Pasadena, California

Pasadena, California

Miscellaneous

South Orange Grove Boulevard

One of two primary, exclusive residential districts in Pasadena, South Orange Grove Boulevard has been a home for the rich and famous since the early 20th century. Because of a number of landmark mansions, the street earned the name "Millionaire's Row." However, by the early 21st Century many of these homes had been replaced by spacious, pricey condominiums. Prominent among the historic residences is the Wrigley Mansion, former home of chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr., which now serves as headquarters for the world-renowned Tournament of Roses Parade. On the north end of the street lies the Gamble House, built by renowned Arts & Crafts movement architects Greene & Greene, but once home to David and Mary Gamble of Procter & Gamble fame. The annual Rose Parade on New Year's Day uses South Orange Grove Boulevard as a staging area for flower-covered floats, and it is where the parade begins. The Norton Simon Museum sits at the intersection of Orange Grove and Colorado Boulevard. The intersection of Fair Oaks Avenue and Colorado Boulevard is the center of Old Town Pasadena.

Related Topics:
William Wrigley Jr. - Tournament of Roses Parade - Gamble House - Norton Simon Museum - Colorado Boulevard - Fair Oaks Avenue - Old Town Pasadena

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Parrots

Pasadena is full of flocks of wild parrots. The city's website identifies them as yellowhead amazon parrots, but according to the Parrot Project of Los Angeles, the parrots fall into as many as five different groups. There is a cycle of regular public outcry about the noise and the sheer oddity of the birds' presence, but most Pasadenans seem to have come to accept the birds as part of the city's life. They can be seen year-round, but are especially noticeable in the winter.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Theories and myths abound on how these parrots came to claim Pasadena and surrounding towns as their home. Some believe they were smuggled in; some believe they are descendants of a flock that escaped after a huge fire at a nursery on the east side of town in the early 1960s. One rumor claims that a petshop owner released several parrots for an unknown reason, and the parrots bred into much larger numbers as time passed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~