Home Doctors House Museum Historic Districting Glendale History Glendale Landmarks Newsletter Online (pdf) Speakers Bureau Useful Links Acacia Hills development Viewed from Chevy Chase Dr. Heald Ranch in Tropico Mr. Richardson, Tropico pioneer Edward Weston, world famous art Photographer gained inspiration From Tropico. Irvine Robbins and Mr. Baskin set up their first store, SnowBird IceCream, in Adams Square. They then renamed their business Baskin-Robbins. El Miradero Entrance Cultures converge in Adams Hill Popular “revival” architectural styles of the ‘20s-30s Spanish Colonial and Tudor. A Trip Back in Time To Tropico The name "Glendale"  originated in the 1880s, but political factions soon divided the town in two. North of Windsor Road was called "Glendale” and south of Windsor Road was known as Tropico.  By the turn of the century, the commercial center of Tropico was at Central and San Fernando Road and its population was 700. On March 15, 1911, the independent spirit of the local “southern” residents  asserted itself when the City of Tropico formally incorporated as an independent municipality. By 1914, Tropico’s population was a booming 3,200. Tropico City Hall was at the corner of Brand and Los Feliz Blvds.  The Acacia Avenue School opened its doors in 1914 and is today the site of The Horace Mann School, which was built in 1954. The vast majority of Tropico would later become southwest Glendale and eventually the undeveloped area evolved into today's Adams Hill. Tropico was annexed to Glendale in 1918, and then became known as The Tropico District of Glendale. This district, 861 acres,  was bound by Garfield on the north, city limits on the south and east and the Southern Pacific Railroad on the west. W.C.B. Richardson and his Ranch Tropico's most prominent pioneer settler was William C.B. Richardson, a land owner and developer in the later 1800s. The Richardson House, 1281 Mariposa St. at the corner of Cypress, was build in 1873 and is one of Glendale's most treasured landmarks and the oldest woodframe structure in Glendale. The 20s Building Boom Watts Subdivision, Glendale Hts, Acacia Hills, Heide-Boynton Tract and others Residential development took off after Tropico's annexation to Glendale. Several sub-divisions sprang up, one of the largest being the Watts' Subdivision, which was later broken up into smaller developments. The eastern side of the district was dubbed Acacia Hills, as there were loads of Acacia trees in the area. The Glendale Evening News in February of 1924 described Acacia Hills as "….one of the most sightly spots in this vicinity and known throughout the southland for its natural beauty, the fame of Acacia Hills has spread like wild fire". Because of its stunning vista views, builders were attracted to the district, now called Adams Hill, in the 1920s and 30s, resulting in the collection of beautiful period homes stacked up on the hills that is Adams Hill's legacy. Home of Photographer Edward Weston Famed Art Photographer Edward Weston chose Tropico as his open and opened his first studio on south Brand Boulevard "…on account of the peaceful and artistic atmostphere and scenery in and around Tropico". In the little early 20th century promotional booklet, "Tropico, the City Beautiful" by Henderson and Oliver, The Edward Weston Studio is described as "….a little flower-covered bungalow, nestled among trees and clinging vines. During Weston's residency in Tropico, he was already a nationally renown art photographer and his popularity was consider to be "…the source of bringing to Tropico many prominent artists." Tropico and Adams Hill today still house many artists. The First Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Store In 1925 the only commercial building in what is now Adams Square was the 1120-1130 South Adams St. Building. This building would figure prominently in our nation's popular lore when, in 1945, Irvine Robbins opened the Snowbird Ice Cream Store. That same year, Robbins teamed up with his brother-in-law Burton Baskin to create the Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors Ice Cream chain and, the rest is history. The original storefront has been covered over and is vacant. Bordering Adams Square is The John Muir School, at 912 S. Chevy Chase Dr, originally built in 1926 and reconstructed in 1950 to meet building codes. Forest Lawn Cemetery The residents of present day Adams Hill all navigate their way back home by sighting Forest Lawn Cemetery at the top of Adams Hill. The cemetery was founded by Dr. Hubert Eaton in 1906. The property was originally the home of Andrew Glassell's daughter. Glassell was an early developer in the area and the LA neighborhood to the south of us, Glassell Park, is named for him. Hubert Eaton's home still stands at Prospect and Alta Vista today. Palmer Park, West of Adams Square, off Palmer Dr. is one of Glendale's most beautiful parks with its stunning hillside backdrop. Palmer Park was created in the 1940s in response to public demand for more open parkland in our area. Adams Square - the beginning of a commercial center The commercial zone we know today as "Adams Square" was launched when the 1928 Art Deco landmark was inaugurated as "The Adams Square Building". In 1931, The Glendale News-Press did a large promotional piece on the Adams square area, featuring the building and pictures of prominent business people in the area. The Adams Square Building commercial zone of our area was first named "Adams Square" upon the naming of the building. The Adams Hill neighborhood and its commercial center, Adams Square, are alive and thriving. The commercial revitalization project includes new streetscape, plaza, landscaping, building facade improvements and a mini-park that includes the historic 1936 Richfield Oil Company's streamline moderne gas station building as a centerpiece. Tropico's Successor, southern Glendale is a cultural melting pot today The areas of Tropico/Adams Hill is today an area known for eclecticism and Bohemian charm. It is home to people of all professions, income levels, and backgrounds "..a melting pot of many cultures, ethnicities, and recent immigrants" ….as well as some neighbors who have resided here since the 1920s development boom. Exemplary period architecture Adams Hill is a well known treasure-trove of beautiful, modest sized, architecturally preserved homes , especially of the Mediterranean, Spanish Colonial, and Tudor Revival Styles. There is also a generous smattering of innovative post war modernist houses sprinkled throughout the neighborhood as many innovative architects took to Adams Hill in the '40s and '50s to build at the higher altitudes. References: A is For Adams, produced by The Historic Resource Group Tropico, the City Beautiful. Henderson and Oliver. Photos by Weston Adams Square, Past Present and Future. Friends of Historic Adams Square The Glendale Public Library Special Collections Archives Archives of The Glendale Historical Society