Sierra Madre, California
Encyclopedia
The city of Sierra Madre is a municipality in Los Angeles County, California
whose population was 10,917 at the 2010 census, up from 10,580 at the time of the 2000 census. The city is located in the Foothills
of the San Gabriel Mountains
below the southern edge of the Angeles National Forest
. Pasadena
and Altadena
are to its west, with Arcadia
to its south and east. Sierra Madre is known as "Wistaria City", and its city seal is decorated with a drawing of the now widely known 500 feet (152.4 m) vine. It is also called the "Village of the Foothills" and was an All-America City
in 2007.
In approximately 500 A.D., Tongva Indians, the aborigines migrated from the Mojave
area to what would become the Los Angeles County, (including the San Gabriel Valley
). Their name means "People of the Earth". Their primary language was Uto-Aztecan Shoshonean, exemplifying their roots in the Aztec
empire. In the 16th century there were about 25 Tongva villages, with population of approximately 400 native people. By 1769, the first Spanish settlers arrived in the region, finding an estimated 5,000 Tongva living in 31 villages. Two years later, Mission San Gabriel Arcangel
was founded in today's Montebello
, causing the Tongva communities to rapidly dwindle. The mission was later moved to San Gabriel
because of severe flooding from the Rio Hondo
River, which ruined their crops. The original mission site is now marked by a California Historical Landmark
. Tongvas were integrated into the culture of the mission, and the tribe were renamed Gabrielino Indians by the Spaniards. The first Mount Wilson trail was carved by the Gabrielino Indians which was used by them when they carried timber down from the mountains for the construction of the San Gabriel Mission in 1771.
Using Mexican and Chinese laborers, Benjamin "Don Benito" Wilson expanded the Mount Wilson
Trail in 1864. Nathaniel Carter purchased the original 1103 acres (4.5 km²) that comprise Sierra Madre in 1881: 845 acres (3.4 km²) from "Lucky Baldwin
", 108 acre (0.43706088 km²) from the Southern Pacific Railroad Company; and 150 acre (0.607029 km²) from Levi Richardson. In 1888, The Santa Anita railroad station was built. The first of the year brought Pacific Electric Railway Red Car passenger service to Sierra Madre. Later that year the first electric lights were installed by the Edison Electric Company. In December 1906, the first telephones were installed, 250 of them, by the Home Telephone Company of Monrovia. On February 2, 1907, the first citywide election was held and 96 citizens voted 71-25 to officially incorporate Sierra Madre, the population was about 500. Eighteen days later, Sierra Madre became incorporated as a California city. Charles Worthington Jones served as the first mayor.
Sierra Madre is historically linked to the old mountain resorts of the San Gabriel Mountains and Valley. The Sierra Madre Villa Hotel was a pioneer of summer resorts that populated the San Gabriel Valley
in the late-19th century. The municipality also operated and maintained the landmark "Lizzie's Trail" inn at the head of Old Mount Wilson Trail.
Harvard College
established the first Mount Wilson Observatory
in 1889. The installation of the Harvard telescope in 1889, which brought its own problems of transporting the instrument up the old Wilson trail, caused an interest in a Mt. Wilson roadway, something more than a trail. The Harvard telescope was removed and in July the new toll road was officially opened to the public. The toll was set by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors at 25 cents for hikers and 50 cents for horseback. The new road was called the "New Mt. Wilson Trail" and it was more popular at the time than the old Sierra Madre trail. Foot and pack animal traffic became so heavy that in June 1893 the trail was widened to six feet. The Pacific Electric "Red Cars" established their route to Sierra Madre from 1906 until 1950. Literally thousands of people rode the cars to Sierra Madre to hike the original Mt. Wilson Trail.
In 1908, the first Mt. Wilson Trail Race was run. This popular annual event race was discontinued during WWII and reestablished in 1966. The 102nd anniversary of the first running of the Mount Wilson Trail Race was also The 44th annual running of the race, was run in May 2010. Because with rain, mudslides, falling trees and rockslides, the regularly monitored trail course changes almost every year, due to soil erosion and wear and tear, no official records are kept of running times are kept. The 8.6 miles (13.8 km) course, starts and ends on pavement, the majority of the race is run on a dirt path about three foot wide and the Mt. Wilson Trail has occasionally steep vertical drops of hundreds of feet. Due to the narrow and steep qualities of the trail, the race is limited to 300 male and female runners. The path gains elevation to more than 2100 feet (640.1 m) and, at 4.3 miles (6.9 km) from the start of the race, is Orchard Camp, the turnaround point. Scout troops hike up to provide water at two locations, the 2.3 miles (3.7 km) point and at the Orchard Camp turnaround. The Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team provides emergency support on race day. The special feature of the Mt. Wilson Trail Race, is its traditional and historical value to the community.
A year after the city's incorporation, Roman Catholic families contacted a priest from Chicago, Fr. M. W. Barth, who had moved west for his health, to ask if he could celebrate Mass for them. The construction of the first very small church of St. Rita's parish, founded by Father Barth in 1908, was completed in 1910. In 1922, St. Rita's Catholic Church parochial school opened. During the first 100 years of St. Rita Parish, it has on record: 4,075 Baptisms, 3,590 Confirmations, 1,334 Marriages and 1,469 funerals. The scattering of families that began with Fr. Barth in 1908, has grown to more than 1,200 Catholic parish homes today, in a city whose entire population is now approximately 10,580 people.
