1900 Map of Pasadena

About this map

The San Rafael Hills and the southern slopes of the Angeles National Forest frame this late 19th-century landscape, where early citrus groves and winter resorts met the expanding rail lines of the Southern Pacific and Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe. The map documents a period of rapid suburbanization as Pasadena grew around historic landmarks like the Mission and the grand Raymond Hotel. High above the valley, the Echo Mountain Mt. Lowe Hotel and Martins Camp signal the era's fascination with mountain tourism, connected by the daring Terminal and electric rail lines. The grid of the San Pasqual land grant is clearly visible, showing the transition from large ranchos to platted townsites like Altadena, South Pasadena, and Sierra Madre. Local history is captured in vanished stops like Las Casetas Sta. and the winding course of the Eaton Wash before modern flood control.