Thursday, March 12, 2009

Sun, Football, Flowers: Pasadena

By James Gilbert Pynn

From the Colorado Avenue Bridge to the San Gabriel Mountains, from Caltech to the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, as they say, has something for everyone. This rose-shrouded gem continues to lure settlers, students, and artists to its sunny climate. However you arrive, you are sure to be struck by the friendliness and hospitality of the local residents. Given the abundance of Pasadena hotels, visitors are bound to find one that allows them to explore this beautiful city.

Seeking a remedy for his asthma, Dr. Daniel M. Berry of Indiana came to the Arroyo Seco in 1873. Berry had been looking for a suitable place to relocate his loyal group of asthmatic patients. After surveying thee area, he later wrote: "It was the best three nights of sleep in my life." Eager to keep the area a secret, he created the Southern California Orange Grove Association and began to sell shares for a massive 4,000 aces bid. In 1874, the Indiana Colony, as most of the investors were from Indiana, was born.

Soon settlers from the East flocked to partake of the colony's warm weather and rich soil. In the years prior to the Great Depression, Pasadena became something of a fashionable resort for cold-weary Midwestern and Eastern families. This migration brought with it artists, actors, and scientists and soon the city's cultural and educational significance multiplied. In 1917, the famous Pasadena Playhouse opened its doors, while the Norton Simon Museum was founded in1922. The now famous Art Center of College and Design followed suit in 1930.

Pasadena was once, and still is in many ways, the center of commerce, industry, and education for the entire San Gabriel Valley. Visitors and aficionados can marvel at the citys historic facades facing Colorado Boulevard and scramble to find a place to watch the annual Tournament of Roses Parade. First begun in 1890, as a showcase for Pasadenas superlative weather, the Parade has been held on every New Years Day since. Though it had been followed by chariot races and teams sports, its first association with football began in 1902 with the "Tournament East-West Football Game." Though the next game was not played until 1916, the Rose Bowl has become the most significant college bowl game in the country.

Given the copious amounts of beautiful cities in Southern California, and its abundant sunshine, it is not difficult to see why so many people pulled up stakes and came west. Pasadena holds a special place in the history of the Wild West and has come to hold a place in the hearts of millions of football fans everywhere.

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