In 1914, after a long legal battle, the city acquired title to all water rights, lands, and distributing systems of the Baldwin Estate and the Sierra Madre Water Company.
in greater Los Angeles
today.
On January 1, 1922, Bethany Temple was dedicated, the now historical domed cobblestone church was designed and built by the nearly-blind Louis D. Corneulle. The new Congregational Church structure was completed on Sierra Madre Ave; the Romanesque Revival building was designed by Marsh, Smith, & Powell. On April 21, 1931, the first meeting of the Sierra Madre Historical Society took place, in conjunction with the city's fiftieth anniversary celebration. In 1936, a city ordinance officially changed the name of Central Avenue to Sierra Madre Blvd. In March 1938, a disastrous storm and the resulting flood destroyed many resorts in the local mountains, also ravaged the (John) Muir Lodge in Big Santa Anita Canyon
above Sierra Madre. No trace remains of it today. In 1939 the city purchased 760 acres (3.1 km²) of land in San Gabriel Mountains near Orchard Camp to avoid contamination of water supply.
A six week Wistaria event took place in the 1930s. The crowds that traveled to see the giant Wisteria vine were estimated at over 100,000. With so many visitors, Extra "Red Cars" were put on the Pacific Electric route to Sierra Madre.
On May 14, 1942, The whole of Sierra Madre's Japanese population, including U.S. citizens, was required to depart for the assembly center in Tulare, California. During the decade, Sierra Madre Civic Club and the Sierra Madre Lion's Club are organized. The Sierra Madre Community Nursery School also opened. In May 1947 the first Pioneer Days Parade was held. The heaviest recorded snow falls on Sierra Madre in 1949, blanketing the town with 3-4 inches of snow overnight.
In 1961. In 1967, Britains's Princess Margaret visited the British Home in Sierra Madre. The Cultural Heritage Committee was established in 1969 by the Sierra Madre City Council with the intent of "defining cultural and aesthetic landmarks throughout the City of Sierra Madre and to recommend how such landmarks be preserved." In 1969, the city purchased the Woman's Clubhouse to be demolished and become the site of a new City Hall building.
Predominately through the efforts of a few dedicated Sierra Madre residents, the Sierra Madre Historical Wilderness Area was established by declaration of the City Council on January 24, 1967. When it was dedicated on January 27, 1968, Sierra Madre was the first city in Southern California
to own a wilderness preserve. The Sierra Madre City Council added the Mt. Wilson Trail to the Sierra Madre Register of Historic Cultural Landmarks, on October 12, 1993,.
In January 1971, the Sierra Madre Environmental Action Council was formed. In 1974, the Bell Tower in Kersting Court was dedicated; this bell tower houses the original school bell from the 1885 schoolhouse. In 1976 the "Sierra Madre Vistas" was published by the Sierra Madre Historical Preservation Society. On March 19, 1976, the Bicentennial time capsule was buried beneath flagpole at the new Fire and Police Department Facility, and dedicated in May. The New City Hall building was dedicated on Sierra Madre Boulevard in 1977
In 1981, Sierra Madre celebrated the centennial of its founding, complete with a Centennial Royal Court and dance, a special Historical Society dinner, and rides on a Pacific Electric red car brought back to town Independence Day weekend. On February 28, 1983, Queen Elizabeth visited the British Home and greeted each and every resident of the small town. In April 1999, "The Weeping Wall Veterans' Memorial", designed by Lew Watanabe, is dedicated in Memorial Park.
, the prestigious award is given by the National Civic League
. That same year, the refurbished World War I cannon in Memorial Park was dedicated.
In March 2008, Goldberg Park was dedicated. It is the city's first new park in over thirty years. In 2009, the Sierra Madre Historical Preservation Society published "Southern California Story: Seeking the Better Life in Sierra Madre", by Michele Zack. In the northern and northeastern portions of the city are the Lower and Upper Sierra Madre Canyons. These small communities are noted for their narrow and winding roads, lush vegetation, views of the San Gabriel Valley
, and small bungalows or cabins.
Sierra Madre is located in the 29th Senate
District, represented by Republican Bob Huff
, and in the 59th Assembly
District, represented by Republican Anthony Adams
. Federally, Sierra Madre is located in California's 26th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +4 and is represented by Republican David Dreier
.
operates the Monrovia Health Center in Monrovia
, serving Sierra Madre.
in the Greater Los Angeles
area and has no traffic signals within its town limits. In 1928, Gordon MacMillan was inaugurated as first Chief of Police, the beginning of the city's police system as we know it today. With the appointment of former Pasadena Police Department
Cmdr. Marilyn Diaz as Police Chief on March 14, 2006, the Sierra Madre Police Department became the first municipal police department in Los Angeles County to have a female Chief. As reported by KCAL television in 2006, there were 17 sworn members of the Sierra Madre Police Department.
A plaque honoring our fallen firefighters from 9/11, was installed in front of the fire station in October 2001.
