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A City in Balance
With its perfect blend of business friendly atmosphere, residential comforts and urban excitement, Glendale is truly a city in balance. Located at the foot of the breathtaking Verdugo Mountains, Glendale is the third largest city in Los Angeles County, spanning more than thirty square miles. Glendale is ethnically diverse and rich in cultural heritage.
Cosmopolitan Atmosphere
The excitement of urban living permeates Glendale. Its unique downtown area is surrounded by dramatic office towers, the four-star Hilton-Glendale and the nationally recognized Glendale Galleria shopping center, which serves over 50,000 customers per day - more than Disneyland.
Within this seven-block area, Glendale's downtown offers fabulous restaurants, a colorful array of specialty stores, an authentic farmer's market, movie theatres, nightclubs and live-performance venues. The exquisitely restored landmark Alex Theatre, a 1,500-seat performing arts center, brings world-famous performers and productions to Glendale.
A slower, more intimate pace can be found in any one of Glendale's many neighborhood business districts. Whether it is along the tree-lined streets of Montrose, the quaint landscape of Kenneth Village or the distinctive features of Adams Square, Glendale also provides a sense of small-town living.
Education
Glendale is also committed to the education of its youth. It offers an outstanding educational system with students consistently outscoring the local, state and national averages. Glendale Community College, one of California's largest two-year colleges, enjoys a statewide reputation for excellence. Community Services
For almost every need, the Glendale community responds. Because of its financially secure infrastructure, the City enjoys a wide variety of programs that benefit all its citizens.
Local libraries offer programs for children that teach while entertaining. Concerned citizens have begun exploring ways to better support young adults and improve their post-education job readiness. As a result, a number of youth programs have sprung up.
Many active nonprofit organizations such as the YWCA and Glendale Memorial Hospital have established outreach efforts to help recent immigrants assimilate into American society. An active senior center provides older residents with an opportunity to connect with other senior adults.
Glendale's 58 churches and places of worship represent 34 faiths and provide a backbone of service to a community highly oriented to traditional and family values. Library
The City operates a Central Library, five branches and a bookmobile. The Central Library is 92,000 square feet and houses over 400,000 volumes, including a very comprehensive business collection. The Brand Library, the largest branch, located in the former Brand mansion, includes an art gallery and nationally recognized art and music collection. Climate
Glendale enjoys a mild climate with an average high temperature of 77 degrees. The average rainfall in the City is 17.82 inches per year. The prevailing daytime wind in Glendale flows from the south, while the prevailing nighttime wind flows from the north. During the fall and winter months the unique Santa Ana wind conditions can affect the local weather and bring warm dry air from the northeast, which results in a temperate climate.
Live, Work or Play
Glendale unites the best of global sophistication, small-town comfort and Southern California flair in one city. Though located conveniently close to Los Angeles nestled in the foothills, Glendale maintains its individuality, providing a safe, fulfilling lifestyle for its residents, and a supportive progressive environment for its businesses. Glendale is truly a city in balance.
The City of Glendale is divided into 34 neighborhoods which are delineated by streets, washes, and mountain ridges. Each neighborhood has a unique history and character and as these neighborhoods developed, they combined to form the City of Glendale as we know it today.
Community spirit is strong as residents reflect a tremendous interest in non?profit causes, city improvements and educational issues. Neighborhoods are clean, business districts are built smartly and social amenities are abundant. A superior quality of life in Glendale is the result of the City's focus on safety, neighborhoods, education and community involvement.
For more information about Glendale, please call (818) 548-3155, or visit its web site at www.ci.glendale.ca.us.
History
The City of Glendale occupies land once held by the wealthy Verdugo family, who lend their name to the mountains so prominently exhibited as a backdrop to the city. In 1798, Jose Maria Verdugo received a land grant from the Spanish government, and he named his property the Rancho San Rafael. His ranch land extended from present-day Glendale to what is now the city of Burbank and the communities of Highland Park and Eagle Rock.
When Verdugo died in 1831, his children, Julio and Catalina, inherited the vast estate, holding it jointly until 1861, when they divided it between them. The pair subsequently parceled out portions of their properties to family members and other interested parties, but neglected to legally transfer titles to the land.
What followed was a confusion of ownership that culminated in a lawsuit dubbed "The Great Partition." That legal action decisively divided up the land and established ownership among many claimants. Leaving the Verdugos with only a few thousand acres, the suit effectively ended the prominent family's reign and ushered the area into a new era of commerce and community.
In 1884, property owners decided on "Glendale" as the name for the town that had sprouted up in the heart of the land formerly held by the Verdugos. In 1887, the site was mapped and officially listed with the county recorder as the "Town of Glendale."
In 1906, the City of Glendale incorporated with 1,486 acres of land. During the passing years, Glendale has burgeoned to 31 square miles, which today are populated by nearly 200,000 citizens.
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