Page 16 - Layout 1

16 COMMUNITY PAGES www.CrescentaCanada.com

A Brief History

of La Crescenta

The secret to La Crescenta’s unbeatable
climate also gives rise to its motto, “The
Balcony of Southern California.” A deep cleft
in the hills to the south opens La Crescenta
to a clear view of the Pacific Ocean, a shim-
mering source of sea breezes that bring a
welcome afternoon relief to summer heat, a
relief not found in many Southland cities
and towns. The highest point is 2,700 feet
above sea level. The mountains to the north
offer winter sports and summer fun. The

world-famed southland sports area is spread Restored Le Mesnager winery barn located

like a carpet at the feet of La Crescenta. in Deukmejian Park, La Crescenta.
“ e Balcony of Southern California.” After the disastrous flood of 1934, the U.S. Army
“The Balcony of Southern California”
Corps of Engineers and the Los Angeles County
Historically, the Crescenta Valley dates back to Flood Control District embarked upon a major
1798 when Don Jose Maria Verdugo established his construction of dams, channels, debris basins and
36,000 acre Rancho San Rafael. It was not until the continued efforts to control erosion. Major fires
years between 1879 and 1920 that developers dis- swept the La Crescenta area in 1933, 1964 and
covered the Rancho’s fertile acreage and began to 1975.A major earthquake in 1971 left La Crescenta
lay the foundations for the communities that now with a minimum of damage, but several old com-
make up the Crescenta Valley. mercial buildings had to be demolished.

In 1843, a Mexican soldier named Ignacio Coronel The population boom in Southern California that
obtained the land east of Pickens Canyon and followed World War II, when servicemen discov-
named it Rancho La Cañada. One of the first set- ered the many delightful advantages of life in the
tlers in Crescenta Valley was Colonel Theodore Golden State, saw the Crescenta Valley emerge
Pickens, for whom a street, a mountain peak and a from an agricultural economy to become a choice
canyon are named. Pickens Canyon runs next to location for veterans seeking single family resi-
Mountain Avenue School in La Crescenta and dences on pleasant lots for their wives and chil-
crosses Foothill Boulevard at Briggs Avenue. In dren. The opening of the Foothill Freeway in July
1871, Colonel Pickens settled in the foothills north 1972, with its subsequent extension westward to
of La Cañada in the area now called Briggs Terrace Interstate 5 in 1981, and the completion of the
at the top of Briggs Avenue. Glendale Freeway in 1978 had a tremendous
impact on the Crescenta Valley by bringing it “free-
Geographically, the Crescenta Valley extends east- way close to everywhere.”
ward from the Los Angeles City communities of
Sunland and Tujunga through a portion of the City Businesses have changed, schools were built, then
of Glendale and the County territories of La closed due to lack of population, then reopened
Crescenta and Montrose to the incorporated city again. Many families are third generation in La
of La Cañada Flintridge. Crescenta. Despite these freeways and despite its
growth, the Crescenta Valley remains today a most
Sunland was annexed to the City of Los Angeles in pleasant, a most attractive and a most convenient
1926 and Tujunga in 1932. The remainder of the place to raise a family, conduct a business or enjoy
Crescenta Valley stood as County territory until life in Southern California at its very best.
January 1952 when the City of Glendale annexed
the strip which included the commercial section
of Montrose and extended up into the Verdugo
Mountains. The communities of La Cañada and Reprinted from the Crescenta Valley
Flintridge joined together in incorporation in Chamber of Commerce’s Best
December 1976 while portions of La Crescenta Business Directory, 2009-10.
and Montrose still remain as part of Los angeles
County.