This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Author of 4 Books on South Pas to Speak at Library

Rick Thomas is an outstanding writer, archivist, and presenter who will share some of his fascinating tidbits and tales of South Pasadena history.

The Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library and the South
Pasadena Public Library proudly present an Author Night program with  South Pasadena Historian Rick Thomas on Thursday, February 21, at 7:00 p.m. in the Library Community Room. The free event is open to
the public, appropriate for all ages, and will showcase the highly accomplished --and certainly the most currently active-- of South Pasadena historians.  Rick’s four books are “South Pasadena,” “South Pasadena’s Ostrich Farm,” “South Pasadena’s Raymond Hotel,” and “The Arroyo Seco.” The program is part of the City of South Pasadena’s 125th Anniversary Celebration which will culminate on March 2, 2013, the City’s actual birthday. A question-and-answer session with the audience will follow the Rick Thomas presentation.

Rick’s  all-new presentation is titled “South Pasadena: A Town Kissed by the Sun."As he states, “Early fruit growers found fertile lands and moderate temperatures in South Pasadena, California. Vacationing motorists often stopped at the local orange groves to pick the fruit and pose for pictures. One tourist described the experience of driving the roads on a day trip from The Raymond Hotel as “endless groves of orange trees laden with golden fruit,”  along with other descriptions such as “wave after wave of heavy sweet perfume.”

In 1889, Prof. C. F. Holder addressed his fellow Valley Hunt Club members as a gathering along the Arroyo Seco by declaring, “In New York, people are buried in snow. Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let’s have a festival and tell the world about our paradise.” The "festival" became the world renowned annual Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game.

Find out what's happening in South Pasadenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Back in those days, the San Gabriel Valley was known as
“The Winter Paradise of America.” The proof of “paradise” was the small-town
like city known as South Pasadena. The city possessed a garden-like quality – a
place where fruit trees and flower gardens bloom even during winter. “Nature’s
lavish hand has most richly endowed South Pasadena as the ‘Garden Spot of the
World.’ The climate is ideal, the roads wonderful, and the surroundings
delightful." And, as residents and visitors alike have learned through the
years, South Pasadena is still recognized today for its abundance of year-round
sunshine.

The Library Community Room is located at 1115 El Centro Street. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and no tickets or reservations are necessary. Refreshments will
be served.

Find out what's happening in South Pasadenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from South Pasadena