Mystery History -- Solved!

Merry Christmas, everybody!

Daniel wins with his 10:38 a.m. guess "I am thinking it is the original All Saints Church on Euclid Avenue during the Christmas season."

In the 1886 photo above, All Saints Church is decorated for Christmas services.

Here's a more modern look at All Saints at Christmas:

All Saints was founded in 1883, the first Episcopal parish in Pasadena. Members who had begun meeting in a private home three years earlier purchased a site among orange groves at Garfield Avenue and Colorado Boulevard in 1885 and built a small wooden church there. 

In 1889 a newer, temporary church opened at 123 N. Euclid Avenue. As the congregation grew, additional space became a priority. In 1923 the architectural firm Johnson, Kaufman and Coate was commissioned to design a new building. 

The beautiful new church, designed in a Gothic Revival style, was dedicated in 1924, three years before Pasadena City Hall was built.

Here's a photo of City Hall under construction with All Saints in the background.

Constructed of stone quarried from Bouquet Canyon in the Santa Clarita Valley and roofed with Vermont slate, the church houses a large display of decorative arts in the style popular in the early years of the 20th century, from the Ernest Batchelder floor tiles to windows created by Tiffany and Judson Studios.

All Saints Church is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Civic Center Historic District.

Many thanks to Pasadena Public Library, All Saints Church, Walk N Ride LA and Michael Locke.

Mystery History

Where are we? And what's happening?

The first person to answer both questions correctly will win lunch with me -- I'll buy yours and you'll buy mine. 

Remember, leave your best guess as a comment on this blog post but don't try to give the entire back story (that's my job). 

I'll have the full scoop on Thursday.

Looking for Something to Do? Free Events Dec. 20 to 26

Here are events scheduled Saturday, Dec. 20, to Friday, Dec. 26. 

All events are free, so take a look -- and don't you dare say there's nothing to do in Pasadena!

Children's and adult choirs perform songs of the season daily now through Wednesday, Dec. 24, at 8 p.m. in the courtyard at One Colorado.
 

The Festival of Lights is commemorated for eight days beginning Dec. 17. Enjoy special displays celebrating Hanukkah now through Dec. 31 at Central Library, La Pintoresca Branch Library and Linda Vista Branch Library during regular hours.  

The annual Holiday Light Up in Upper Hastings Ranch is in full swing and will remain in all its glory now through Jan. 1.  Any evening after dark, just drive to East Sierra Madre Boulevard and head north on any street between Riviera and Cynthia. Each street in UHR has a unique theme.
 

Santa will make his way from the North Pole to Paseo Colorado Saturday, Dec. 20, from 1 to 4 p.m. to visit with children and provide special treats. 

The Old Pasadena Farmers Market now has dedicated children's activities Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. organized by community partners including Kidspace Children's Museum, Farm Style Cooking for Kids and Armory Center for the Arts. The next OPFM is scheduled Sunday, Dec. 21.

Teens are invited to make snowglobes Monday, Dec. 22, at 2 p.m. on the fourth floor at Central Library to personalize for themselves or give as gifts. Miniatures, slogans, glitter and jars will be provided.  

Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to read books to gentle, well-trained dogs at Barks and Books Monday, Dec. 22, at 3 p.m. at La Pintoresca Branch Library.

"Miracle on 34th Street" (1947) starring Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O'Hara and Natalie Wood will be shown on the big screen in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center Friday, Dec. 26, at 1 p.m.  You do not have to be a member of the Senior Center to attend.



Photo credits: CNN, The Art Spot, imgkid, One Colorado, Patrick Murfin, Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA, IMDB, Los Angeles Love Affair,

Mystery History -- Solved!

 

Barbara wins with her11:38 Tuesday guess "Elks Lodge after the 1987 Whittier Narrows quake; the chimney has collapsed. It's October, and that's how we know it wasn't the reindeer"

In the 1987 photo above, a portion of the stately Elks Lodge at 400 W. Colorado Boulevard, including the roof and chimney, has been severely damaged by the Whittier Narrows earthquake. There was damage to other parts of the building as well.

Here is the Elks Lodge today:

And a side-by-side comparison with the top photo:

The Elks Lodge, at the southeast corner of Colorado and Orange Grove boulevards, was designed by Myron Hunt and built in 1911. To this day it has an active membership. The property is perhaps best known by non-members as everybody's favorite parking spot for the Colorado Street Bridge Party and "media corner" during the Rose Parade.

The 5.9 Whittier Narrows quake killed eight people on Oct. 1, 1987, and caused widespread damage, especially in the San Gabriel Valley and East Los Angeles. Property damage estimates throughout the affected areas totaled $358 million. The quake was felt throughout Southern California and southern Nevada.

