealthy individuals scrambled to buy lots in cash at competitive prices.[23]
For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Altadena as acensus-designated place (CDP). According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.7 square miles (23 km2), over 99% of it land.
Altadena experiences hot and dry summers that are followed by warm and windy falls and mild winters. According to theKöppen climate classification system, Altadena has ahot-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviatedCsa on climate maps.
| Climate data for Altadena, California (1991-2020 averages, 1922-2016 extremes) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 93 (34) | 92 (33) | 98 (37) | 105 (41) | 104 (40) | 113 (45) | 110 (43) | 107 (42) | 111 (44) | 108 (42) | 101 (38) | 93 (34) | 113 (45) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 64.3 (17.9) | 64.4 (18.0) | 66.6 (19.2) | 67.0 (19.4) | 75.0 (23.9) | 79.1 (26.2) | 85.8 (29.9) | 86.8 (30.4) | 84.6 (29.2) | 76.9 (24.9) | 72.8 (22.7) | 65.8 (18.8) | 74.1 (23.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 42.3 (5.7) | 43.9 (6.6) | 44.8 (7.1) | 45.9 (7.7) | 50.2 (10.1) | 52.9 (11.6) | 57.7 (14.3) | 59.1 (15.1) | 58.4 (14.7) | 51.8 (11.0) | 48.5 (9.2) | 44.6 (7.0) | 50.0 (10.0) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 21 (−6) | 26 (−3) | 29 (−2) | 31 (−1) | 32 (0) | 41 (5) | 45 (7) | 43 (6) | 41 (5) | 36 (2) | 26 (−3) | 25 (−4) | 21 (−6) |
| Average rainfall inches (mm) | 4.80 (122) | 5.74 (146) | 3.19 (81) | 1.29 (33) | 0.74 (19) | 0.21 (5.3) | 0.08 (2.0) | 0.01 (0.25) | 0.18 (4.6) | 0.91 (23) | 1.18 (30) | 3.04 (77) | 21.37 (543.15) |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.01 inch) | 6.4 | 6.0 | 4.9 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 4.9 | 34.2 |
| Source 1: WRCC[24] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: WRCC[25] | |||||||||||||
The wettest calendar year was 1983, with 48.47 inches (1,231.1 mm), and the driest was 1947, with 5.37 inches (136.4 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 19.70 inches (500.4 mm), in February 1980. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 7.70 inches (195.6 mm), on March 2, 1938. Altadena averages 21.09 inches (535.7 mm) of rain a year, over 6 inches (150 mm) more than nearby Los Angeles due to theorographic effect created by theSan Gabriel Mountains. Because of the slope on which the city is built, sewer lines in the city's northern section have been known to overflow significantly.[citation needed]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 40,568 | — | |
| 1970 | 42,415 | 4.6% | |
| 1980 | 40,983 | −3.4% | |
| 1990 | 42,658 | 4.1% | |
| 2000 | 42,610 | −0.1% | |
| 2010 | 42,777 | 0.4% | |
| 2020 | 42,846 | 0.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[26] 1860–1870[27][28] 1880-1890[29] 1900[30] 1910[31] 1920[32] 1930[33] 1940[34] 1950[35] 1960[36] 1970[37] 1980[38] 1990[39]2000[40] 2010[41] 2020[42] | |||
Altadena first appeared as an unincorporated community in the1960 U.S. Census;[36] and as acensus-designated place in the1980 U.S. Census.[38]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[43] | Pop 2010[44] | Pop 2020[42] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 16,848 | 17,231 | 17,900 | 39.54% | 40.28% | 41.78% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 13,112 | 9,816 | 7,136 | 30.77% | 22.95% | 16.65% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 117 | 85 | 46 | 0.27% | 0.20% | 0.11% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1,761 | 2,231 | 2,919 | 4.13% | 5.22% | 6.81% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 49 | 65 | 47 | 0.11% | 0.15% | 0.11% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 151 | 187 | 293 | 0.35% | 0.44% | 0.68% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 1,882 | 1,660 | 2,334 | 4.42% | 3.88% | 5.45% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8,690 | 11,502 | 12,171 | 20.39% | 26.89% | 28.41% |
| Total | 42,610 | 42,777 | 42,846 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The2020 United States census[45] reported that Altadena had a population of 42,846. Theracial makeup of Altadena in the year 2020 was (53.2%) White (41.2% Non-Hispanic White),[46] (19.7%) African American, (0.6%) Native American, (5.2%) Asian, (0.1%) Pacific Islander, and (6.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 29.5% of the population.
The2010 United States census[47] reported that Altadena had a population of 42,777. The population density was 4,900.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,892.1/km2). Theracial makeup of Altadena in the year 2010 was 22,569 (52.8%) White (40.3% Non-Hispanic White),[46] 10,136 (23.7%) African American, 300 (0.7%) Native American, 2,307 (5.4%) Asian, 71 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 4,852 (11.3%) from other races, and 2,542 (5.9%) from two or more races. There were 11,502 Hispanic or Latino residents, of any race (26.9%).
