Glendale, California is often made fun of as in the recent Anne Hathaway flick “The Idea of You.” Many people consider it boring compared to Echo Park, or Hollywood but it has plenty of charm and historic significance.
For many years it was Hometown U.S.A. and was used as a filming location. I was an extra on a Max Baer Jr. film that was shot in Glendale with the same name. We spent many evenings driving 1950s cars between Brand and Central and also hung out in front of one of its old high schools.
The Americana at Brand
Glendale has had a Renaissance since then. It started with the indoor Glendale Galleria which was later upstaged by Rick Caruso’s Americana at Brand. It’s a high-end shopping and dining outdoor venue that goes out of its way to dress up at Christmas complete with a tram running through it. There you will find Gucci, Tiffany, St. Laurant, and other luxury stores.
The Museum of Neon Art
I took a tour of the Museum of Neon Art a while back which I wrote about here. It has a fascinating collection of neon signage with permanent and temporary exhibits. MONA is across the street from Americana at Brand on Brand Ave.
Historic Glendale, California
Glendale was once part of Rancho San Rafael which was established in 1798. It included Glendale, Burbank, Eagle Rock, and Highland Park. The area was portioned in 1871 and the town of Glendale was created in 1887.
It is currently divided into 34 neighborhoods, some of which are quite affluent.
Brand Park
Brand Park is the home of the Brand Library and Art Center. It was named after Leslie Brand who was a developer who owned substantial property in Los Angeles. The neighborhood surrounding it is comprised of many stately mansions. As you drive up to the top of Brand Ave., you will see a gate with India-style minarets and the word Miradero written on it. The word is Spanish for “the lookout.”
Watch my video walking tour
As you continue to walk up the hill into the park lined with palm trees and rose gardens, you will see what looks like a white Indian Palace that now houses the Brand Library.
Leslie Brand was born in Missouri in 1859 and worked in the Moberly, Missouri recorder’s office. He later became a real estate developer. After his first wife died, he moved to Los Angeles and formed the Title Guarantee and Trust Company with partner E.W. Sargent in 1887. While serving a short residence in Galveston, Texas, he eloped with a woman named Mary Louise in Mexico. They attended the Chicago World’s Colombian Exposition in 1893 and were impressed by the East Indian Pavilion.
The couple returned to California and dreamt of creating an exceptional city. Brand purchased properties in the San Fernando Valley and other land to make way for an arm of the Pacific Electric Railway which opened in 1904. It went from downtown Los Angeles to Glendale. He constructed Brand Boulevard and most of the infrastructure in Glendale. It included the Masonic Temple, a country club, utility companies, and a bank.
Miradero was built in 1902 as a residence for the Brands and it was designed to resemble the Indian Palace they had seen at the Chicago Expo. For many years, it was the center of society in Glendale.
Leslie Brand, who was in his 50s, met a 20-year-old former Miss Nevada named Birdie who he impregnated. He ran off to marry her in Mexico even though he was still married to his wife. Birdie had another son with him although Brand was not sure of his paternity. Needless to say, it caused a scandal. Brand died of cancer in 1925 and his wife Mary Louise succumbed to a car accident in 1945.
Brand Library opened at Miradero in 1956. Some say the ghost of Leslie Brand still resides there.
The Doctor’s House, next to the Library, was built in 1888 and is one of two remaining Queen Anne Victorian-style homes in the city. The home was moved from its original location to Brand Park where visitors can take a tour on Sundays. It was the residence of four doctors who resided in it in succession and is listed on the Glendale Register of Historic Resources.
The Shoseian Teahouse in the park hosts events on the third Sunday of the month related to Japanese arts and culture. It was built in 1974.
Brand Park also offers picnic tables, scenic hiking trails, and sports facilities.
The Grand Central Air Terminal
The city of Glendale was the home of Los Angeles’ first commercial airport. The Grand Central Air Terminal was built in 1930 and is a stellar example of Spanish Colonial Revival and Art Deco Design. Its architect was Henry L. Gogerty. Aviation icons such as Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughes used its facilities. It was also used during WWII as a training area for pilots and mechanics.
The airport closed in 1959 and the building was turned into commercial offices. It was designated as a Glendale Historical Landmark in 1977 and is sometimes open to the public for special events.
The Alex Theatre
The 1411-seat Alex Theatre was built in 1925 with an Egyptian motif by architects Charles R. Selkirk and Arthur Lindley. It was first used as a vaudeville and motion picture theater. It operated as a movie house until 1991 and was renovated as a performing arts center in 1993. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. It is managed by the non-profit organization Glendale Arts.
The Alex Theatre currently hosts concerts and other performances but is still undergoing some renovation.
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