Glendora, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Glendora, California
City
Glendora Village with Ficus trees
Flag Seal
Motto(s):  Pride of the Foothills
Location of Glendora in Los Angeles County, California.
Glendora, California Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Los Angeles
Incorporated	November 13, 1911
Named for	Leadora Bennett Whitcomb
Area
• Total	19.66 sq mi (50.92 km2)
• Land	19.51 sq mi (50.52 km2)
• Water	0.15 sq mi (0.40 km2)  0.84%
Elevation	774 ft (236 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	52,558
• Density	2,582/sq mi (996.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes	91740 and 91741
Area codes	626, 909
FIPS code	06-30014
GNIS feature ID	1652713

Glendora is a city in the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County, California, 26 miles (42 km) east of Los Angeles. As of the 2020 census, the population of Glendora was 52,558.

Known as the "Pride of the Foothills", Glendora is nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Its downtown area, locally known as the Glendora Village, hosts dozens of restaurants, cafes, shops, and boutiques along Glendora Avenue with many community events scheduled throughout the year.

Neighborhoods and residences in Glendora reflect the city's history and range from Queen Annes, to Folk Victorians, early 20th-century bungalows, to ranch style homes, to mid-rise multi-family residential complexes, to modern mansions. Glendora's most expensive neighborhoods contain many very large, secluded, estate homes with views across the San Gabriel Valley to Downtown Los Angeles.

Glendora is bordered by Azusa and the unincorporated community of Citrus to the west, San Dimas to the east and south, Covina and the unincorporated community of Charter Oak to the south, and the San Gabriel Mountains, including protected areas within the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, to the north.

History

Rancho San José was granted in 1837 to Californio rancheros Ygnacio Palomares (left) and Ricardo Vejar (right), encompassing modern-day Glendora.

The first archaeological evidence of human settlement in Glendora dates from c. 6000 BCE, Around 3500 BCE, the Takic people moved into the area. By the time the first Europeans arrived in present-day Los Angeles County in 1542, the Tongva were the most influential people in the region.

Ygnacio Palomares received the 22,340-acre (90 km²) land grant Rancho San Jose from Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado in 1837. The land included the present day cities of Pomona, Claremont, La Verne, San Dimas, and Glendora.

Like many cities in the San Gabriel Valley, Glendora was established on previously remote agricultural land when the area became connected to the outside world upon the completion of the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley Railroad in May 1887, later purchased by the Santa Fe Railway, connecting Los Angeles to Chicago. Located at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, Glendora was started on approximately 300 acres (120 ha) that were subdivided and sold by George D. Whitcomb in late March 1887. On the first day of sale, April 1, 1887, 300 lots were sold. Later that month, the Suydam family built the first building erected after Glendora officially became a town – a barn at 645 N Vista Bonita Avenue, which served as their home until their house was completed in October.

Whitcomb was the founder of the Whitcomb Locomotive Works in Chicago and Rochelle, Illinois and had moved to California in the early 1880s. He devised the name Glendora by combining the name of his wife, Leadora Bennett Whitcomb (1839-1929), with the location of his home in a glen of the San Gabriel Mountains. In December 1907, the development of Glendora got a boost when passenger service opened on a new extension of the Pacific Electric Railway's Monrovia–Glendora Line which provided hourly, direct service from downtown Glendora to the Pacific Electric Building at Sixth and Main in Downtown Los Angeles. Prior to its 1911 incorporation, Glendora's administrator officially occupied the office of President of Glendora.

The downtown area as it appears now is the product of years of renovation and maintenance by the city. The former opera house, movie theatre, Pacific Electric station, banks, hotels, grocery and department stores were converted into more modern commercial buildings. The original layout can be read about on the Downtown Glendora Historical Walk, by reading placards placed along Glendora Avenue (previously called Michigan Avenue). The original townsite was bounded by Sierra Madre Avenue on the north, Minnesota Avenue on the east, Ada Avenue and the railroad on the south, and Pennsylvania Avenue on the west.

Glendora used to be home to several military academies, which have since been converted into either churches or private school facilities. These academies included Brown Military Academy, now St. Lucy's Priory High School and Church of the Open Door on Sierra Madre, and Harding Military Academy, whose property is now home to North Glendora Private, a prestigious private community adjacent to Easley Canyon atop Glendora Avenue.