In July 2003, the MTA begins operation of the Gold line from Union Station to Sierra Madre Villa. Sierra Madre expanded local transit service as part of the new operation. In March 2005, Marilyn Diaz was named Sierra Madre Chief of Police, the first female police chief in Los Angeles County.
In June 2007, the Paramedic was begun. It was funded by the sale of an unused fire station in the canyon. Sierra Madre is the last city in Los Angeles County to provide paramedic service to its residents.
City Council members
Sierra Madre hosts a locally famous Independence Day
parade and three days of festivities each year. The date of the parade varies from year to year, dependent on when the Monday of the holiday weekend falls. Residents like to call it a "Star Spangled Weekend." The old tradition of water-filled squirt guns during the parade has been scrapped for "confetti eggs" to throw at parade participants and viewers. Concerts, food and game booths and the ubiquitous Beer booth are all a part of the firework-free weekend.
In the northern and northeastern portions of the city are the Lower and Upper Sierra Madre Canyons. These small communities are noted for their narrow and winding roads, lush vegetation, views of the San Gabriel Valley
, and small bungalows or cabins. Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park has these resources and hiking trail entrances are available to the public: Sierra Madre Wilderness Trail, Live Oak Nature Trail, and Canyon View Nature Trail. The park itself has a Native Botanical Area and picnic area barbecues and fire rings
), which celebrates its 114-year-old, 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis
) vine. The plant was named by the Guinness Book of World Records The annual festival is the one day a year the 115-year-old vine on private property can be viewed. The city's more than 500 feet (152.4 m)-long Wisteria Vine, was purchased in 1894 by Mrs. William (Alice) Brugman from the old Wilson nursery, in Monrovia
, for seventy-five cents. Over time, the vine, with its lavender flowers, grew so large that it crushed the house. Now the vine spans two back yards in the 500 block of North Hermosa Avenue. The vine measures more than 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) in size and weighs 250 tons.
On January 1, 1917, Sierra Madre made its first entry in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade. Since 1954, the year it was founded, the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association has organized all of the volunteers that decorate the self made floats every year, and receives no funds from the city. In 2010, the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association and float designer Charles Meier won their fourth award in a row, the "Lathrop K. Leishman Award" for Most Beautiful Non-Commercial Float.
-bound football teams have found a good night's rest away from the wicked temptations of the cities of Los Angeles and Pasadena
.
Shortly before the Rose Bowl game in 1958, Ohio State Coach Woody Hayes
started looking for a place to sequester his team from the wicked temptations of Los Angeles
. The Mater Dolorosa monastery in Sierra Madre offered secluded serenity, along with a small company of black-robed friars to make sure the team didn't get into any mischief. The Buckeyes
won the game. Other team coaches have followed suit. Bobby Bell
, a Minnesota
linebacker, remembered the team bus pulling into the monastery one late night, with only the headlights and police escort lights shining against the religious statues. He remarked to his coach: "You don't have to worry about bed-check tonight, Coach."
Numerous other movies have been filmed at Mater Dolorosa Monastery.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.7 km²). 3.0 square miles (7.7 km²) of it is land and 0.15% is water.
was 3,692.0 people per square mile (1,425.5/km²). The racial makeup of Sierra Madre was 8,967 (82.1%) White, 201 (1.8%) African American, 44 (0.4%) Native American, 835 (7.6%) Asian, 9 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 390 (3.6%) from other races
, and 471 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,628 persons (14.9%).
The Census reported that 10,916 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 1 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,837 households, out of which 1,205 (24.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,291 (47.4%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 442 (9.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 139 (2.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 217 (4.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 54 (1.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,596 households (33.0%) were made up of individuals and 588 (12.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26. There were 2,872 families
(59.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.89.
The population was spread out with 2,095 people (19.2%) under the age of 18, 539 people (4.9%) aged 18 to 24, 2,524 people (23.1%) aged 25 to 44, 3,864 people (35.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,895 people (17.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.6 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.
There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of 1,729.1 per square mile (667.6/km²), of which 2,988 (61.8%) were owner-occupied, and 1,849 (38.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.0%. 7,390 people (67.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,526 people (32.3%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 10,578 people, 4,756 households, and 2,739 families residing in the town. The population density
was 3,522.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,361.4/km²). There were 4,923 housing units at an average density of 1,639.5 per square mile (633.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.8% White, 1.1% African American, 0.4% Native American, 5.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.0% from other races
, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.0% of the population.
There were 4,756 households out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the town, the population was spread out with 18.9% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $65,900, and the median income for a family was $79,588. Males had a median income of $61,635 versus $42,527 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $41,104. About 1.9% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
whose population was 10,917 at the 2010 census, up from 10,580 at the time of the 2000 census. The city is located in the Foothills
Foothills of California
The Foothills of California, or the Foothills and Hills of the San Gabriel Valley in Southern California, are limited in this article to the Southern California foothills and hills in the San Gabriel Valley area that are part of the Transverse Ranges in Los Angeles County, California...
of the San Gabriel Mountains
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
below the southern edge of the Angeles National Forest
Angeles National Forest
The Angeles National Forest of the U.S. National Forest Service is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, southern California. It was established on July 1, 1908, incorporating the first San Bernardino National Forest and parts of the former Santa Barbara and San Gabriel...
. Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
and Altadena
Altadena, California
Altadena is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States, approximately from the downtown Los Angeles Civic Center, and directly north of the city of Pasadena, California...
are to its west, with Arcadia
Arcadia, California
Arcadia is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and located approximately northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains....
to its south and east. Sierra Madre is known as "Wistaria City", and its city seal is decorated with a drawing of the now widely known 500 feet (152.4 m) vine. It is also called the "Village of the Foothills" and was an All-America City
All-America City Award
The All-America City Award is given by the National Civic League annually to ten cities in the United States.The oldest community recognition program in the nation, the award recognizes communities whose citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon...
in 2007.
Early history
In approximately 500 A.D., Tongva Indians, the aborigines migrated from the Mojave
Mojave, California
Mojave is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Mojave is located east of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 2762 feet...
area to what would become the Los Angeles County, (including the San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
). Their name means "People of the Earth". Their primary language was Uto-Aztecan Shoshonean, exemplifying their roots in the Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
empire. In the 16th century there were about 25 Tongva villages, with population of approximately 400 native people. By 1769, the first Spanish settlers arrived in the region, finding an estimated 5,000 Tongva living in 31 villages. Two years later, Mission San Gabriel Arcangel
Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
The Mission San Gabriel Arcángel is a fully functioning Roman Catholic mission and a historic landmark in San Gabriel, California. The settlement was founded by Spaniards of the Franciscan order on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary," September 8, 1771, as the fourth of what would become 21 Spanish...
was founded in today's Montebello
Montebello, California
Montebello is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the southwestern part of the San Gabriel Valley. It is located on of land just east of downtown Los Angeles. It is considered part of the Gateway Cities, and the city is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of...
, causing the Tongva communities to rapidly dwindle. The mission was later moved to San Gabriel
San Gabriel, California
San Gabriel is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is named after the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, founded by Junipero Serra. The city grew outward from the mission and in 1852 became the original township of Los Angeles County. San Gabriel was incorporated in 1913...
because of severe flooding from the Rio Hondo
Rio Hondo (California)
The Rio Hondo is a tributary of the Los Angeles River in Los Angeles County, California, approximately long. As a named river, it begins in Irwindale and flows southwest to its confluence in South Gate, passing through several cities...
River, which ruined their crops. The original mission site is now marked by a California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
. Tongvas were integrated into the culture of the mission, and the tribe were renamed Gabrielino Indians by the Spaniards. The first Mount Wilson trail was carved by the Gabrielino Indians which was used by them when they carried timber down from the mountains for the construction of the San Gabriel Mission in 1771.
Using Mexican and Chinese laborers, Benjamin "Don Benito" Wilson expanded the Mount Wilson
Mount Wilson (California)
Mount Wilson is one of the better known peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains, part of the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, California. It is the location of the Mount Wilson Observatory and has become the astronomical center of Southern California with and telescopes, and and tall...
Trail in 1864. Nathaniel Carter purchased the original 1103 acres (4.5 km²) that comprise Sierra Madre in 1881: 845 acres (3.4 km²) from "Lucky Baldwin
Lucky Baldwin
Elias Jackson "Lucky" Baldwin was a prominent California businessman and investor of the second half of the 19th century.-Biography:...
", 108 acre (0.43706088 km²) from the Southern Pacific Railroad Company; and 150 acre (0.607029 km²) from Levi Richardson. In 1888, The Santa Anita railroad station was built. The first of the year brought Pacific Electric Railway Red Car passenger service to Sierra Madre. Later that year the first electric lights were installed by the Edison Electric Company. In December 1906, the first telephones were installed, 250 of them, by the Home Telephone Company of Monrovia. On February 2, 1907, the first citywide election was held and 96 citizens voted 71-25 to officially incorporate Sierra Madre, the population was about 500. Eighteen days later, Sierra Madre became incorporated as a California city. Charles Worthington Jones served as the first mayor.
The new century
Sierra Madre is historically linked to the old mountain resorts of the San Gabriel Mountains and Valley. The Sierra Madre Villa Hotel was a pioneer of summer resorts that populated the San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
in the late-19th century. The municipality also operated and maintained the landmark "Lizzie's Trail" inn at the head of Old Mount Wilson Trail.
Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
established the first Mount Wilson Observatory
Mount Wilson Observatory
The Mount Wilson Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The MWO is located on Mount Wilson, a 5,715 foot peak in the San Gabriel Mountains near Pasadena, northeast of Los Angeles...
in 1889. The installation of the Harvard telescope in 1889, which brought its own problems of transporting the instrument up the old Wilson trail, caused an interest in a Mt. Wilson roadway, something more than a trail. The Harvard telescope was removed and in July the new toll road was officially opened to the public. The toll was set by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors at 25 cents for hikers and 50 cents for horseback. The new road was called the "New Mt. Wilson Trail" and it was more popular at the time than the old Sierra Madre trail. Foot and pack animal traffic became so heavy that in June 1893 the trail was widened to six feet. The Pacific Electric "Red Cars" established their route to Sierra Madre from 1906 until 1950. Literally thousands of people rode the cars to Sierra Madre to hike the original Mt. Wilson Trail.
