La Cañada History: Devil’s Gate Dam reservoir filled; Pasadena attempts to annex JPL

Ten Years Ago

Several La Cañada residents started the new year in January 2006 with power interruptions at their homes blamed by Southern California Edison on a storm system that brought heavy rains and gusty winds to the Los Angeles region.

Twenty Years Ago

After a series of study sessions and discussions — and over the objections of the local chamber of commerce — the La Cañada Flintridge Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council put a complete ban on temporary commercial signs in the city.

Thirty Years Ago

It was reported that Dodger pitcher Jerry Reuss had purchased a home in La Cañada and would be living in the upper Oakwood Avenue section of the city.

Forty Years Ago

At the request of Caltech, Pasadena in early 1976 began proceedings to annex the 177-acre La Cañada site occupied by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. One argument in favor of the move was that JPL already received water and sewer service from Pasadena, another was that Caltech didn’t want the lab and its university to be in separate cities. The La Cañada Cityhood Action Committee, feeling the action violated Pasadena’s previously stated neutral stance on cityhood for La Cañada Flintridge, objected to Pasadena officials, calling the move “a blatant grab for land.” Pasadena directors took umbrage at that statement and voted 7-0 to authorize their city manager to file the necessary paperwork with the County Local Agency Formation Commission. About 11 months later, LAFCO approved cityhood for La Cañada Flintridge, which to this day remains the home of JPL.

Fifty Years Ago

Following some winter storms, the reservoir at Devil’s Gate Dam was filled. The total seasonal rainfall (between Oct. 1, 1965 and the first week of January 1966) measured at 25.04 inches, the Valley Sun reported, compared to 6.42 inches at the same point the previous season.

Sixty Years Ago

Tryouts for the 1956 edition of the Fathers Frolics were held in the La Cañada Junior High band room, sponsored by the school’s Fathers Council. Organizers said opportunities to work on the show, which would be staged in March of that year, were available to La Cañada dads who had “acting, singing, stage handling, musical or executive ability.”

Compiled from the Valley Sun archives by Carol Cormaci.