I lived in Altadena during the massive fires in January 2025. The community was flattened. On our property, one house was lost and the adjacent ADU (additional dwelling unit) where I lived is damaged but standing. (At the time I am writing this, I do not know the extent of the damage) I escaped to my daughter’s house in the Valley at 3:30 am.
Thousands of homes were lost in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades. Schools, churches, temples, historic markers, and businesses were incinerated.
Below is a running list (to be updated) of iconic landmarks we lost.
Will Rogers Ranch House and other historic buildings in Will Rogers State Park. Will Rogers was a cowboy entertainer. He lived in the house from 1928 – until he died in 1935. It was a 31-room home with a polo field nearby in the park.
Topanga Ranch Hotel in Topanga State Park was built in 1929 by newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst.
The Bunny Museum in Altadena was a quirky little museum with a large collection of bunny memorabilia.
Altadena Country Club – This Country Club dates back to 1910. It had two nine-hole courses and was used for special events and meetings.
Rand McNally House was a home in Altadena owned by the famous publisher Rand McNally. The mansion was built in 1887.
Villa de Leon was located near the Getty Villa, Villa de Leon is a 35-room historic estate designed by local architect Kenneth MacDonald Jr. The home has been used as a filming location for several music videos and advertisements, including Beyoncé’s “Haunted,” “Love On” by Selena Gomez, and “Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga.
Reel Inn was an iconic roadside seafood restaurant, It was known for its fresh fish and laid-back coastal atmosphere and has been a staple along the Pacific Coast Highway for decades.
Moonshadows was another cherished Malibu restaurant that was in the area since the 1960s.
Rosenthal Wine Bar was a popular watering spot for locals, serving wines grown in the canyons of Malibu.
Christmas Tree Lane on Santa Rosa in Altadena has hosted a Christmas lighting display for 140 years when city founder Frederick Woodbury planted 150 deodar cedar trees on the block in 1885. Homes on Santa Rosa St. were burned. The fate of the trees is not determined.
More to come as I hear about it.
I am so happy you are okay. I am praying for everyone having to suffer through these fires. I wrote you earlier about Mary’s Cafe / Market in Sierra Madre. I hope it still exists! God bless you and yours in these difficult times!
Thanks, Matt. It is devastating. I think Sierra Madre is okay but not sure.