La Cañada History: Lanterman House preserved for museum

Ten Years Ago

La Cañada resident Madylin Sweeten, then 12, who played Ally Barone in the TV series “Everyone Loves Raymond,” joined her fellow cast members and producers in accepting an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series during the September 2003 ceremony held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Twenty Years Ago

State and local dignitaries, along with local preservationists, gathered for dedication ceremonies at Lanterman House museum on Encinas Drive. The 1915 Craftsman bungalow was built for the Roy Lanterman family and bequeathed to the city by the youngest Lanterman son, Lloyd, who had lived out his life at the property with his more prominent brother, former state Assemblyman Frank D. Lanterman. The bachelor brothers left the home in disrepair, so extensive restoration took place before it could be opened to the public.

Thirty Years Ago

Sheriff’s units, county bomb experts, firefighters and the FBI all converged on La Cañada’s branch of Crocker Bank, then in the 2200 block of Foothill Boulevard, where a 37-year-old La Crescenta man, James D. Berger, was taken into custody on charges of attempted robbery and issuing a bomb threat. The bank was evacuated and no bomb was found.

Forty Years Ago

The owner of Ballet Petit studio in La Cañada expressed his concerns to the school board when he learned ballet classes would be offered in 1973 at La Cañada High School as part of the physical education program. “We can’t compete with public education,” said Buzz Johnson. He was reassured by the board that there was no interest in expanding the program to advanced levels and that the district did not have any desire to compete with local businesses.

Fifty Years Ago

La Cañada Unified School District officials were preparing to open the doors of the new, $3-million La Cañada High School on Sept. 30, 1963. Although not all of the facilities were ready, there were 976 students enrolled in grades 9-11. One of the biggest concerns was that work on widening of Oak Grove Drive from two lanes to four had not yet begun, although the LCUSD had been assured it would be completed by the first day of school. This left the specter of nightmarish traffic jams as JPL employees tried to get to work at about the same time students were expected to start arriving on campus.

Sixty Years Ago

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors agreed to lease Manchester Boddy’s 140-acre Descanso Gardens for $40,000 per year with an option to buy it within five years at the appraised value of $1.16 million.

-- Compiled from the Valley Sun archives by Carol Cormaci.