San Marino

In general, San Marino is a small, well-educated community largely populated by professionals and their families. The city is primarily known for its immaculately preserved housing stock, its strict zoning laws and its public school system.

The city includes the estate of Henry E. Huntington, who made a fortune in the development of Southern California and opened the library and art collections in his large neo-Palladian mansion to the public in 1919, best known as the Huntington Library. At the time, San Marino was some twelve miles from Los Angeles. Huntington Drive and Sierra Madre Boulevard served as the main thoroughfares, leading to Pasadena, Alhambra and San Gabriel.  The Edwin Hubble House, residence of astronomer Edwin Hubble, is a National Historic Landmark.

In the middle of San Marino lies Lacy Park, a huge expanse of grass and trees rare for urban areas.  Originally Wilson Lake in 1875, the land was purchased by the City in 1925 and dedicated as a park.  Within the park are walking loops, open green areas and many varieties of trees and shrubs.  A picnic area is often the site of musical concerts, civic events and pancake breakfasts.

San Marino is regarded as having one of the best-performing schools in the Greater Los Angeles area. Its high school consistently ranks as the one of the highest API score among public high schools in California. All of its public schools are honored as a California Distingushed School and a United States National Blue Ribbon School.

HISTORY

The principal portions of San Marino were included in a Mexican Land Grant in 1830 to an Indian lady named Senora Victoria Reid, the widow of an Englishman. She named her Rancho, Huerta de Cuati. Prior to this grant , the area was part of the San Gabriel Mission (the “Old Mill” in San Marino was the grist mill for the Mission), and before that was occupied by the Gabrielino Indians with their village located at what is now Huntington School.

In 1852, Mrs. Reid deeded her Rancho to Don Benito Wilson. Later, Wilson deeded the main portion to J. de Barth Shorb, who named his Rancho after his grandfather’s plantation in Maryland, which in turn had received its name from the Republic of San Marino, in Italy.

In 1903, the Shorb Estate was purchased by Henry E. Huntington and in 1913 the three primary Ranchos of Wilson, Patton, and Huntington, together with the subdivided areas from those and smaller Ranchos, such as Stoneman, White, Rose and others, were incorporated as the city of San Marino.

The first San Marino school was opened at the corner of Monterey Road, (then called Calle de Lopez) and Oak Knoll, in what was known as the Old Mayberry Home, on September 9, 1917, with three teachers and thirty-five pupils, grades kindergarten through the eighth. San Marino High School students attended South Pasadena High until San Marino High School graduated its first class in 1956.

Source:  City of San Marino

RESTAURANTS

Colonial Kitchen Restaurant   1110 Huntington Drive   626.289.2449

Fresh Gourmet    2004 Huntington Dr. 626.308.1720

Huntington Café & Rose Garden Tea Room   1151 Oxford Road, 626.683.8131

Julienne     2649 Mission St.    626.441.2299

SCHOOLS

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

San Marino Unified School District

1665 West Dr., San Marino, CA 91108  626.299.7000

School Verification:

Click here to verify if you are in the San Marino School District

High School

San Marino High School    2701 Huntington Drive.  626.299.7020

San Marino High School was named in the top 12 Public Schools in Los Angeles Magazine.  Click here to see the article.

Middle School

Huntington Middle School    1700 Huntington Drive.  626.299.7060

Elementary Schools

Carver Elementary School 3100 Huntington Drive Boundaries:

• Above Huntington Drive, children who reside east of Allen/Oxford and Homet Road south to Huntington Drive
• Below Huntington Drive, children living east on/of San Marino Avenue.

Valentine Elementary School 1650 Huntington Drive

• Boundaries:  Above Huntington Drive, students who live west of Oxford and Orlando Road south to Huntington Drive Students living west on/of San Marino Avenue

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Southwestern Academy   2800 Monterey Road    626.799.5010

Sts Felicitas and Perpetua   2955 Huntington Drive    626.796.8223

PRESCHOOLS

San Marino Community Church Preschool 1750 Virginia Rd. 626.282.4186

San Marino Congregational Church Preschool  2560 Huntington Dr.  626.292.2082

San Marino Preschool at Stoneman School (City of San Marino)  1560 Pasqualito Drive   626.299.7067