Monrovia Real Estate

Monrovia

Nestled in the San Gabriel foothills, Monrovia is full of quaint and charming historic landmarks. Monrovia boasts many architecturally significant homes in its quiet and protected neighborhoods, including the former residence of author Upton Sinclair. The inviting tree lined streets near downtown are lined with old Craftsman bungalows and Victorian cottages built in the early 1900s. There are also some beautiful old mansions along Greystone Avenue as well as newer homes built in the hills. Over the last 100 years Monrovia has grown from a sparse community of orange ranches to a residential community of 38,000 residents covering 13.8 square miles.

Monrovia has a strong sense of community. Most of the businesses in Old Town Monrovia are single proprietors or family owned and run. Community members enjoy the wonderful dining, shopping and entertainment opportunities in their neighborhood as well as the Family Festivals held every Friday night from March through December down the middle of Old Town’s Myrtle Avenue.

Monrovia’s award winning school district offers world-class schools and programs for students of all ages. Five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one comprehensive high school provide the core K-12 program. These are augmented by an Early Learning Center (Child Development & Pre-K programs), an alternative campus (independent study, home schooling, and continuation high school), and a large, active adult school.

Monrovia offers an intriguing blend of a small town feel with an embracing of the modern world. The Monrovia Technology Campus is at the heart of one of the largest concentrations of high-tech businesses in the San Gabriel Valley. A new 28,000 square foot public library will be opening in the spring of 2009 and the historic train depot will connect with the new Gold Line light-rail extension creating an all-new 80-acre Transit Village.

The National Civic League honored the city of Monrovia with the “All-American City” award, the highest honor and most prestigious award that can go to an American community.This award is bestowed upon a few select cities that demonstrate the commitment and ability to solve problems through cooperation, broad-based participation, public-private partnerships, and creative solutions.

HISTORY

In 1841 Governor Juan Alverado gave title to two ranches, Azusa de Duarte and Santa Anita. In 1875 William N. Monroe, a Los Angeles City Councilman, purchased over 200 acres of the Rancho Santa Anita ranch for $30,000, using money from railroad jobs and selling a train carload of mules. People traveling between Los Angeles and San Bernardino Mission traveled “via Monroe’s Ranch.”

By the end of 1885, three of Monroe’s friends (Judge J.D. Bicknell, J.F. Crank, and E.F. Spence) had also purchased acreage near Monroe’s land. In the spring of 1886 the four friends decided to establish a sixty acre town on their combined holdings. They named the streets running north and south after flowers and the streets running east and west after nut and fruit trees. The exceptions were Myrtle, which though a tree, was also the name of William Monroe’s daughter, and Charlotte (now Canyon), daughter of Colonel Samuel Keefer who owned several subdivisions in early Monrovia. The founders of the town established a company with Monroe serving as President, and first offered lots for sale on May 17, 1886. One of the early requirements of people who bought land was to build a house valued at $2000 upon each residence lot within two years of purchase. The town was incorporated in 1887.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Aztec Hotel– 311 W. Foothill Boulevard

Monrovia Canyon Park– 1200 North Canyon Boulevard

Monrovia Historical Museum – 742 E. Lemon Avenue

Old Town Monrovia

Upton Sinclair House – 464 N. Myrtle Avenue

RESTAURANTS

Bella Sera 422 S. Myrtle Avenue 626.359.1399

Café Mundial 514 S Myrtle Avenue 626.303.2233

Caffe Opera 402 South Myrtle Avenue 626.305.5822

Domenico’s 236 W.Huntington Drive 626.357.7975

The Monrovian Family Restaurant 534 S. Myrtle Avenue 626.359.8364

SCHOOLS

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Monrovia Unified School District 325 E. Huntington Dr. 626.471.2000

Monrovia School District Boundaries

The elementary school boundaries are outlined by the dark line with the name of the school typed inside each boundary.

Each middle school boundary is outlined by a dark line with the Clifton Middle School attendance area in the north section of the map and Santa Fe Middle School in the south section of the map.

The larger area on the secondary map encompasses the entire district and shows the Monrovia High School boundaries .

Elementary Schools

Bradoaks Elementary School* 930 East Lemon 626.471.2100

Mayflower Elementary School* 210 North Mayflower 626.471.2200

Monroe Elementary School* 402 West Colorado 626.471.2300

Plymouth Elementary School 1300 Boley Street626.471.2400

Wild Rose Elementary School* 232 Jasmine Avenue 626.471.2500

Middle Schools

Clifton Middle School* 226 South Ivy 626.471.2600

Santa Fe Middle School 148 West Duarte 626.471.2700

High Schools

Monrovia High School 845 West Colorado 626.471.2800