In 1908, the first Mt. Wilson Trail Race was run. This popular annual event race was discontinued during WWII and reestablished in 1966. The 102nd anniversary of the first running of the Mount Wilson Trail Race was also The 44th annual running of the race, was run in May 2010. Because with rain, mudslides, falling trees and rockslides, the regularly monitored trail course changes almost every year, due to soil erosion and wear and tear, no official records are kept of running times are kept. The 8.6 miles (13.8 km) course, starts and ends on pavement, the majority of the race is run on a dirt path about three foot wide and the Mt. Wilson Trail has occasionally steep vertical drops of hundreds of feet. Due to the narrow and steep qualities of the trail, the race is limited to 300 male and female runners. The path gains elevation to more than 2100 feet (640.1 m) and, at 4.3 miles (6.9 km) from the start of the race, is Orchard Camp, the turnaround point. Scout troops hike up to provide water at two locations, the 2.3 miles (3.7 km) point and at the Orchard Camp turnaround. The Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team provides emergency support on race day. The special feature of the Mt. Wilson Trail Race, is its traditional and historical value to the community.
A year after the city's incorporation, Roman Catholic families contacted a priest from Chicago, Fr. M. W. Barth, who had moved west for his health, to ask if he could celebrate Mass for them. The construction of the first very small church of St. Rita's parish, founded by Father Barth in 1908, was completed in 1910. In 1922, St. Rita's Catholic Church parochial school opened. During the first 100 years of St. Rita Parish, it has on record: 4,075 Baptisms, 3,590 Confirmations, 1,334 Marriages and 1,469 funerals. The scattering of families that began with Fr. Barth in 1908, has grown to more than 1,200 Catholic parish homes today, in a city whose entire population is now approximately 10,580 people.
In 1914, after a long legal battle, the city acquired title to all water rights, lands, and distributing systems of the Baldwin Estate and the Sierra Madre Water Company.
1920s and 1930s
In 1921, a disastrous bakery fire at Windsor Lane and Montecito Court, prompted the official organization of the Sierra Madre Volunteer Fire Department. The town is still home to the only remaining volunteer fire departmentVolunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
in greater Los Angeles
Greater Los Angeles Area
The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, is a term used for the Combined Statistical Area sprawled over five counties in the southern part of California, namely Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Ventura County...
today.
On January 1, 1922, Bethany Temple was dedicated, the now historical domed cobblestone church was designed and built by the nearly-blind Louis D. Corneulle. The new Congregational Church structure was completed on Sierra Madre Ave; the Romanesque Revival building was designed by Marsh, Smith, & Powell. On April 21, 1931, the first meeting of the Sierra Madre Historical Society took place, in conjunction with the city's fiftieth anniversary celebration. In 1936, a city ordinance officially changed the name of Central Avenue to Sierra Madre Blvd. In March 1938, a disastrous storm and the resulting flood destroyed many resorts in the local mountains, also ravaged the (John) Muir Lodge in Big Santa Anita Canyon
Santa Anita Canyon
Santa Anita Canyon is a canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains, within the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, California.-Geography:...
above Sierra Madre. No trace remains of it today. In 1939 the city purchased 760 acres (3.1 km²) of land in San Gabriel Mountains near Orchard Camp to avoid contamination of water supply.
A six week Wistaria event took place in the 1930s. The crowds that traveled to see the giant Wisteria vine were estimated at over 100,000. With so many visitors, Extra "Red Cars" were put on the Pacific Electric route to Sierra Madre.
1940s
On May 14, 1942, The whole of Sierra Madre's Japanese population, including U.S. citizens, was required to depart for the assembly center in Tulare, California. During the decade, Sierra Madre Civic Club and the Sierra Madre Lion's Club are organized. The Sierra Madre Community Nursery School also opened. In May 1947 the first Pioneer Days Parade was held. The heaviest recorded snow falls on Sierra Madre in 1949, blanketing the town with 3-4 inches of snow overnight.
Mid-century
On October 6, 1950, the last Pacific Electric train left from Sierra Madre. In 1951, Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team was established by Larry Shepherd and Fred LaLone. Sierra Madre joined the Pasadena Unified School DistrictPasadena Unified School District
The Pasadena Unified School District is a unified school district that is responsible for the schools of Pasadena, California. , it has 4 high schools, 3 middle schools, 2 K-8 schools and 16 elementary schools...
In 1961. In 1967, Britains's Princess Margaret visited the British Home in Sierra Madre. The Cultural Heritage Committee was established in 1969 by the Sierra Madre City Council with the intent of "defining cultural and aesthetic landmarks throughout the City of Sierra Madre and to recommend how such landmarks be preserved." In 1969, the city purchased the Woman's Clubhouse to be demolished and become the site of a new City Hall building.
Predominately through the efforts of a few dedicated Sierra Madre residents, the Sierra Madre Historical Wilderness Area was established by declaration of the City Council on January 24, 1967. When it was dedicated on January 27, 1968, Sierra Madre was the first city in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
to own a wilderness preserve. The Sierra Madre City Council added the Mt. Wilson Trail to the Sierra Madre Register of Historic Cultural Landmarks, on October 12, 1993,.
