My wife and I moved into Alhambra in 2001...Since then we have seen our neighborhood improve, and we have grown more connected to Alhambra because of your efforts. I will tell you that I think the function that [your group] serves is absolutely critical. The built environment has such a profound influence on all of us. Ironically, that effect can be hard to quantify, and thus positions which attempt to retain the fabric of communities can be hard to justify.

Keep up the good work, and fight the good fight. The battle is not just for the Alhambra of the past, but for the future, when your legacy will hopefully be preserved.

— A former City of Alhambra Design Review Board staff member

You may wonder why someone from Poulsbo WA would be joining your group. For a very good reason!

As a boy I lived (from 1938 to 1951) in the 700 block of N. Curtis Ave., and have many fond memories of the town and my life there. I am a graduate of Garfield Elementary and of Alhambra High School, class of S 1948, and a member of Alhambra First Methodist Church and its Methodist Youth Fellowship of which I was President for one year. Wonderful times and wonderful memories.

What sparked my renewed interest is the inclusion of Alhambra in the book  "500 Places to See Before They Disappear." It seems I did not realize what a treasure town I lived in! How distressing to learn that much of the charm is being razed.  My house was a Spanish style three bedroom house, white stucco with a  partial red tile roof.  It was there a few years ago, so I hope it has continued to survive.

I wish you every success in your efforts.

Robert W. M.
Retired Foreign Service Officer and United States Consul General

Regarding the 2009 Home Tour...

"You guys did it again!  In spite that it was a very hot day there seemed to have been a lot of traffic in the homes. I had some very interesting conversations at my station every one was just so impressed as to what can be done with an old treasure one finds in the real estate market.  You should have hear all the "Ohhs" and "Ahhs"...........it was a fun job.

Who did all this great research on these homes?  Someone should get credit for all the research and good writing that was sent to us about the homes that will be shown. I just can't say enough for the board of the preservation gour for the good job they always do wether it is a meeting or showing of homes you are all to be congradulated on your hard work and efforts. Its what I call Alhambra pride!

— Maria P.

Thank you so much for letting me be a part of the Home Tour...and for allowing me to be a part of such a wonderful 'family' of people. All the best,

— Ruth E H.

Congrats on all the great work you're doing!

Cindy
LA Conservancy

Dear Alhambra Preservation Group,

It is obvious that until Alhambra passes a strict or stricter development law regarding preservation, your city is going to lose all it's historic properties one by one. I am appalled, as I always am, that anyone would take down any home with historically significant architecture. These are the most ignorant and uneducated decision processes that I have seen...

People move to Alhambra and cities like it specifically for the ambiance that the neighborhoods and older homes provide. They do not move there to look at apartment buildings with overcrowded street parking and 12 people living in one unit...Someone in city government is clearly ignoring the needs of the community and respect for the past...your city government is useless."

SLTH

The article in the Pasadena Star News is prompting me to write....I just wanted to let you know that we give you our support and should you need people at city council meetings, please let us know. We thoroughly support your struggle to preserve the historic neighborhoods...everytime I bike through the Bean Tract, I wish that San Gabriel had come as far as you have.

Please know that you have supporters and admirers as your neighbors!

Senya L
San Gabriel

It was wonderful to find that there is a movement to save these wonderful homes. I used to live at 1625 South Third Street in the early 1960's in what was a bungalow style house that was torn down shortly after my Dad sold it in 1963. It was sadly replaced by very ugly condos. It was a most unique house and I don't think there was another like it in the area. Why was it so unique?

The number of doors and full length window doors that opened to the outside. The front of the house had no less than five that opened to the front porch (three from the living room and one each from a bedroom and the dining room on either side of the living room. There were two more facing the street on each front wall of the bedroom and dining room. We are up to a total of 9. The living/front room back wall had a French door on either side of the fireplace leading out to a sunporch. There was a bedroom on each side of the sunporch, each had a door opening into it. Then there was the "back" door off the kitchen. A total of 14 doors opening to the outside of the house. ...all original. The only door with a lock was the unused front door. All the others either used skeleton keys or a latch. No one ever broke in. We thought the house was built in the late teens/early twenties. Stained glass windows in the dining room and I think, the living room. The was a huge walnut tree in the backyard - I wonder if it still stands. We did not know much about the history of the home, but had suspected it was a Greene and Greene, or at the very least, a copycat of their style.

Thanks for listening to my rambling. I spent my middle teenage years in the area and loved it! A great place to grow up.

Laurie W.

