Glendora

the long version

Azusa Valley, before the 1850's was a wilderness of ancient live oak trees; thick stretches of cactus, chaparral, and sagebrush; and large boulders from thousands of years of erosion. Pioneers staked claims and began to clear the land. Through many gave up and moved back East, the permanent settlers preserved, and Glendora emerged as a town around 1887. Glendora incorporated in 1911, and an immensely profitable citrus industry kept it thriving. Today it is a quaint community, proud of its citrus-trade heritage. For this retrospective glimpse at the history of Glendora, author Ryan Lee Price selected nearly 200 postcards from several collections, notably those of Glendora Historical Society, longtime Glendora collector Gordon Rowley, and Southern California's postcard magnet, Roger LeRoque. All of these wonderful images, some not seen since they were posted, illustrate the journey of a once-bustling rural community into a vibrant suburb of Los Angeles.