Alhambra is an area vibrantly alive with a resurgence and renewal of spirit but its roots are deep and entwined in the shadows of the foot-thick adobe that confines the serenity of the Old San Gabriel Mission, just one mile away. Ask us now for any inquiry regarding buying or selling a home in the city of Alhambra. Contact us through our email or by calling us. We would love to sit down with you and discuss your future in this wonderful city among the San Gabriel Valley.
History
In 1874, Benjamin Wilson bought 275 acres of state-owned land between the Arroyo and the Old Mill Wash paying $2.75 an acre. He divided the tract into 5 and 10 acre lots. Wilson named his venture "Alhambra" at the urging of his youngest daughter, 10-year old Ruth, who along with Sister Anne had been reading Washington Irving's book about the legends of the Moorish palace in Southern Spain called the "The Alhambra."
Wilson called the subdivision, "The Alhambra Tract." It was the first tract of homes in Southern California to have water piped in iron pipes to each lot. Shorb, an engineer, devised a system to bring water from the canyon in back of Wilson's residences. He knew such an improvement would attract settlers because water was always a determining factor in the choice of settling. In those days, residents had only open ditches or wooden pipes carrying water to their property. Pioneers wrote that water ran like a brook (from Wilson Canyon) along Mission Street, San Gabriel, and some people dipped and carried their water home from the open "zanja."
The original tract of 250 acres became an expanse of orchards and flowers. Streets were lined with pepper trees. Orchards bore peaches, pears and apples and there were abundant roses everywhere. Flowers and vines that had been brought from Mexico and Spain to San Gabriel Mission were shared by the padres with surrounding ranches.
In 1915, Alhambra became a chartered city, one of only a few in California. By 1910, the population grew to 5,000 and by the end of the 1930's, its population was nearly 40,000. Another post-war boom in building occurred in the late 1940's and a subdivision of homes was constructed on the former site of the Alhambra Airport, located in the southeast portion of the city (south of Valley Blvd. between New Avenue and Almansor Street).
Synonymous with the accelerated growth and investment of industry and business has come a series of major street improvements, improved lighting, and general community upgrading designed to maintain Alhambra's position as a city of lovely homes, dynamic business, and growing industrial strength.
Alhambra today is a full service city. In an area of 7.5 square miles are three well defined areas: residential, commercial and industrial. Currently the City is pursuing an ambitious program to rebuild or refurbish older commercial sites. New development continues to add retail stores. Fremont Plaza at Commonwealth and Fremont. Downtown Alhambra is resurging along Main Street with redesigned and new businesses.
Other Information
Elevation: 500 feet
County: Los Angeles
Land area: 7.6 square miles
Nearest cities: Monterey Park, CA (2.3 miles), South Pasadena, CA (2.6 miles), San Gabriel, CA (2.7 miles), San Marino, CA (3.2 miles), South San Gabriel, CA (3.6 miles), Rosemead, CA (3.7 miles), East Los Angeles, CA (4.2 miles), East San Gabriel, CA (4.5 miles).
Hospital/medical center in Alhambra:
- ALHAMBRA HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER