The name Pasadena evokes images of a sunny paradise filled with the wafting scent of orange blossoms and roses. The world looks to Pasadena every January 1, when the world-famous Tournament of Roses carries on a century-long tradition and the Rose Bowl game reigns as college football's "granddaddy of them all." Many of the city's other cultural and architectural icons also trace their roots to Pasadena's early days. From citrus groves to resort hotels, a bicycle highway and a commuter blimp, presidential visits, and summer snowstorms, the rich and varied history of early Pasadena can be seen...

Few cities boast a business history as rich and varied as Pasadena's. In the early agricultural days, a brandy distillery and citrus and olive groves helped propel the economy, while the 20th century saw Pasadena emerge as a thriving resort and health town. Together the community's diverse businesses have played a substantial role in determining the fortunes of the "Crown City." In this volume, evocative images recall an extensive range of establishments, from large resort hotels to corner soda fountains, law offices to dry cleaners, restaurants to science labs, local industries to national...