Glendale

Glendale is home to nearly 200,000 residents, making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County. It is a busy commercial and cultural center, with a blend of large and small businesses, multi-national corporations and special event venues such as the legendary Alex Theatre. Yet, Glendale has retained its small-town appeal. Tree-shaded streets, mountain ridges, wilderness reserves and tracts of historical homes make it a special place to live.

Glendale’s neighborhoods have developed their own character throughout the years, and while strongly tied to the overall city, each possesses its own flavor, feel and texture. The urban diversity found in Glendale presents a host of residential opportunities from which to choose.

Glendale’s residents enjoy numerous city parks and recreational facilities, covering 264 acres and nearly 4900 acres of publicly owned open space, as well as 7 libraries scattered throughout the city. Some of the most popular city maintained facilities include Verdugo Park, Brand Park, the Sports Complex, the Civic Auditorium, the Tea House, and historical buildings such as the Casa Adobe, Verdugo Adobe, and the Doctors’ House.

HISTORY

In 1769 Spanish missionaries, including Father Serra, arrived in the Valley areas with military guards. When one of the guards, Jose Verdugo, retired, he was granted permission to graze cattle if he did not interfere with the Indians or the missions. He named his property Rancho San Rafael.The Rancho included most of present day Glendale, Burbank, Eagle Rock and Highland Park, extending north from the intersection area where the 110 freeway and the 5 freeway now meet and continuing “to the mountains”.

In 1831, Jose Verdugo died and passed the Rancho San Rafael to his son and daughter (Julio and Catalina). Julio and Catalina divided the Rancho between them 30 years later. A series of smaller divisions took place until a court decision known as the “Great Partition” was made in 1871 dissolving the Rancho San Rafael. As smaller parcels were created, many homes and businesses were developed. Six individuals contributed land to create the original 150 acre townsite which was named Glendale. This was recorded with the County Recorder as the “Town of Glendale” in 1887.

Glendale was incorporated in 1906, when it consisted of 1,486 acres. By 1920, the City had grown through nine annexations to over 7,000 acres. From 1920 to 1930, ten annexations brought the total area to 12,294 acres. The period 1930 to 1950 established many small annexations culminating in the 2,160 acre Whiting Woods and Verdugo Mountains annexations. This brought the area of the City to 15,140 acres or 23.6 square miles. Two major annexations, New York Avenue (in the La Crescenta area) and Upper Chevy Chase Canyon, and several smaller annexations enlarged the City to 29.2 square miles by 1952. Since 1952, twenty-seven annexations have occurred. The largest of these was the 662.8 acre Inter-Valley Ranch, now known as the George Dukemejian Wilderness Park Currently the City consists of 30.5 square miles.

Source: City of Glendale

MUSEUMS & THEATRES

Alex Theatre 216 N. Brand Blvd. 818.243.2539

A Noise Within Classical Theatre Company 234 S. Brand Blvd. 818.240.0910

Brand Library and Art Center1601 West Mountain Street 818.548.2051

Doctor’s House Museum & Gazebo 1601 West Mountain Street 818.548.2184

Forest Lawn Memorial Park and Museum 1712 S. Glendale Ave., 800.204.3131

Glendale Centre Theatre 324 N. Orange St.

Glendale Fire Museum 421 Oak St. 818.548.4810

NEIGHBORHOODS

The City of Glendale is divided into 34 neighborhoods which are delineated by streets, washes, and mountain ridges. Each neighborhood has a unique history and character and as these neighborhoods developed, they combined to form the City of Glendale as we know it today.

Click here for a map of Glendale neighborhoods.

Brockmont

Many of these 1920-era homes, constructed on the western slope of the Verdugo Mountains, have spectacular views of downtown Glendale. The area was named for John Brockman, who in 1915 built a home with a three-story clock tower to accommodate a clock purchased from what is now Children?s Hospital Los Angeles. In 1925 the area was subdivided and named Brockmont Park. Residents enjoy the seclusion of the hillside as well as the convenience to the amenities of the central city, which are just minutes away.

Chevy Chase Canyon

A combination of large and medium-sized homes line the streets, winding up from the confluence of the 2 and the 134 freeways, deep in the San Rafael hills. Once around the first turn, visitors encounter this neighborhood with its Lloyd Wright-designed Derby House, Country Club, community library and country atmosphere.

Crescenta Highlands

Nestled against the majestic San Gabriel Mountains, the streets of the Highlands stair-step up the hill. The air is crisp and the wind blows through the mountain passes. Residents regularly see hawks, deer raccoons, opossums and other wildlife in their streets and yards. Oak trees and single-family homes make this an attractive neighborhood in which to raise a family.

