Altadena’s Eldorado Inn Destroyed in 1969 Flood

We’ve updated this post because we now have a photograph of the Eldorado Inn before it washed away in the 1969  flood.  The photo, courtesy of Mark Molander, was taken in December, 1957, the day of his parent’s marriage.  Don’t mistake the little run-off channel in the bottom of the photo for Eaton Canyon wash. That’s just drainage for the parking lots. You can see the Eaton Canyon arroyo behind the restaurant sign.

Until it was washed away in 1969, the Eldorado Inn was on New York Avenue near Altadena Drive, about a quarter mile southeast from where the Nature Center is today.

Same location 2017. Note wooden power poles and Eucalyptus Tree left side.

From the January 30, 1969 “Altadenan”:  “Twenty-two and a quarter inches of rain that fell in a nine-day period here was climaxed Saturday when torrential morning-long downpours devastated mountain areas inundating homes with flood and mudflows.”

Red dot shows restaurant’s location. Red line shows where New York Drive was rebuilt after flood.

Ship on menu is a nice touch. Purely coincidental. Read more about Altadena’s significant floods.