Get to know Glendale, CA

Roughly 10 miles north of downtown Los Angeles is the city of Glendale.  Jose Maria Verdugo was given the land as Rancho San Rafael in 1798.  His grandson built the oldest building in Glendale, the Verdugo Adobe, in 1860.  The land was eventually sold in various parcels.  In 1884 residents chose the name Glendale for the townsite.  In 1904, Leslie Coombs Brand built the El Miradero estate and helped bring a civic boom to the town.  He, along with Henry E. Huntington, brought the Pacific Electric Railway, known as the “Red Cars”, to the area.  The City of Glendale was incorporated in 1906.  This same year the Forest Lawn Cemetery, now called the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, opened.  In 1923 the Grand Central Airport was developed and had major contributions to American aviation.  The city was the birthplace of Bob’s Big Boy hamburger chain in 1936 and Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors ice cream parlor in 1945.  The largest employers in Glendale are the Glendale Adventist Medical Center and the Glendale Unified School District.  The headquarters  of the International House of Pancakes and Americas United Bank are located in the city.  Glendale has served as an important area for the animation industry, especially the Walt Disney Company.  Famous residents have included Aloe Blacc, Taraji Henson, and Don Knotts.

Quick Facts

Population: 196,984

Median Household Income: $52,574

Median Property Value: $619,200