From 1960 to 1978, Glendora was home to Clokey Productions which produced 85 episodes of Gumby and 65 episodes of Davey and Goliath in town. In celebration of this history, Glendora hosted the first Gumby Fest in 2014 which brought thousands of people from around the country and Canada. In 2015 the 2nd GumbyFest was held at Citrus College over an entire weekend.

Several wildfires have affected the city in recent years, the most notable being the campfire triggered Colby Fire, which displaced hundreds of Glendora residents. A relief concert titled "Glendora Band Aid" was held shortly after the fire to help raise funds to assist the homeowners who lost their homes in the fire.

Glendora has an active Chamber of Commerce, established in 1903. The mission of the Glendora Chamber is to provide tools and resources to assist the business community in prospering and adapting to the economic climate, while growing membership and promoting local purchasing.

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  Glendora, 1920.

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  Early Alosta-Glendora Map 1888. View looking north from present-day South Hills Park Wilderness Area

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  Present day view from the South Hills

Geography

Glendora with the San Gabriel Mountains in the background

The city lies in the eastern end of the San Gabriel Valley between the San Gabriel Mountains range to the north and, for most of the city, with the South Hills to the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.6 square miles (51 km²), of which 19.4 square miles (50 km²) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km²), or 0.84%, is water.

Climate

Glendora Village in 2009 with Morris Fire smoke plume

Glendora has a dry Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa) characterized by hotter summers and slightly cooler winters than coastal areas in California. The dry weather lasts for most of the year except for the rainy season in the winter. Hot summer temperatures and warm Santa Ana winds in the fall increase the risk of wildfires in the surrounding mountains. The 2009 Morris Fire and 2015 Cabin Fire are some of the most recent wildfires affecting Glendora and nearby cities.

Demographics

Race and ethnicity

2020

As of the census of 2020, there were 52,558 people, 16,887 households, and 3.01 persons per household residing in the city. The population density was 2,582 inhabitants per square mile (997/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.4% White (47.9% Non-Hispanic White), 1.9% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 11.6% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, and 7.2% from two or more races. 34.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the 2020 United States Census, Glendora had a median household income of $96,132, with 8.3% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2010

As of the census of 2010, there were 50,073 people, 16,819 households, and 12,866 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,581.5 inhabitants per square mile (996.7/km²). There were 17,145 housing units at an average density of 895.7 per square mile (345.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.1% White (57.0% Non-Hispanic White), 1.9% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 8.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.2% from other races, and 4.8% from two or more races. 30.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Glendora had a median household income of $74,615, with 7.8% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

Mexican (16.3%) and German (11.3%) were the most common ancestries in Glendora. Mexico (22.1%) and the Philippines (9.0%) were the most common foreign places of birth in Glendora.

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 49,415 people, 16,819 households, and 12,866 families residing in the city. The population density was 996.8/km² (2,581.5/mi²). There were 17,145 housing units at an average density of 345.9/km² (895.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.3% White, 1.50% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 16.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.2% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. 11.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 16,819 households out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.30.

The age distribution of the city was as follows: 27.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24 years old, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $60,013, and the median income for a family was $66,674 (these figures had risen to $72,414 and $86,606 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $49,548 versus $35,062 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,993. 5.9% of the population and 3.9% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 6.7% were under the age of 18 and 5.0% are 65 or older.

Education

The city has two public school districts: Glendora Unified and Charter Oak Unified School Districts (COUSD). These school districts are considered two of the best in the state and the country, consistently ranking in the top performing brackets. Both districts have schools designated as California Distinguished Schools and Gold Ribbon Schools.