1970s
In January 1971, the Sierra Madre Environmental Action Council was formed. In 1974, the Bell Tower in Kersting Court was dedicated; this bell tower houses the original school bell from the 1885 schoolhouse. In 1976 the "Sierra Madre Vistas" was published by the Sierra Madre Historical Preservation Society. On March 19, 1976, the Bicentennial time capsule was buried beneath flagpole at the new Fire and Police Department Facility, and dedicated in May. The New City Hall building was dedicated on Sierra Madre Boulevard in 1977
1980s and 1990s
In 1981, Sierra Madre celebrated the centennial of its founding, complete with a Centennial Royal Court and dance, a special Historical Society dinner, and rides on a Pacific Electric red car brought back to town Independence Day weekend. On February 28, 1983, Queen Elizabeth visited the British Home and greeted each and every resident of the small town. In April 1999, "The Weeping Wall Veterans' Memorial", designed by Lew Watanabe, is dedicated in Memorial Park.
Recent history
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Senior Housing Project on Esperanza Avenue was held, the affordable housing project includes 46 units designed by PBWS Architects and developed by the Foundation for Quality Housing in 2003. Later that year the Veterans' Photo Wall, spearheaded by John Grijalva, is dedicated in Memorial Park. In 2007, Sierra Madre celebrated the centennial of its incorporation as a Californian city. Sierra Madre also won the All-America City AwardAll-America City Award
The All-America City Award is given by the National Civic League annually to ten cities in the United States.The oldest community recognition program in the nation, the award recognizes communities whose citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon...
, the prestigious award is given by the National Civic League
National Civic League
The National Civic League is an American non-profit organization that advocates for transparency, effectiveness, and openness in local government...
. That same year, the refurbished World War I cannon in Memorial Park was dedicated.
In March 2008, Goldberg Park was dedicated. It is the city's first new park in over thirty years. In 2009, the Sierra Madre Historical Preservation Society published "Southern California Story: Seeking the Better Life in Sierra Madre", by Michele Zack. In the northern and northeastern portions of the city are the Lower and Upper Sierra Madre Canyons. These small communities are noted for their narrow and winding roads, lush vegetation, views of the San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
, and small bungalows or cabins.
Government and infrastructure
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Sierra Madre is located in the 29th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican Bob Huff
Bob Huff
Robert S. Huff is a U.S. politician, who is a Republican member of the California State Senate, representing the 29th Senate District, which includes portions of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties...
, and in the 59th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Anthony Adams
Anthony Adams (politician)
Anthony Adams is a former California State Assemblyman who represented the 59th district from 2006 to 2010. Adams was involved in political campaigns long before he became a politician himself. He helped promote Congressman Ed Royce, the late California State Senator "Pete" Knight and San...
. Federally, Sierra Madre is located in California's 26th congressional district
California's 26th congressional district
California 26th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that spans the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley from La Cañada Flintridge to Rancho Cucamonga...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +4 and is represented by Republican David Dreier
David Dreier
David Timothy Dreier is the U.S. Representative for , serving in Congress since 1981. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and business career:...
.
County
The Los Angeles County Department of Health ServicesLos Angeles County Department of Health Services
Health services to over 10 million residents in the Los Angeles County are provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Mental health services are provided by the County Department of Mental Health...
operates the Monrovia Health Center in Monrovia
Monrovia, California
Monrovia is a city located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 36,590 at the 2010 census, down from 36,929 at the 2000 census...
, serving Sierra Madre.
City services
The town is also home to the only remaining volunteer fire departmentVolunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
in the Greater Los Angeles
Greater Los Angeles Area
The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, is a term used for the Combined Statistical Area sprawled over five counties in the southern part of California, namely Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Ventura County...
area and has no traffic signals within its town limits. In 1928, Gordon MacMillan was inaugurated as first Chief of Police, the beginning of the city's police system as we know it today. With the appointment of former Pasadena Police Department
Pasadena Police Department
The Pasadena Police Department is the police department serving Pasadena, California. The headquarters of the Pasadena Police Department is located at 207 North Garfield Avenue in Pasadena, just a few blocks from the Pasadena City Hall and Paseo Colorado. The department employs 241 sworn officers,...
Cmdr. Marilyn Diaz as Police Chief on March 14, 2006, the Sierra Madre Police Department became the first municipal police department in Los Angeles County to have a female Chief. As reported by KCAL television in 2006, there were 17 sworn members of the Sierra Madre Police Department.
A plaque honoring our fallen firefighters from 9/11, was installed in front of the fire station in October 2001.
In July 2003, the MTA begins operation of the Gold line from Union Station to Sierra Madre Villa. Sierra Madre expanded local transit service as part of the new operation. In March 2005, Marilyn Diaz was named Sierra Madre Chief of Police, the first female police chief in Los Angeles County.
In June 2007, the Paramedic was begun. It was funded by the sale of an unused fire station in the canyon. Sierra Madre is the last city in Los Angeles County to provide paramedic service to its residents.