The Census reported that 42,276 people (98.8% of the population) lived in households, 234 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 267 (0.6%) were institutionalized.
There were 15,212 households, out of which 5,170 (34.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 7,684 (50.5%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 2,210 (14.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 814 (5.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 661 (4.3%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 271 (1.8%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,489 households (22.9%) were made up of individuals, and 1,318 (8.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78. There were 10,708families (70.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.26.
The age distribution of the city's population was as follows: 9,507 people (22.2%) were under the age of 18, 3,286 (7.7%) aged 18 to 24, 10,622 (24.8%) aged 25 to 44, 13,298 (31.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 6,064 (14.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
There were 15,947 housing units at an average density of 1,826.8 per square mile (705.3/km2), of which 10,889 (71.6%) were owner-occupied, and 4,323 (28.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.9%. 30,319 people (70.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 11,957 people (28.0%) lived in rental housing units.
According to the 2010 United States Census, Altadena had a median household income of $82,895, with 10.7% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[46]
As of the2000 United States census,[48] there were 42,610 people, 14,780 households, and 10,671 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,898.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,891.5/km2). There were 15,250 housing units at an average density of 1,753.3 per square mile (677.0/km2). Theracial makeup of the CDP in the year 2000 was 47.30% White or European American, 31.42% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 4.24% Asian or Asian American, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 10.19% from other races, and 6.14% from two or more races. 20.39% of the population wereHispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 14,780 households, out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% weremarried couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the CDP, 26.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.4% was from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $60,549, and the median income for a family was $66,800 (these figures had risen to $77,020 and $86,778 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $49,098 versus $38,054 for females. Theper capita income for the CDP was $27,604. About 7.4% of families and 10.6% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
Altadena has atown council that acts as an ombudsman for the Altadena neighborhoods, and provides a forum for town meetings. Altadena is formally managed by the Los Angeles County Supervisors, and is located in LA County Supervisorial District 5, under SupervisorKathryn Barger.[49]
Altadena is known for its community of artists and arts professionals, with artistic heritage dating back to the early 20th century.[50][51][52]
Christmas Tree Lane is a 0.7-mile (1.1 km) stretch of Santa Rosa Avenue from Woodbury Road to Altadena Drive.[53] It has been a holiday attraction since 1920, and it is the oldest large-scale outdoor Christmas lighting venue in the world. Each December, members of the Christmas Tree Lane Association[54] festoon the 110 still standing giantdeodars that line the street with thousands of Christmas lights. Christmas Tree Lane was placed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1990,[53] and is aCalifornia Historical Landmark.[55]
Among Altadena's Christmas lighting attractions was the Balian Mansion, which drew people worldwide for tours of its Christmas lighting display. The Balian Mansion display was lit during the holiday season from 1955 to 2016, and is arguably the pioneer of home holiday lighting.[56]
The historicMount Lowe Railway was a scenic railway that once carried passengers to any of four resort hotels high in the San Gabriel Mountains above Altadena and Pasadena. The most direct trail to the sites, theSam Merrill Trail, starts in Altadena at the top ofLake Avenue, and leads to Mount Echo, about 3 miles (4.8 km). Chaney Trail, just west of the intersection at Fair Oaks Avenue and Loma Alta Street, is a forestry service road leading to the old right of way. The Mount Lowe Railway site was placed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1993. Altadena has a number of hiking trails, including the trail to the Dawn Mine, which can be reached via Chaney Trail to Sunset Ridge Trail.
The Cobb Estate at the top of Lake Avenue is now a freebotanical garden, operated by theUnited States Forest Service. It is guarded by its historic gates, which are easily bypassed to allow visitors and hikers to ascend its long and winding paved driveway to the site of what was once one of Altadena's premier mansions. This site is also found alongside the Sam Merrill Trail, which accesses Las Flores Canyon on the way toEcho Mountain.
Gen. Charles S. Farnsworth County Park, located on Lake Avenue, is a large county park that offers picnic grounds, play areas, and a clubhouse and amphitheater. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. TheRotary International chapter holds annual summer concerts in the amphitheater.
Crudely Hewn Tombstone is the final resting place of abolitionist andHarpers Ferry attack survivorOwen Brown. The Tombstone, which is the only known memorial for Owen Brown, reads: "Owen Brown, son of John Brown, the Liberator, died Jan. 9, 1889, aged 64 years.” and is located on Round Top Hill near Brown Mountain in an isolated part of theAngeles National Forest.[57]
TheBunny Museum held more than 35,000 rabbit-related items across 16 galleries in a 7,000-square-foot (650 m2) space before it was destroyed in the Eaton Fire in 2025.Zorthian Ranch is a 48-acre artist colony (19 ha) that was also heavily damaged in the fire.[58][59]
TheLos Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) operates the Altadena Station in Altadena.[60]
TheCalifornia Highway Patrol operates the Altadena Area Office on Windsor Dr. in Altadena.
Altadena is a shared jurisdiction where L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. handles crime-related calls and CHP handles traffic-related calls.
TheLos Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Monrovia Health Center inMonrovia, serving Altadena.[61]
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Places adjacent to Altadena, California | |
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