Elementary schools

• Cullen Elementary School
• La Fetra Elementary School
• Sellers Elementary School
• Stanton Elementary School
• Sutherland Elementary School
• Washington Elementary School (COUSD)
• Willow Elementary School (COUSD)

Middle schools

• Goddard Middle School
• Sandburg Middle School

High schools

• Glendora High School

Continuation high schools

• Arrow Continuation High School (COUSD)
• Whitcomb Continuation High School

Private schools

• Hope Lutheran Church and School – Preschool through 8th-grade boys and girls school
• Foothill Christian School – Preschool through 8th-grade boys and girls school
• St. Lucy's Priory High School – All girls college-prep high school
• St. Dorothy School – Kindergarten through 8th grade boys and girls school

Universities and colleges

• Citrus College

Culture and recreation

Cultural facilities

• Haugh Performing Arts Center
• Glendora Historical Society Museum
• Rubel Castle, constructed by Michael Rubel
• Glendora Public Library
• Glendora Public Market

• Glendora Big Tree Park

Parks and trails

South Hills Wilderness Trail with Mt Baldy and Cucamonga Peak in the distance

Glendora is an active community and it has an extensive system of parks, trails, and recreational programs for the community.

• Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness Park and campground
• Centennial Heritage Park - The site was constructed to depict a late 19th-century to early 20th-century citrus ranch and features the Hamilton House, a working print shop, and numerous antique farm implements. Also on site is the Orton Englehart workshop, dedicated to its namesake, native Glendoran and inventor of the horizontal action impact sprinkler. This sprinkler became known as the Rain Bird, revolutionized the irrigation industry, and was recognized as a historic landmark of agricultural engineering in 1990 by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.
• Finkbiner Park
• Big Tree Park - Small park with a big tree. The namesake tree is a 140-year-old Moreton Bay Fig tree.

Big Tree Park

• Louie Pompei Memorial Sports Park
• Glendora Urban Trail System
• South Hills Park and wilderness trail
• Colby Trail
• Lower Monroe Truck Trail - Hiking and mountain biking trail.
• Punk Out Trail
• Mystic Canyon Trail
• Glendora bougainvillea - The largest growth of Bougainvillea in the United States.
• Glen Oaks Golf and Learning Center - Offers a driving range, instructional services, practice area, and the 9-hole Par 3 course itself.
• Camp Cahuilla Summer Camp ("Dirt Camp") - One of the most popular of the Parks and Recreation programs offering activities to more than 500 children every summer.

The Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road are also common routes for cyclists and sightseers with views through the San Gabriel Mountains. These roads have also hosted stages of the international Tour of California.

Transportation

Public transit

Glendora is served by Foothill Transit which provides connections through the city and express service to downtown Los Angeles. The Metro A Line terminus station at APU/Citrus College in the adjacent city of Azusa also provides a transit link to the Metro system of trains and buses. A future extension of the A Line, from its current terminus in Azusa to the City of Montclair in San Bernardino County, will include a station in Glendora to be located in the southeast corner of the intersection of Ada Avenue and Vermont Avenue. The station dedication is planned for May 3, 2025 with train service expected to begin in the Summer. Ahead of the station’s eventual opening, the rail line was renamed from the L Line to the A Line per Metro's new naming convention and will connect to the former Blue Line via the new Regional Connector in downtown Los Angeles. It will provide a "one-seat ride" (no transfers) to the Financial District of Los Angeles and downtown Long Beach.

Glendora also runs its own weekday transportation shuttle service, the Glendora Mini Bus, with shuttles serving the Metrolink Commuter Rail Station in nearby Covina, the APU/Citrus College Metro station, and an inter-school service connecting some of the city's schools. The Mini Bus also provides curb-to-curb transportation services for senior and disabled residents of Glendora.

Freeways and highways

210 Freeway through Glendora

Glendora lies at the intersection of two major freeways, the 210 and the 57, in what was formerly known as the Glendora Curve. These two freeways conveniently connect the city with the rest of the Southern California region. Historic U.S. Route 66 also traverses the city from east to west and it is an important corridor for businesses. Other major roads and highways include Foothill Boulevard, Grand Avenue, Arrow Highway, and Lone Hill Avenue.

Airports

There are no airports within the city limits. Glendora is within forty-five miles from all major area airports including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), Ontario International Airport (ONT), Long Beach Airport (LGB), and John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County.

Economy

The National Hot Rod Association and Armstrong Garden Centers are based in Glendora.

Top employers

According to the city's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Media

Television

KGLN TV is a public-access channel under the exclusive editorial control of the City of Glendora. By law, programming and information appearing on this channel is limited to City-originated programming of Public Meetings, City-sponsored events/activities, City-originated information, and the California legislative network live cablecast for a portion of each program day.

