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Community Corner

SAN MARINO 1914 …WHAT'S HAPPENING?

In the spring of 1913, the
city of San Marino incorporated, partly to avoid being taken over by a neighboring
town with higher property taxes.  In 1914, one year later, what was going
on?   How was the new little city working?  What was going on in the
48 United States?  KEN VERONDA,
Headmaster of Southwestern Academy, will entertain one and all with a
historical lecture on this era at Crowell Public Library Monday, May 19th
at 7:00 p.m.  Ken will impart the issues
and perspectives of that day including the problems with the schoolhouse,
Alhambra’s outrageous charges for their services here, and the infestations of
rats throughout the orange groves and farms. Water had started flowing
into the empty San Fernando Valley and the county was nearing a half-million
people.  Pasadena’s streets were congested with motor cars, and their
odorous exhaust was fouling San Marino’s air.  Some fine new homes were being
constructed on the golf course along the city’s northern border, though many
feared they will only add to the crowded valley.  There were reports of an increasing threat of
war with Mexico and the son of the town’s board president was preparing to
fight.   European nations were bickering again, but fortunately the U.S. was
far from being involved.  



Ken Veronda holds degrees in history from Stanford
University.  He is a lifelong member of the community and is a past
president of Rotary Club of San Marino and the San Marino City Club. He is a
sought-after speaker on the history of the San Gabriel Valley.



Come hear what’s happened since San Marino City was
organized in 1913, how the farms and towns of our San Gabriel Valley were doing,
and how the people were responding to the social and political changes swirling
around.  This program is free and open to
the public.

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