Historic Alhambra

Luis was in love! He and his friend David were visiting Alhambra Historical Society’s museum to do some research for a college project on a recent Saturday. During his visit, Luis discovered photos of the stunning Gail and Helen Borden home that was once located on South Garfield Avenue at the present-day location of Alhambra’s Main Post Office. He was instantly enchanted and wanted to learn more! Designed by New York architect Lawrence B. Valk in the Spanish Eclectic style and built in 1900, Alhambra’s Borden home included a Mission Revival exterior and a stately Canary Island Date Palm that graced the home’s circular walkway. Its neoclassical interior featured a two-storied central atrium with a glass ceiling. “The home that belonged to Gail and Helen Borden was, without a doubt, one of Alhambra’s grandest mansions in the early 1900s,” stated Chris Olson, Alhambra Historical Society President. “Owned by the grandson of the founder of Borden’s Condensed Milk Company, the home featured...

Are you ready to go off the wall, Alhambra? On Thursday, January 26, 2023, the Alhambra Historical Society will host an event entitled “Off The Wall in Alhambra: The History of Alhambra’s Vans Store,” which will feature a presentation by Catherine Acosta, Vans’ Archivist and Brand Historian and Steve Van Doren, Vans’ Vice President of Promotions and Events and son of Vans co-founder Paul Van Doren. The presentation will take place at 7:00 p.m. at Alhambra’s Masonic Lodge, 9 West Woodward Avenue, Alhambra, CA 91801. The event will be free to the general public, light refreshments will be served and parking is free and available at the Masonic Lodge. To learn more about the event, please visit the Off The Wall In Alhambra Eventbrite page . Vans the globally-recognized sneaker and action sports brand, has been operating its Alhambra retail store at 420 South Garfield Avenue for almost 56 years. “The Alhambra store is Vans’ oldest and longest operating store in Southern California. No othe...

On November 11, 2022 at the annual Alhambra Veterans Day ceremony the Alhambra Historical Society will unveil a recently-acquired plaque from the SS Alhambra Victory ship as part of the annual Veterans Day Program at the Alhambra Veterans Memorial. The Alhambra Historical Society will also give a short presentation on the role Victory ships played in World War II and the history of the SS Alhambra Victory as part of the event’s program.  The public event will begin at 10 a.m. with a continental breakfast, followed at 11 a.m. with the program. The Alhambra Veterans Memorial is located at the corner of Palm Avenue and Alhambra Road. "We are honored that the US Department of Transportation – Maritime Division gifted this plaque to the Alhambra Historical Society,” stated Chris Olson, Alhambra Historical Society President. “One can only imagine the stories this plaque could tell from its days on the SS Alhambra Victory. We hope to be able to tell a few of those stories as we research ...