News media

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, based in Monrovia, provides mainstream news coverage for Glendora. and surrounding "Foothill cities." The Tribune carries a list of current articles as well as a history of articles concerning the City of Glendora and cities immediately surrounding the City of Glendora.

Library Happenings is a bi-monthly newsletter published and distributed by the Glendora Public Library. It generally consists of 4 or 6 pages of information about local programs and events planned for the year. There is an online version of the newsletter with issues going back to the year 2007.

Glendora City News

Glendora City News is a local news outlet focused on issues and events that are relevant to residents of the city of Glendora, California. Founded in November 2014, the newspaper has covered local crime, real estate, social events, and political issues, including some high-profile, highly controversial actions taken by city managers which have resulted in contentious public meetings and citywide calls for the removal of city politicians. The news outlet provides detailed information about scheduled events, public meetings, and incidents of note that occur within the City of Glendora.

Of particular note for Glendora residents, the news outlet contains detailed information about ballot initiatives every time the city holds a vote, listing the ballot propositions without a discernible political bias, a stance that has earned the news outlet a moderately-large on-line subscriber base as well as 18 thousand “like” subscribers on Facebook out of a city population of 50 thousand. Consistently detailing measures on the ballot at every election has made the news source a secondary source of information, with the primary source being the City of Glendora's official web sites.

The news outlet also occasionally carries information about local employment openings that have social benefit (such as environmental jobs), and routinely carries updated information about the many foothill fires and mud slides that effect residents in the northern parts of the city during the year's fire and rain seasons. Lost and found dogs and cats also get covered fairly routinely at the news outlet, with residents contacting the newspaper asking for help locating either a found pet's guardians or their missing pets.

The news outlet also offers a Community Calendar series which covers up-coming events which include city meetings as well as local events created by local shops, fast food franchises, and volunteer organizations.

The news outlet asks local residents to provide news tips and commentary about anything that happens in the city, including information about what city planners and managers are up to. In the past such tips have led to volunteer efforts by residents who have organized clean-up efforts of public property, such as the South Hills Dog Park where the drinking water facilities had been left in disrepair and needed cleaning.

Notable people

Notable people who live or have lived in Glendora, California include:

• Michael Anthony – Van Halen bassist and backing vocalist
• LaVar Arrington – former NFL player
• Jake Arteaga – soccer player
• Steven Barnes – science fiction and mystery author, and writer
• Adrian Carrio – race car driver
• Bryan Clay – Olympic gold medalist 2008, Olympic silver medalist 2004, Decathlon
• Rocky Dennis – subject of the biographical film Mask
• Soleil Moon Frye – Punky Brewster actress
• Ron Gallemore – neurosurgeon
• Jacob Gonzalez – baseball player
• Jajaira Gonzalez – boxer
• Howard Hawkes – American film director
• Casey Jacobsen – basketball player
• Tamra Judge – television personality, cast member of The Real Housewives of Orange County
• David Klein – inventor of Jelly Belly candy
• D. Wayne Lukas – racehorse trainer
• Gabrial McNair – No Doubt keyboardist
• José Mota – Spanish radio announcer for the Anaheim Angels and son of Manny Mota
• Tracy Murray – former basketball player
• Anna Nalick – singer
• Vince Neil – singer for heavy metal band Mötley Crüe
• DJ Peters – baseball player
• Adam Plutko – baseball player
• Sally Rand – actress and dancer
• Tony Robbins – motivational speaker
• Aaron Rowand – baseball player
• Misty Rowe – actress, voice actor
• Julie Smith – Olympic softball gold medalist, coach
• Esther Snyder – co-founder of In-N-Out Burger
• Lynsi Snyder – owner of In-N-Out Burger
• Alex Solis – jockey
• Woody Strode – actor, American football player
• The Surfaris – surf music band
• Philip Shahbaz – voice of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad in the Assassin’s Creed franchise
• Deontay Wilder – World Heavy Weight Champion 2015-2020, Olympic medalist 2008
• Shawn Wooten – baseball player

Sister cities

• Moka, Japan

Since about 2000, there has been an ongoing student exchange program between Goddard Middle School and Moka Higashi Junior High School. There is an ongoing student exchange program between Sandburg Middle School and Nakamura Junior High School.

• Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico

See also

In Spanish: Glendora (California) para niños