City Council
The Sierra Madre City Council has five members elected to four-year terms. The Council is responsible for general city policy, as well as for the appointment of the City Manager, City Attorney, and members of the city's boards and commissions. It also serves as the governing body for the Community Redevelopment Agency and Public Financing Authority.City Council members
- John Buchanan, Mayor
- Josh Moran, Mayor Pro Tem
- MaryAnn MacGillivray, Council Member
- Joseph M. Mosca, Council Member
- Nancy Walsh, Council Member
Unique culture
Downtown Sierra Madre has small restaurants and shops. There is also a historic company that makes gourmet and specialty olives, jams, jellies, and syrups (sold to the public) from its own citrus groves. The company, E. Waldo Ward and Son, was founded over 120 years ago, when most of Sierra Madre was mainly agricultural in its zoning; the first Sevilla orange trees in the U.S. were planted on the grounds (now, due to re-zoning, the original trees are on private property, however the Ward family still owns 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) of oranges at 273 East Highland Avenue as well as having a barn.)Sierra Madre hosts a locally famous Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
parade and three days of festivities each year. The date of the parade varies from year to year, dependent on when the Monday of the holiday weekend falls. Residents like to call it a "Star Spangled Weekend." The old tradition of water-filled squirt guns during the parade has been scrapped for "confetti eggs" to throw at parade participants and viewers. Concerts, food and game booths and the ubiquitous Beer booth are all a part of the firework-free weekend.
In the northern and northeastern portions of the city are the Lower and Upper Sierra Madre Canyons. These small communities are noted for their narrow and winding roads, lush vegetation, views of the San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
, and small bungalows or cabins. Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park has these resources and hiking trail entrances are available to the public: Sierra Madre Wilderness Trail, Live Oak Nature Trail, and Canyon View Nature Trail. The park itself has a Native Botanical Area and picnic area barbecues and fire rings
Wisteria vine
Sierra Madre is known for its annual Wistaria Festival (an alternative spelling of WisteriaWisteria
Wisteria is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, that includes ten species of woody climbing vines native to the eastern United States and to China, Korea, and Japan. Aquarists refer to the species Hygrophila difformis, in the family Acanthaceae, as Water Wisteria...
), which celebrates its 114-year-old, 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis
Wisteria sinensis
Wisteria sinensis is a woody, deciduous, perennial climbing vine in the genus Wisteria, native to China in the provinces of Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Shaanxi, and Yunnan...
) vine. The plant was named by the Guinness Book of World Records The annual festival is the one day a year the 115-year-old vine on private property can be viewed. The city's more than 500 feet (152.4 m)-long Wisteria Vine, was purchased in 1894 by Mrs. William (Alice) Brugman from the old Wilson nursery, in Monrovia
Monrovia, California
Monrovia is a city located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 36,590 at the 2010 census, down from 36,929 at the 2000 census...
, for seventy-five cents. Over time, the vine, with its lavender flowers, grew so large that it crushed the house. Now the vine spans two back yards in the 500 block of North Hermosa Avenue. The vine measures more than 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) in size and weighs 250 tons.
"Rose Parade"
On January 1, 1917, Sierra Madre made its first entry in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade. Since 1954, the year it was founded, the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association has organized all of the volunteers that decorate the self made floats every year, and receives no funds from the city. In 2010, the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association and float designer Charles Meier won their fourth award in a row, the "Lathrop K. Leishman Award" for Most Beautiful Non-Commercial Float.
Jailhouse Inn
Sierra Madre's "JailHouse Inn" is located in the Historic City Hall, and its "suite" is actually located at the genuine old jail. There is only one cell, so it can only "incarcerate" just one or two people per night. It is about 200 square feet (18.6 m²) and is regarded as the smallest, and perhaps most unique, bed & breakfast in the United States.Mater Dolorosa Monastery
In the foothills of Sierra Madre is an 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) retreat with a bubbling fountain and verdant gardens. Mater Dolorosa Monastery's first permanent structure was built in 1931. In 1949, the new retreat house was built and dedicated. The Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center ( Mater Dolorosa means "Mother of Sorrows") has provided an environment of peace for monks as well as Methodists, Presbyterians and even movie crews. It is a place where, for almost a century, Roman Catholic monks and their faithful, have sought tranquillity, and where Rose BowlRose Bowl (stadium)
The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
-bound football teams have found a good night's rest away from the wicked temptations of the cities of Los Angeles and Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
.
Shortly before the Rose Bowl game in 1958, Ohio State Coach Woody Hayes
Woody Hayes
Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University , Miami University , and Ohio State University , compiling a career college football record of 238–72–10.During his 28 seasons as the head coach of the Ohio...
started looking for a place to sequester his team from the wicked temptations of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The Mater Dolorosa monastery in Sierra Madre offered secluded serenity, along with a small company of black-robed friars to make sure the team didn't get into any mischief. The Buckeyes
1957 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1957 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was led by captains Galen Cisco and Leo Brown. They were the third national title team in Ohio State football history. They were coached by Hall of Fame coach Woody Hayes...
won the game. Other team coaches have followed suit. Bobby Bell
Bobby Bell
Bobby Lee Bell, Sr is a former professional American football linebacker/defensive end. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, and was a member of the Chiefs' team that won Super Bowl IV against the Minnesota Vikings.- High school career :He excelled in...
, a Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
linebacker, remembered the team bus pulling into the monastery one late night, with only the headlights and police escort lights shining against the religious statues. He remarked to his coach: "You don't have to worry about bed-check tonight, Coach."
