Altadena Heritage addresses its mission to raise awareness of our foothill community’s rich architectural, environmental, and cultural heritage by recognizing places that make Altadena unique. This work includes periodically designating sites and whole neighborhoods as Altadena Heritage Areas through our AHA! Program, annually celebrating gardens that give to the beauty of our streets in the Golden Poppy Awards and Garden Party, and holding other special programs that give members access to special places in our community.


The Animal Healer – An Interview with Cleo Watts
The Animal Healer – An Interview with Cleo WattsBy Val Zavala Behind a modest home on Altadena Drive is another smaller home with some unusual occupants. Two people, 11 squirrels, four parrots, a full-grown raccoon, two baby opossum and a couple very friendly...

Coyote
CoyoteBy Mark Goldschmidt In the lore of many Native American peoples, Coyote has been around from the beginning: he was there at creation, he is a link to the other world. Coyote is “the Tricky One.” He is bad, but he’s also good, he’s always changing, no one likes...

Tree Giveaway
Tree GiveawayMembers of the Altadena Heritage Tree Committee joyfully giving away another 40 trees to help cool Altadena, third year in a row. From the right: Anne Chomyn, Lisa Wintner, Janet Castro, Michele Zack, Mark Goldschmidt, and Val Zavala.

Raccoon
RaccoonFamous for their raffish black “masks” and ringed tails, raccoons are native in most of North America. They have adapted well to suburban environments throughout the US. Unlike the coyotes we spot regularly, their nocturnal habits make raccoons less...

Ursus americanus californiensis
Ursus americanus californiensisby Val Zavala It’s ironic that the only grizzly bear in California is on our state flag. There have been no grizzly bears in California for a century, the last was shot in 1922 in Tulare County. It is the black bear that has made itself...

New and Downtown
New and DowntownRobot Coffee on North Lincoln south of Altadena Drive is a breakfast and lunch cafe with patio seating in the back. Proprietor Justin Pinchot is a former AH board member whose long road to gaining county permits has been documented in these pages. His...

Owen Brown Plaque Unveiling at Mountain View
Owen Brown Plaque Unveiling at Mountain ViewThe Owen Brown Gravesite Committee* wants everyone to know that a magnificent plaque honoring Owen Brown (son of abolitionist John Brown, whose failed raid at Harpers Ferry VA in 1859 was a spark setting off the Civil War)...

Alternatives to Grass Lawns
Third Thursday Educational Event
Thursday October 20 @7pm

Annual Tree Giveaway!
Tree order form available now.
Apply by October 21st

Unveiling of Owen Brown Plaque
You are Invited!
Friday, November 4th at 4pm