This article in the New York Times gives a good account of the widespread damage. Most of the buildings that collapsed had been constructed with unreinforced masonry.  

Most unreinforced masonry buildings were built before 1933, predating modern earthquake-resistant design. Bricks were not strengthened with embedded steel bars.

Miraculously, two people inside Fair Oaks Automotive at 101 S. Fair Oaks Ave. in Pasadena survived when the unreinforced masonry building collapsed as a result of the quake:

 

The north wall of the building fell over onto parked cars, which were flattened:

This is what the building (the yellow one) looked like before the quake:

If you're interested in what Building Code regulations say about unreinforced masonry structures, click here.

Many thanks to Chris and Kevin and the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner,

Mystery History

 

Where are we? And what's happening?

The first person to answer both questions correctly will win lunch with me -- I'll buy yours and you'll buy mine. 

Remember, leave your best guess as a comment on this blog post but don't try to give the entire back story (that's my job). 

I'll have the full scoop on Thursday.

Looking for Something to Do? Free Events Dec. 6 to 12

Here are events scheduled Saturday, Dec. 6, to Friday, Dec. 12. 

All events are free, so take a look -- and don't you dare say there's nothing to do in Pasadena! 

The Festival of Lights is commemorated for eight days beginning Dec. 17. Enjoy special displays celebrating Hanukkah now through Dec. 31 at Central Library, La Pintoresca Branch Library and Linda Vista Branch Library during regular hours.

The Playhouse District's Merry, Merry Movie event Saturday, Dec. 6, beginning at 10 a.m., will include a free screening of "Arthur Christmas" (2011, PG) at the Laemmle Theater (popcorn included!) plus children's activities and photos with Santa. Be sure to click on the link for important details and instructions.

Festivities at South Lake's Holidayfest Saturday, Dec. 6, from noon to 5 p.m. will include carolers, live music, children's crafts, carriage rides, a scavenger hunt and more.  

Traditional and original music of the season by Los Angeles area songwriters will be performed Saturday, Dec. 6, from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Donald R Wright Auditorium at Central Library.

 

Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the film "The Polar Express" (2004, G) with the voices of Tom Hanks and Steven Tyler. See the movie plus enjoy a special Christmas train show Saturday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. at Santa Catalina Branch Library.

The holiday literary festival and Christmas tree lighting at Allendale Branch Library Saturday, Dec. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. will include refreshments and a stellar roster of poets and authors who will explore the true meanings of the holidays in works ranging from irreverent to spiritual.

Enjoy the harmonies of indie folk rock group The Wild Reeds Saturday, Dec. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the courtyard at One Colorado.There will be yummy treats and Santa will pop in for some impromptu photo opps.

Children can come for a visit with Santa and special treats Sunday, Dec. 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Paseo Colorado. 

This week's film on the big screen in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library is "The Christmas Candle" (2013, PG) starring Hans Matheson and Samantha Barks Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 1 p.m. In an enchanting English village, legend has it that every 25 years an angel visits the village candlemaker and touches a single candle that creates a Christmas Eve miracle for whoever lights it.

Enjoy Random Acts of Music performed by a Pasadena Symphony string duo Wednesday, Dec. 10, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Hill Avenue Branch Library. Everyone is invited to make requests and converse with the musicians. 

See up and coming comedians perform in rapid fire (four minutes each) on open mic night at The Ice House Comedy Club Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 6 p.m. There will be no cover charge.

Enjoy a staged reading of an adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m. at Pasadena Museum of History followed by a Q&A.

Mayor Bill Bogaard and the United Nations Association Pasadena Chapter will host a community event in honor of International Human Rights Day Wednesday, Dec. 10, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. International Day of Light and Light-based Technologies is the theme.

Help decorate the Christmas tree at Lamanda Park Branch Library Thursday, Dec. 11, at 3:30 p.m. and enjoy treats and family fun.

"The Red Shoes" (1948) starring Moira Shearer and Anton Walbrook will be shown on the big screen in the Scott Pavilion at Pasadena Senior Center Friday, Dec. 12, at 1 p.m. A young ballet dancer is torn between the man she loves and her pursuit to become a prima ballerina. You do not have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend.

The Christmas tree lighting event at La Pintoresca Branch Library and La Pintoresca Park will include crafts, caroling, refreshments and a visit from Santa Friday, Dec. 12, from 4 to 5:30 p.m.  Festivities at Hastings Branch Library will be on the same day at the same time.


Photo credits: Time and Date, Freedown Wallpaper, South Lake Business Association, The Wild Reeds, IMDB, News 9, Noel Noel Noel, Crafts for Kids, WKVI.