Noted Neighborhood

So I read today that the Los Angeles County Fair became the sixth historic district of Pomona. Since it’s been in existence for over 100 years, what took them so long? Just the WPA buildings alone on that 400 acre property should have given them that status years ago.

Which brings me to the neighborhood I grew up in, Hacienda Place. As you can see by the map, the 4th historic district is named for the neighborhood. So why was this area of Pomona historic? I’ll give you two reasons, La Casa Primera and La Casa Alvarado. Two of the oldest adobes in the area. Yes, Casa Palomares preceded them as the original settled home in the area.

In the time of my youth, Primera was inhabited by the Hart family and Alvarado by the Fajes. On the Hacienda side of the Primera property was one large tangerine and orange grove. While on the Park Ave side of Primera was copious undergrowth, perfect for our little battles of the hedgerows. The older kids on the block used to warn us about Old Man Hart and his salt pellet gun if you trespassed, but I never had any run-ins. The best time for that property was in the spring when he’d till the grove, which produced a bevy of dirt clods for us to arm ourselves with. The neighborhood also smelled amazing with the blooming of the orange blossoms. Then the smog would take hold and drive us all inside.