City Of Alhambra history

In 1821 an earthquake caused further damage to the complex.

The Alhambra underwent a series of repairing and restoration efforts in the 19th century, beginning in 1828 by architect José Contreras (under an endowment from then-King of Spain Ferdinand VII) and continued by his son and grandson.

Southern Pacific Railroad had a station at Garfield and Mission built in 1887, and this area became home to the first cluster of Alhambra residents.

When Gustave Eiffel’s company built Paris’ most recognizable monument for the 1889 World’s Fair, many regarded the massive iron structure with skepticism.

Alhambra High School was established in 1898.

In 1902 the Pacific Electric built their interurban rail down Main Street, which became the hub for small businesses.

The Alhambra Police Department was established in 1903.

The Alhambra Fire Department was established in 1906.

Mary Pickford played "Ramona" in one of the first famous silent films in 1910.

Built in 1912, it was considered one of the finest country clubs in Southern California.

As noted in the Monterey Park article a few weeks ago, before Monterey Park was incorporated in 1916, it was called "Ramona Acres." There is a section of homes in Alhambra, just north of Monterey Park called, Ramona Acres.

They have been established since 1919 -- Fosselman's is mythical and rightfully so.

The Alhambra Airport, built in 1929, cost $1 million and had the largest airplane hangar in the world at that time.

Completed in 1973, the towers stood at 110 stories each, accommodating 50,000 workers and 200,000 daily visitors in 10 million square feet of space.

In 1984, the Alhambra was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with two other related sites: the Albaicín (or Albayzín) and the Generalife Garden.

In 1988, the adjacent city of Monterey Park passed an English-Only law for its street signs that prompted hundreds of Chinese businesses to move to Alhambra.