Emerald Isle

Emerald Isle received its name from the original subdivision laid out in the 1960s, which borrowed the name from Northern Ireland. Many of the street names also reflect Irish roots. This neighborhood is located at the northeastern edge of the city, bordering the San Rafael hills. The ?Isle? is a secluded retreat in a woodsy environment featuring scenic views. Executive-style homes are positioned along tree-lined winding streets, offering sanctuary from urban areas just down the road.

Greenbriar

Long-time residents remember Greenbriar as Dead Horse Canyon. Renamed in the 1950s, Greenbriar consists of attractive modern homes, many with large lots and spectacular views. Greenbriar Road, accessed from Mountain Avenue, climbs the hillside to the top of the ridge, where residents are treated to glorious views stretching 270 degrees from Burbank to Verdugo Canyon.

Montecito Park

Montecito Park Drive, subdivision and neighborhood acquired their names from the Spanish phrase ?little mountain?. A neighborhood of custom built homes in the 1920s and 1930s, historical Spanish Colonial Revival style homes and tree-shaded streets, Montecito Park is a hidden gem in the Jewel City. Montecito offers residents both privacy and urban convenience. Consisting of all single-family homes, Montecito Park is a conforming neighborhood, which is home to mature families and professionals. A marker on Verdugo Road notes the entrance to this neighborhood.

Montrose/Verdugo City

This neighborhood borrows its name from the Verdugo family who once used this area to raise cattle. Montrose/ Verdugo City traces its roots to the early 1900s when the area was a mountain retreat for the downtown residents of Los Angeles. Because of the clear, crisp mountain air, Montrose/Verdugo City was home to many sanitariums and retreats. Residents continue to choose this area for the same reasons today. This area includes downtown/ historic Montrose, which retains its village character with hometown merchants, community festivals and a variety of trendy shops, restaurants and cafes.

Oakmont

Overlooking the Country Club and Golf Course after which it was named, Oakmont, which includes the neighborhood of Oakmont Woods, features homes built in the 1930, 1960s and 1980s. Each of the various home types offers its own amenities, with some featuring luxurious canyon settings. Others are spacious, with views to the crest of Mount Wilson. Many provide the convenience of an executive home with minimal yard maintenance. Oakmont is secluded, yet convenient to the commercial services of La Crescenta and Montrose.

Rancho San Rafael

This neighborhood and Camino San Rafael (the street running through it) are both named after the Spanish land grant that encompassed the entire region. This is a Mediterranean-themed, planned community of homes and condominiums catering to working professionals. Perched upon the San Rafael Hills, it provides excellent views of the Los Angeles basin and surrounding foothills.

Rossmoyne

Judge Erskine Mayo Ross successful farmed this area and built a house at the mouth of Verdugo Canyon, which he named ?Rossmoyne?. This area was later subdivided into the planned neighborhood that is marked today by curving tree-shaded streets, period lampposts, classic custom-built homes, and close proximity to downtown Glendale. Mountain Avenue gracefully winds its way through the center of Rossmoyne, while quiet side streets adjoin it. Rossmoyne is an elegant neighborhood of single?family homes, whose residents consist of many longtime Glendale homeowners and a growing cadre of those employed in the entertainment field. Glendale College and the commercial services of the Central Stocker Business District are also within walking distance.

Sparr Heights

Once the center of a thriving orchard business, Sparr Heights was the terminus for the Glendale to Montrose streetcar system. Indiana native William S. Sparr planted citrus groves in the area and opened a fruit packing plant down the line at Glendale and Lomita Avenues. In 1922 this millionaire citrus grower and land developer constructed and donated the Sparr Heights Community building to the City, which was the only builidng in the area. It now serves as a senior citizen center. Developed as a residential neighborhood in the 1920s and 1930s, Sparr Heights retains much of its original character. A neighborhood park and school serve as focal points for residents who enjoy walking through Montrose village, either to shop or for a casual evening stroll.

Whiting Woods

Whiting Woods offers its residents a secluded retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life with its mature oak trees and rural setting in the northeastern canyons of the Verdugos. It is not unusual to see deer browsing on lawns in the early morning hours or to see red-tailed hawks circling overhead in the afternoon sun. This neighborhood shares its name with the original subdivision and has an active Homeowner?s Association around which many neighborhood events are centered.

Source: City of Glendale

PLACES OF INTEREST

The Americana at Brand 889 Americana Way 877.897.2097

Brand Park 1601 W Mountain St, Glendale, CA 91201 In Brand Park 818.548.2051

Casa Adobe De san Rafael 1330 Dorothy Drive 818.845.5400.

