The Arcadia Historical Society will honor past presidents of the Society at a gala dinner in their honor at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, at the Lutheran Church of the Cross’ Friendship Hall at 66 West Duarte Road.

The Society’s annual General Membership Meeting will begin with a social hour at 6:30 p.m. The social hour, followed by the election of proposed board officers, is free and open to all all Society members.

The Presidents’ Recognition Dinner will follow at 7 p.m. Tickets for the dinner are $20 and are available to anyone.
A raffle will also be held after dinner.

Ample parking is available in the large lot situated behind the church. Lutheran Church of the Cross is just east of the Masonic Center on Duarte Avenue in Arcadia.

To contact the Society, call (626) 446-8512 or e-mail info@arcadihistoricalsociety.org.

The Arcadia Historical Society made yet another high-profile appearance to showcase Arcadia history throughout the region on Sunday, this time at the annual Los Angeles Heritage Day near Olvera Street in downtown L.A.

Society President Gene Glasco drove the classic Arcadia police car to the event, which was positioned in front of the historic Pico House as the most prominent element of the entire Heritage Day to catch the eye of attendees as they arrived. Board members Carol Libby, Bev Street, Karen Hou, and Scott Hettrick greeted visitors to the Society’s table of information and activities created by Karen and Carol.

See highlights of the event by playing the 1:50 video below…

Arcadia Mayor Gary Kovacic presented a special certificate and more than 30 others attended the Arcadia Historical Society’s open house Wednesday afternoon at the Society’s new office space on Santa Anita Avenue.

L-r Mayor Gary Kovacic, Society officers Carol Libby, Sandy Snider, President Gene Glasco

Just a fraction of the Society’s numerous collections of books and artifacts were on display, and archive photos hung on the walls alongside new replications of the Society’s many historical markers in locations around town.

Attendees enjoyed visiting with officials such as Arcadia Public Library and Museum Services Director Jackie Faust-Moreno and eating and drinking many refreshments.

Society officer Sandy Snider (l) visits with Arcadia Public Library and Museum Services Director Jackie Faust-Moreno

You can see more photos from the event here at the Arcadia’s Best Facebook page. More photos, videos and information about the event and about all Society activities can be found here at the Arcadia Historical Society web site and the Arcadia Historical Society Facebook page.

Arcadia Historical Society board members Carol Libby (l) and Karen Hou.

Board members of the Arcadia Historical Society were on hand to share interesting facts about Arcadia’s history with a few hundred Southern California students and their teachers who flocked to Azusa Pacific University’s annual “L.A. History Day,” last Saturday, March 10.
Inside the Richard and Vivian Felix Event Center Society board members Carol Libby and Karen Hou tended many exhibits, including an engaging and interactive educational timeline of clues and answers to area history. A hugely popular exhibit was a “dress up” table that included an interesting assortment of vintage clothes, hats, purses, etc. that attendees were encouraged to try on and wear while having their picture taken.

Read complete story and see more photos of event and 1959 Arcadia police car and video here at web site of Arcadia Historical Society.

– By Gene Glasco

The first public viewing of two new painted portraits of Lucky Baldwin and his daughter Anita Baldwin were unveiled Wednesday, March 7, at the first community-wide Meet the Candidates Forum at the Arcadia Public Library, presented by the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce and the Arcadia Association of Realtors.

The paintings by San Marino artists Belita William Provenza were commissioned by the great-great-great granddaughters of Elias Lucky Baldwin. Heather Gibson, who was in attendance at the event, commissioned the portrait of Anita, while Margaux Viera commissioned the painting of Lucky Baldwin, as well as a third painting of Viera’s daughter Natalia.
More than 125 attendees admired the portraits before and after the program and visited with Provenza and Gibson.
Margaux Viera was unable to attend due to having delivered another descendant of Baldwin last Thursday. Orlando Elias Viera.

– By Scott Hettrick