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The current Glendora Library building opened on February 28, 1972. Over 1600 people attended the dedication and open house two days prior. The Glendora Library traces its beginning all the way back to 1903, when a group of local women began the Athena Club. The club worked to create a reading room, which opened in 1904. The collection was eventually transferred to the new Glendora Woman's Club, which established a free library. The collection continue to grow until 1912, when the city of Glendora assumed control and the Library became a city department.The Library moved several times in the intervening years before the current location was built. 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Library's current location: "50 @ 140".
City Hall was constructed in a mixed neoclassical/ Italianate style in 1922 (the cornerstone was laid in 1921) to replace the previous city hall on Glendora Avenue and to accommodate the needs of a growing community. It is a large white two-story Spanish style structure with a red tile roof. This building continues to serve the community today as the City Hall. An addition has been added on the east side to house the Council Chambers and the community services offices.
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This vernacular brick commercial building was constructed in 1912 by Frank Chance, best known as the first baseman in the famous (c. 1912-15) Chicago Cubs double-play combination “Tinkers-to-Evers-to-Chance.” It was also known as the “Cub Building” because it housed the Cub Grocery for many years. A fire several years ago led to the structure being seismically retrofitted with senior citizen apartments created on the second floor.
Now occupied by Andrew’s, Inc., this structure housed the first department store in Glendora. Arthur Venberg was an early Glendora merchant who originally began his store in what became the Reed’s hardware building. This building was constructed in 1925 at a cost of $25,000. The architect was L. E. Richardson, the contractor was Mans Hopper. Also a “vernacular brick” structure, it is representative of many commercial buildings built here and throughout foothill communities during the period c. 1900–1920.
Originally known as the Converse Building, it was built c. 1905 in an Italianate style and was graced in front by a water fountain installed in 1909 by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). The fountain was a fully operational drinking fountain, for horses on one side, and people on the other. One of the first tenants of the Converse building was The Confectionery Shop, in 1909 which sold ice cream, cigars and chocolates.
Built in 1906 by C.A. Weaver, this is one of the most historic buildings in downtown Glendora. When the building first opened it was occupied by the First National Bank on the main floor while the city’s Opera House made up the second floor. The First National Bank was opened in 1907 with Carrol Whitcomb, son of George Whitcomb as President and M.C. Whitcomb as cashier. Early photographs of the building show statues of Mozart and Beethoven decorating the outside of the Opera House. On the north side of the building double doors opened up to a grand entry way leading to the second floor of the building, this entry way still remains today mostly as it did in those early years.
The Gem building was built by C.A.Weaver in 1910. It has been used and rented for many different organizations and events over the years. It adjoined the bank to the north.
This building was built in 1905. It originally started as a grocery store but transformed to a hardware store, sporting goods store, and eventually as a restaurant. The hardware store was run by father-son team Shen and Roland Reed. The Reeds were a very prominent family in Glendora and were part of many committees and groups in the community.
This building was constructed in 1900. In 1945, Joe Finkbiner, former mayor of Glendora, bought the store and in 1949 it moved to its present location. In addition to its grocery shelves, there was a delicatessen, frozen food, and ice cream freezer. At the time, the store was considered very modern.
Frederick A. Seimears came from Howard, Kansas to Glendora in the year 1901. His parents were German immigrants who settled in Kansas in the 1800's. Seimears first job was with the Covina Telephone Company as a linesman, which was housed in a tin building at 216 N. Michigan Ave (now Glendora Ave).
This boulder is the site of the first lot sold in Glendora. It later became part of property on which Glendora’s first City Hall (and present Museum) was built. The lot was originally sold on April 1, 1887 by the Glendora Land Company. The boulder represents the start of a new Glendora.
This church is a stone structure that was completed in 1931, on the corner of Glendora and Whitcomb Avenues. In 1930, a group of families, with spiritual differences, had been searching for stronger bible teachings and chose to break off from the Glendora Brethren Church to form the Independent Brethren Church of Glendora (IBCG).
The Glendora Woman’s Club, which met initially at the Opera House, built a wood frame Craftsman style club house on this site in 1912 and held its first meeting here on November 5, 1912. That building still exists within the heavily “modernized” exterior and interior resulting from a renovation in 1955. It as used as a setting for countless social gatherings and still houses the Women's Club today.
This building was one of a few maternity homes in Glendora. It was built in the 1800s. The house was constructed with square nails and kiln-dried redwood which supposedly makes it termite free. It claims to be the first home wired for electricity and one of the original light globes remains with the house today.
This building is a Craftsman home. The original owner, O. D. Fay, was active in many Glendora businesses. His son, Dan Fay, was a longtime (1947-64) Glendora police chief.
The historic Dewitler house was built in 1902. Many changes have occurred throughout the years, but the outside of the house looks very much the same. The Dewitler family built and settled in this home after residing in a smaller house on Alosta Ave to accommodate their growing family. The Dewitler family consisted of Edna and Wilbur Dewitler and six children, five boys and one girl.
On the northeast corners of Minnesota and Bennett you will find Glendora’s own California Registered Historical Landmark #912- Glendora’s Bougainvillea. This is the largest known stand of bougainvillea in the United States. The bright bougainvillea climb the trunks of stately palm trees that stretch along Bennet and Minnesota Ave. Residents say that the bougainvillea and the palm trees were used to promote California as a paradise during the land boom of the 1800’s.
The Brunjes family, active in early Glendora, built this 2200 square foot Victorian home in 1905. Mr. Brunjes was the manager of a local packing house. In 1997, this beautifully restored dwelling was given Landmark status by the Glendora City Council. This home is a typical example of the farm houses that once populated the area.
On the northeast corner of Foothill Blvd and Wabash Ave, you will find what some consider the “most beautiful ranger station in the entire National Forest system.” - Glendora's U.S. Forest Service Station. The land for the new headquarters in Glendora was purchased for $3,500 through the fundraising efforts of the Chamber of Commerce, an early example of the community participation for which Glendora is well known. One of the headquarters units for the operation of Angeles National Forest (Mt. Baldy District) and the San Dimas Experimental Forest, this building was constructed in 1940 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). During World War II, it was also the facility for the Office of Price Administration.
This 1800 square foot charming, historic, craftsman style home at 249 East Foothill Boulevard (then Minnehaha Avenue) was built between 1911 and 1913. The first documented mention of this property was on May 27, 1887, a mere two months after the city of Glendora had been established. It sold for $200 in gold coin to C.E. Sumner by the Glendora Land Company. The original deed was written by one of the city’s founders, George Whitcomb and stated that liquor could not be consumed or manufactured on the land or ownership would be given back to the Glendora Land Company.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
Get a QR Code for this tour
Starting at the Glendora Public Library, this relatively short walk offers a way to learn about the historical buildings of Glendora, including the namesakes behind some of the community's most iconic buildings. This tour was created with the Glendora Public Library and Glendora Historical Society.