I lived in Alhambra many years ago in a house at 21 S. Almansor St.  The Turner and Steven Mortuary was next door on the corner of Main St.  I spent a significant part and the happiest part of my childhood there. I was heartbroken years ago to hear that that beloved old house had been torn down to make room for ugly block apartments. I can clearly identify that moment as when I became obsessed with historic  preservation....silly as it might sound I still dream of that home and miss it so.

Also, I was a student at Granada Elementary School. I started  in  1958. It was the year they were tearing down the "old" building, which  I remember as beautiful. The crane operator managed to flip the boom  on his machine and tear right through the roof!!! Wow. Enough trivia.  What I would like to know is this, does Granada School still have the  "cafetorium", and does it still have that mural in it? I remember when  it was brand new (both the building itself and the mural). Are there any pictures of the mural?

I would go and see for my self, but I live in Bremerton, Wa and don't travel too well these days.

Thank you very much.

D. D'Montegney

I came across your web site and wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed it!

I live in San Gabriel, right on the border of Alhambra near the Bean Tract. My home was built in 1940 and luckily still retains a good amount of it's original features...keep up the good fight, and don't give up! You are providing an invaluable resource to Alhambra and it's residents.

Jennifer W.

I've lived in the Bean Tract since 1962, in a 1938-39 house. I am appalled at how the City of Alhambra allows trees to be cut down...and [am] disgusted by the shopping carts stolen from markets ...Usually, my e-mails to various folk in city hall, or phone calls to same are pretty polite -- I never even receive an acknowledgment of their receipt of messages. This is just plain rude, as well as ignorant and arrogant. It obvious that those who run Alhambra's city government, and have run it for decades, are responsible for the overcrowding and lack of open green space and other messes we have now. More dwelling units on a given number of square feet of land = more tax revenue.

A major mistake was made around 1960 by not encouraging people to maintain and improve their old houses, by low-interest financing, if necessary. I saw the houses on North Stoneman disappear, one by one. Why could these have not been adapted and made into professional offices - MD, lawyers, architects? The concept of adaptive re-use has never occurred in our strange little town. Why could South Pasadena preserve its good old houses and Alhambra not do the same?

Alhambra apparently needs a council majority with a different outlook than we have had. I've never paid too much attention to the council members, but what attention I have paid has made me wonder if we aren't led by anti-intellectuals with very poor cultural values, little background, and low-class taste. Their prime value seems to be rounding up dollars; As far as ignorance and lack of background, here's an example: many years ago one of our city fathers, my neighbor two doors down the street...was running for yet another of his many terms on the city council. At my door, he made this statement: "We don't need those PYRO-MEDICS in this town; we can already get an ambulance in 3 minutes." Pyro-medics??? Did he mean paramedics? What other holes did he have in his knowledge? ... Several years ago I attended a party where a singularly ignorant, loud-mouthed person was holding forth at great volume about nothing except showing off "presence". This person was a social fool! Intelligent conversation was impossible. I heard later that this person was highly involved in Alhambra politics.

— Marilyn B.

Alhambra is losing all its green spaces…to sardine-like living…and then they complain about the traffic!!

— Sandy W., Alhambra

Hi — my name is Paul and I was born there in Alhambra, it's my home town. Or should I say was.

I came upon this sight while doing research on the history of Alhambra, and the only thing that I can say is that I'm SICK. A neighborhood that was simply beautiful and a great place to raise kids has ...what I can only describe as [having been] destroyed. I'm only sorry that I took it for granted. I guess I thought it would be there forever...It was the home of my childhood where I grew up playing with my Radio Flyer (you remember the little red wagons?)

When I was born, my mother Dolores A. Bowen, (maiden name) resident of Alhambra since 1943 (whose parents Harold and Dorothy Bowen lived at 1411 Edgewood Dr.) met Arnold V. Jimenez ...from looking at the [web] site, tells me it's not standing any longer.

I remember the old Shopping Bag on the corner of Edgewood Dr. and Valley...my father was a photographer and had our family studio there on Main Street, across from where, I understand, they're going to tear down yet another old building...he used to take photos for everyone in town and was well known by everyone...

I used to live on El Molino south of St. Teresa'a Church...can you tell me if the houses are still standing? Now THAT was the neighborhood to live in, I could sit here all day and [then] some -- and still not be able to convey into words the memories I have of that sleepy little town...everyone knew everyone. Those days are gone.

Now I live in a little town in Texas in a 100-yr old house with a wrap-around porch. I suppose that at the least I can sit and recall my childhood for the rest of my time here. Do you all still celebrate the Hi Neighbor! Parade?

I have history of what was and is no more. I can't believe it. I went to AHS and left Alhambra in 1989 and if I had to do over (having seen what has happened to the once charming little town), I'd have done the same thing and left. I guess one can really never go back.

