Altadena Historical Society (AHS), a non-profit organization, was founded in 1935 to gather, preserve, and make available information about the people, places, and events that have shaped the community in the past.
AHS publishes a semi-annual newsletter, The Echo, which highlights upcoming program topics, articles of local historical interest, archival donations, research requests and society activities.
AHS also hosts quarterly informational programs for members and the public at the Altadena Community Center. Our volunteers regularly provide historical presentations to youth, senior and school groups to promote interest in Altadena's history.
The Altadena Historical Society is proud of its own 80 year history. We are one of the oldest volunteer organizations in the community.
Altadena Historical Society News
AHS Quarterly Meeting
Posted by AHS on 2014-09-09 12:30:18 CDTAltadena Historical Society
Quarterly Meeting and Lecture
Prof. Thaddeus Lowe and Wife Leontine Speak
at Altadena Historical Society
Steve Demory Presents Founder of Civil War Balloon Corps and
Mt. Lowe Railway at Free Public Program
Prof. Thaddeus S.C. Lowe--founder of the U.S. Balloon Corps that was the forerunner of the U.S. Airforce and visionary builder and promoter of Altadena’s Mt. Lowe Railway--and his wife, Leontine, will appear at the Monday Oct. 27 quarterly meeting of the Altadena Historical Society.
The Lowes will be presented in period dress by Steve and Patrice Demory, Anaheim residents who travel widely representing the couple at Civil War re-enactments and roundtables, schools and history-related events.
In addition, there will be an exhibit of photos and memorabilia of the Lowes and the Mt. Lowe Railway presented by descendants of the Lowes, by the Demorys, and from the extensive archives of the Altadena Historical Society itself.
“When the Civil War broke out, Lowe was a young scientist, inventor, aeronaut, balloon manufacturer and patriot who offered his services to President Lincoln,” Steve Demory said, “and Lincoln personally appointed him as the chief of the Aeronautic Department of the Army of the Potomac.
Also covered will be the Lowes’ post-war residency in Pasadena and the building of the Mt. Lowe Railway and its hotels and tourist attractions.
Monday, October 27, 2014 at 7:30 pm
Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr., Altadena, CA 91001
Altadena Historical Society is a non-profit, volunteer organization founded in 1935 to gather, preserve and make available information about the people, places and events that have shaped the community.
Its website is altadenahistoricalsociety.org, which offers free weekly blogs about unique people, occurrences and places in Altadena history.
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The Day the Rocks Fell
Posted by AHS on 2013-05-14 13:30:01 CDT 
Interview in the Pasadena Independent Star News, Sunday Feb. 8, 1959:
The three surviving Drew family members, Dorothy Drew Schaefer, George G. Drew and Helen Gregory (photo lower right) recall the dramatic events the night boulders crashed through the Rubio Pavilion,
“dropping it in a tangled mass of wreckage into a roaring torrent of water 100 feet below.”
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Available Now : Beautiful High-Resolution facsimiles of Orange Crate Labels from the Pasadena Orange Growers Association (ca. 1909). Make a donation to AHS today and get yours!Saint Elizabeth
Posted by AHS on 2011-05-09 15:59:01 CDTApril 2011 : See more photos of the Lourdes of the West Grotto and Shrine from our recent article in the Echo.
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730 E. Altadena Drive Altadena, CA 91001-2351
(626) 797-8016 altadenahistorical.society@yahoo.com