Catalina Verdugo Adobe 2211 Bonita Drive 818.548.2184

Oakmont Country Club 3100 Country Club Dr 818.542.4292

Roslin Art Gallery 111 W California Ave. 818.241.0611

Scholl Canyon Golf Club 3800 East Glenoaks Boulevard 818.243.4100

Tea House 1601 West Mountain Street

RESTAURANTS

Bashan 3459 N. Verdugo Rd. 818.541.1532

Damon?s Steak House 317 North Brand Boulevard 818.507.1510

Far Niente 204 1/2 N Brand Bl 818.242.3835

Jax Bar & Grill 339 N Brand Blvd 818.500.1604

La Cabanita 3447 N. Verdugo Rd. 818.957.2711

Mario’s Italian Deli & Market 740 E. Broadway 818.242.4114

New Moon 2138 N Verdugo Rd 818.249.4393

Palate Food & Wine 933 S. Brand 818.662.9463

Shamshiri 121 W. Stocker Street 818.246.9541

SCHOOLS

COLLEGE

Glendale Community College 1500 N. Verdugo Road 818.291.6655

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

• Glendale Unified School District Crescenta Valley High and Clark Magnet High were both named in the top 12 Public Schools in Los Angeles Magazine. Clickhere to see the article.
• School Finder Click here to find the schools your child would attend based on address.
• School Boundary Map

High Schools

Crescenta Valley High 249-5871 2900 Community Ave., La Crescenta 91214

Clark Magnet High 248-8324 4747 New York Ave., La Crescenta 91214

Glendale High 242-3161 1440 E. Broadway, Glendale 91205

Herbert Hoover High 242-6801 651 Glenwood Road, Glendale 91202

Daily High 247-4805 220 N. Kenwood, Glendale 91206

Middle Schools

Theodore Roosevelt Middle 242-6845 222 East Acacia Ave., Glendale 91205

Rosemont Middle248-4224 4725 Rosemont Ave., La Crescenta 91214

Eleanor Toll Middle 244-8414 700 Glenwood Road, Glendale 91202

Woodrow Wilson Middle244-8145 1221 Monterey Road, Glendale 91206

Elementary Schools

Balboa 241-1801 1844 Bel Aire Drive, Glendale 91201

Cerritos 244-7207 120 E. Cerritos Ave., Glendale 91205

Columbus 242-7722 425 W. Milford, Glendale 91203

Dunsmore 248-1758 4717 Dunsmore Ave., La Crescenta 91214

Thomas Edison 241-1807 435 S. Pacific Ave., Glendale 91204

Benjamin Franklin 243-1809 1610 Lake Street, Glendale 91201

John Fremont 249-3241 3320 Las Palmas Ave., Glendale 91208

Glenoaks 242-3747 247-4423 2015 East Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale 91206

Thomas Jefferson (9) ! 243-4279 551-1069 1540 Fifth Street, Glendale 91201

Mark Keppel (10) 244-2113 507-6542 730 Glenwood Road, Glendale 91202

La Crescenta 249-3187 4343 La Crescenta Ave., La Crescenta 91214

Abraham Lincoln 249-1863 4310 New York Ave., La Crescenta 91214

Horace Mann 246-2421 501 East Acacia Ave., Glendale 91205

John Marshall 242-6834 1201 East Broadway, Glendale 91205

Monte Vista 248-2617 2620 Orange Ave., La Crescenta 91214

Mountain Avenue 248-7766 2307 Mountain Ave., La Crescenta 91214

John Muir 241-4848 912 S. Chevy Chase Dr., Glendale 91205

Valley View 236-3771 4900 Maryland Ave., La Crescenta 91214

Verdugo Woodlands 241-2433 1751 North Verdugo Road, Glendale 91208

R. D. White 241-2164 744 East Doran Street, Glendale 91206

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Chamlian Armenian School 4444 Lowell Glendale, CA 91201 818.957.3398

Glendale Adventist Academy 700 Kimlin Drive Glendale, CA 91206 818.243.5172

Holy Family Elementary School 400 South Louise Street 818.243.9239

Holy Family High School 400 East Lamita Avenue 818.241.3178

Incarnation Parish School 123 W Glenoaks Blvd 818.241.2269

Salem Lutheran School 1211 N Brand Blvd 818.243.8264

PRESCHOOLS

Bonnie Academy

534 W. Glenoaks Blvd. 818.244.3241

Glendale Presbyterian Preschool

Glendale Preschool & Kindergarten

225 S. Verdugo Rd. 818.244.4567

Montessori Academy

1920 Glenoaks Blvd. 818.846.5099