Is there anything I can do to help as far as the history of Alhambra?

— Paul J., Texas

Hi folks. — I found your website when I was looking for sources for old Spanish plaster fireplaces.  Although I now live in Whittier, I grew up in Alhambra and it will always be "home" to me. 

Yes, what has happened to the city's beautiful old houses is truly sickening. I would love to see every one of these houses remain standing, but should they ultimately be slated for demolition, what information - if any - could you pass on about purchasing the property and moving it to another lot?  I have a strong desire to do so, if possible. Any information you have in this regard, any link or resource, would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you...and bless you for your work.

— Anita H. Whittier, CA

I am interested in two old Alhambra homes that I remember as a teenager.  One was, I think, at 1121 Atlantic Boulevard. It was a two-story Craftsman style home on the corner, probably built early century.  I remember it had bird's eye maple stairway. I think we were just north of Valley...it would be the northwest corner.  I remember a Richfield Station across the street or maybe down a block. I lived there for about six months right after the war started.  My mother and a friend turned  the home into a rooming house.  They did rent out rooms at that time, just after the war started.  I think the house had five bedrooms [and] a carriage house on the back of the property.  We may have moved in about January of 1942...but the other lady stayed for some years and then moved  to the old "Eagle Brand Mansion" on Garfield. 

The Atlantic Blvd house we lived in looks exactly like the McLean & Stoneman 1910 house (on your web site)...I thought for sure that was it.  Everything looks identical from my memory. I was wondering if either of these homes have survived?

I am living in Ramona, CA now and lived in Julian Ca for 30 years.  I am 77 and retired.

Thank you for your interest and good luck in saving those lovely homes.

— Lalia (Pat) B., Ramona, CA

Dear Mr. Amaro,

We received your wonderful letter and invitation in the mail today in regards to [the home on] West Glendon Way. I have to tell you, it what was more a undertaking then we initally thought —but it has transformed into a beauty and we are very proud of that!!! We would be honored to have you feature photographs of the home on your web site.

Over the course of the rehabilitation we have been in contact with numerous neighbors in the area and experienced what a fantastic city Alhambra is. Also, your building department and inspectors, especially "Mr. Eddy" have been professional and very helpful. We would also be interested if there were any benefits to be had, possibly the Mills Act, etc. Thank you for your support and interest.

— John & Patrice J. (owners)

Hi — I was just wondering if there will be a home tour this year?  I really enjoyed the tour last year and had hoped this would be an annual event.  Please let me know. Thank you so much!

— Lynnette R. Irvine, CA

..where is the charm in all the modernization? The thing that makes Pasadena so successful is its incorporation of old and new!!! It's frustrating!

— E.R., Alhambra

...we have a wonderful lot in Eagle Rock and want to move an old house onto it. How do we find out about acquiring one of the endangered homes in Alhambra?

— Anita B., Los Angeles, CA

I am a former Alhambra resident, and recently learned about the Alhambra Preservation Group. I support your efforts and am interested in joining and making a contribution. I would like to share a few personal thoughts about my impression of Alhambra over the years. If you wish you may call me directly...

— William M., New York

I used to live at 519 S. Marguerita. I'm trying to locate any info I can about the home and its history. When we first moved there in the 1970's the house was a brown shingled wood, but is now covered with blue/grey aluminum siding. The inside had many handcrafted wood built in's as well as the original gas light fixtures. There was also a barn in the back yard, and the adjoining lot had a fruit orchard with gazebo. There is now a set of 3 condos next door.

— Deanna P.

You guys might as well give up. The whole city will eventually be one large...mini-mall. I had a nice house up on Almansor just below Huntington. Nice web site...

— Dave, Ventura, CA

What city officials do I contact to voice my plea in favor of Alhambra historic preservation? Keep up the good work!

— Ms. Marie Z.

...[your] Preservation Group has brought great energy and focus to this matter. The fact that they are "watchdogs" on projects is a very good thing for our community....Having a group concerned about the projects character and dignity, in related to the community, is very helpful. Thank you for your concern for Alhambra. It is people like yourself that makes Alhambra a better place to live.

— Sincerely,
Paul Talbot
(former Alhambra Councilman)

I have never received an email from the Alhambra Preservation Group on anything positive in the City of Alhambra. It seems the group relishes in promoting negative information. In my mind that diminishes all credibility.

— (former Alhambra Councilman) Mark R. Paulson

Hi — I have enjoyed your home tour the last two years and was wondering if you were having one this year? Thanks!

— Bob S.

I own 1910 craftsman home in Alhambra and would very much like to list it as a historical home.  How do I go about doing this?

— Ivon R.