Historical films produced in Sierra Madre
- In 1910, New York filmmaker D. W. GriffithD. W. GriffithDavid Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance .Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera...
began producing movies in town, using townspeople as extras. - The Great Man's LadyThe Great Man's LadyThe Great Man's Lady is a 1942 American western film directed by William A. Wellman, and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea. The film is based on the short story "The Human Side" by Viña Delmar.-Plot:...
, based on the short story "The Human Side" by Viña DelmarViña DelmarViña Delmar was a twenteth century American author, playwright, and screenwriter. With the editorial assistance of her husband, Eugene, she wrote or adapted about twenty plays which were produced as films during her lifetime—a career that lasted from 1929 to 1956...
, was filmed in 1941, at the Pinney House, starring Barbara StanwyckBarbara StanwyckBarbara Stanwyck was an American actress. She was a film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra...
, Joel McCreaJoel McCreaJoel Albert McCrea was an American actor whose career spanned 50 years and appearances in over 90 films.-Early life:...
, and Brian DonlevyBrian DonlevyBrian Donlevy was an Irish-born American film actor, noted for playing tough guys from the 1930s to the 1960s. He usually appeared in supporting roles. Among his best known films are Beau Geste and The Great McGinty...
. - Eddie Foy, Jr.Eddie Foy, Jr.Eddie Foy Jr. was an American character actor.Born Edwin Fitzgerald Jr. in New Rochelle, New York, the son of vaudevillian Eddie Foy and his third wife, Madeline Morando, he was one of the "Seven Little Foys" immortalized in the 1955 film of the same name...
and The Seven Little FoysThe Seven Little FoysThe Seven Little Foys is a 1955 film starring Bob Hope as Eddie Foy. James Cagney reprises his role as George M. Cohan for an energetic tabletop dance showdown sequence. In addition to the famous film, the story of Eddie Foy, Sr...
was also filmed at the Pinney House, starring Bob HopeBob HopeBob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
and Milly VitaleMilly VitaleCamilla "Milly" Vitale , daughter of conductor Riccardo Vitale and choreographer Natasha Shidlowski, was an Italian actress....
in 1954. - In 1976, Alfred HitchcockAlfred HitchcockSir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
filmed segments of A Family Plot in Sierra Madre's "Pioneer Cemetery". - The 1956 version of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers was filmed in town; it starred Kevin McCarthyKevin McCarthy (actor)Kevin McCarthy was an American stage, film, and television actor, who appeared in over two hundred television and film roles. For his role in the 1951 film version of Death of a Salesman, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and won a Golden Globe Award for New Star of...
, Dana WynterDana WynterDana Wynter was a German-born British actress, who was brought up in England and Southern Africa. She appeared in film and television for more than forty years beginning in the 1950s, most notably in the original version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.-Early life:Wynter was born as Dagmar...
, and Larry GatesLarry GatesLarry Gates was an American actor probably best known for his role as H.B. Lewis on daytime's Guiding Light and as Doc Baugh in the film version of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof...
.- In 1993, Invasion of the Body Snatchers was selected for preservation in the United States National Film RegistryNational Film RegistryThe National Film Registry is the United States National Film Preservation Board's selection of films for preservation in the Library of Congress. The Board, established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, was reauthorized by acts of Congress in 1992, 1996, 2005, and again in October 2008...
by the Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
- In 1993, Invasion of the Body Snatchers was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry
Numerous other movies have been filmed at Mater Dolorosa Monastery.
Geography
Sierra Madre is located at 34°9′53"N 118°3′3"W (34.164806, -118.050907).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.7 km²). 3.0 square miles (7.7 km²) of it is land and 0.15% is water.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Sierra Madre had a population of 10,917. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,692.0 people per square mile (1,425.5/km²). The racial makeup of Sierra Madre was 8,967 (82.1%) White, 201 (1.8%) African American, 44 (0.4%) Native American, 835 (7.6%) Asian, 9 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 390 (3.6%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 471 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,628 persons (14.9%).
The Census reported that 10,916 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 1 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,837 households, out of which 1,205 (24.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,291 (47.4%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 442 (9.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 139 (2.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 217 (4.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 54 (1.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,596 households (33.0%) were made up of individuals and 588 (12.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26. There were 2,872 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(59.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.89.
The population was spread out with 2,095 people (19.2%) under the age of 18, 539 people (4.9%) aged 18 to 24, 2,524 people (23.1%) aged 25 to 44, 3,864 people (35.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,895 people (17.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.6 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.
There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of 1,729.1 per square mile (667.6/km²), of which 2,988 (61.8%) were owner-occupied, and 1,849 (38.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.0%. 7,390 people (67.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,526 people (32.3%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 10,578 people, 4,756 households, and 2,739 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,522.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,361.4/km²). There were 4,923 housing units at an average density of 1,639.5 per square mile (633.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.8% White, 1.1% African American, 0.4% Native American, 5.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.0% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.0% of the population.
There were 4,756 households out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the town, the population was spread out with 18.9% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $65,900, and the median income for a family was $79,588. Males had a median income of $61,635 versus $42,527 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $41,104. About 1.9% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.