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Aztec Hotel, originally uploaded by smacss.

Wow, I’ve never seen a shot that made the Aztec Hotel look so…well…photogenic!

Here’s a nice shot of the Monrovia Airport tile mural on the Albertson’s wall by Doran B.

I’m on a history jag at the moment. I hope you enjoy the pictures, courtesy of the Pomona and Anaheim public libraries. Click twice on images to see them larger. For those of you in other cities, the Online Archive of California may have some cool pictures for you as well!

An old blacksmith shop

Foothill and Myrtle looking north

Old Town with strange octagonal building!

I’ve often wondered about the man behind the noble statue that sits in an empty lot on Huntington Drive just over the border of Monrovia. In fact, he’s not even surrounded by grass, but just a flat field of dirt and weeds.

But indeed, it is a lovely statue, as you can see by this silhouette I shot. And who is this man? Well…it’s Andres Duarte, former protector of Mission San Gabriel property from San Gabriel to San Bernardino. And, the irony is, he loved greenery. According to Wikipedia:

He acquired a deep fondness for the lush green lands surrounding the Rio Azusa, today the San Gabriel River. He grew fond of the area adjacent to the San Gabriel River along the foothills of the mountains, and in 1841, on retirement from military service after 20 years, he petitioned Governor Juan Alvarado for a grant of land that was a vacant portion of the Rancho Azusa. Within two weeks he was granted what was later surveyed to be 6,595 acres.

And though he applied as “Citizen” Andres Duarte, the grant quickly made him, now an extensive landowner, “Don” Andres Duarte of the Rancho Azusa de Duarte.

Andres Duarte built an adobe for himself and his family and settled on the land and introduced cattle ranching in the area, and citrus crops gradually became a livelyhood for early settlers.

With the help of local Indians, Duarte planted crops and watched as his flocks and herds multiplied. He and his wife, Gertrudes, and their son, Santiago, lived in a small adobe called “The Homestead” located on what is now Tocino Drive, just east of Royal Oaks Park. He ranched in the conventional manner for years, and like other large landowners, was an outstanding host.

After the Mexican-American War and the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, his claim to the lands granted in 1841 was validated by the commission appointed by the United States after California entered the Union in 1850. But in the mid-1850’s Duarte was unable to pay back taxes levied upon him for his land. He began to sell off his holdings, as his ranching operations failed to raise sufficient cash, a common problem for those who were rich in real estate. The last of his holdings were sold on the auction block. The ranching days of Rancho Azusa de Duarte ended.

And, as it turns out, William N. Monroe, Monrovia’s namesake, ended up with some of his land (along with 240 acres from “Lucky” Baldwin). Kind of a sad ending for Andres Duarte, but at least he got a statue—and, we got Monrovia.

Quonset Hut, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

There’s something fun about spotting bits of history like Quonset Huts in the less traveled streets of Monrovia.

According to Wikipedia, “Between 150,000-170,000 Quonset huts were manufactured during WWII. After the war, the U.S. military sold the surplus Quonset huts to the public for $1,000 each.” More on Quonset Huts here.

Jumpin’ Jalopy, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

Spotted this on Encinitas just north of Foothill. My eyes just about popped out of my head! I hope an old guy with a white beard drives it. Click on pic to see more of this old car.

Oak Park Motel, originally uploaded by benprks.

I do believe this place has been there for a number of years. If I recall I have an image of an old postcard of this place. I’ll have to look back through my posts to find it!

Great shot by benprks.