Arcadia, California

Native American For over 8,000 years, the site of Arcadia was part of the homeland of the Tongva people ("Gabrieleño" tribe), a Californian Native American tribe whose territory spanned the greater Los Angeles Basin, and the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valleys. Their fluid borders stretched between the Santa Susana Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, and San Gabriel Mountains in the north; the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills in the west; the San Jacinto Mountains and Santa Ana Mountains in the east; and the coast and Catalina Island (Pimu) in the south. A Tongva settlement site within present-day Arcadia was known as Alyeupkigna (or Aluupkenga). Rancho period The town's site became part of the Spanish Mission San Gabriel Arcángel lands in 1771. After Indian Reductions to become Mission Indians, the Tongva were known as the Gabrieleños, after the name of the Mission under whose control they worked during the mission period in California. Currently there are 1,700 people self-identifying as members of the Tongva or Gabrieleño tribe. The Mexican land grant for Rancho Santa Anita was issued to Perfecto Hugo Reid and his Tongva wife, Victoria Bartolomea Comicrabit, in 1845. It was named after a family relation, Anita Cota, on his wife's side. Reid documented the Gabrieleño Native Americans in a series of letters written in 1852, and served as a delegate to the 1849 California Constitutional Convention. In 1847, Reid sold Rancho Santa Anita to his Rancho Azusa neighbor, Henry Dalton. Lucky Baldwin The rancho changed owners several times before being acquired by Gold Rush immigrant, businessman, and major regional land owner Elias Jackson "Lucky" Baldwin in 1875. Baldwin purchased of Rancho Santa Anita for $200,000. Upon seeing the area, he gasped "By Gads! This is paradise!" Upon buying the land, Baldwin chose to make the area his home and immediately started erecting buildings and cultivating the land for farming, orchards, and ranches. The residence was in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, with murals by Maynard Dixon. The estate had a significant Greek Revival-style colonnaded "Parthenon" bathhouse/gymnasium beside a large pool, an apiary and aviaries, kennels and stables, tennis courts and pergolas, and preserved the native oak woodlands. The school owner's efforts to develop the property into a village of homes with the old mansion as its centerpiece were rejected by the city. The city was on historic U.S. Route 66, present-day Colorado Boulevard, with businesses serving travelers on it. Thoroughbred horse racing had flourished briefly under Lucky Baldwin, who founded a racetrack adjacent to the present site, until it was outlawed by the state of California in 1909. It returned to Arcadia when racing was legalized again, with the opening of Santa Anita Park in December 1934. Architect Gordon Kaufmann designed its various buildings in a combination of Colonial Revival and Streamline Moderne styles. Santa Anita Assembly Center citizens arrive in Arcadia, relocated to the Santa Anita Assembly Center. racetrack The Santa Anita Assembly Center site is California Historical Landmark #934. In 1942 during World War II, the racetrack grounds were used as a processing and holding site for Japanese Americans who had been removed from their homes and communities for forced relocation and internment under President Franklin Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066. The Civilian Assembly Center at the racetrack became the largest and longest operating one of the eighteen, holding citizens until the Relocation Center camps were completed in interior areas of California and other states. More than 18,000 persons resided at the racetrack in primitive conditions. Four hundred temporary tarpaper barracks were constructed on the racetrack grounds to house many of the detainees, where they lived three families per unit. 8,500 detainees lived in converted horse stalls. The Assembly Center held people from late March through the end of October 1942, when the internees were relocated inland to permanent internment camps at Manzanar and Tule Lake in California, and eight others in Western states and Arkansas. In November 1942 the center was turned over to the United States Army Ordnance Corps for training purposes and was officially renamed Camp Santa Anita. By the 2020 census, Asians consisted of 64.56% of the population. ==Geography==

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of . of it is land and of it (1.87%) is water. ==Demographics==

Arcadia first appeared as a city in the 1910 U.S. census. 100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas. There were 19,377 households in Arcadia, of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 58.0% were married-couple households, 13.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Including all responses for people of two or more races, 38,078 (67.2% of population) were Asian alone or in combination with one or more other races, 15,068 (26.6%) were White alone or in combination with one or more other races, 1,386 (2.4%) were Black or African American alone or in combination, 578 (1.0%) were American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination, 173 (0.3%) were Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone or in combination, and 5,852 (10.3%) were some other race alone or in combination with one or more other races. reported that Arcadia had a population of 56,364. The population density was . The racial makeup of Arcadia was 33,353 (59.2%) Asian, 18,191 (32.3%) White, (25.7% Non-Hispanic White), 681 (1.2%) African American, 186 (0.3%) Native American, 16 (0.03%) Pacific Islander, 2,352 (4.2%) from other races, and 1,585 (2.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6,799 persons (12.1%). The census reported that 55,502 people (98.5% of the population) lived in households, 639 (1.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 223 (0.4%) were institutionalized. There were 19,592 households, out of which 7,336 (37.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 11,703 (59.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,437 (12.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 865 (4.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 469 (2.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 92 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,855 households (19.7%) were made up of individuals, and 1,926 (9.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83. There were 15,005 families (76.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.26. The population was spread out, with 12,290 people (21.8%) under the age of 18, 4,102 people (7.3%) aged 18 to 24, 13,409 people (23.8%) aged 25 to 44, 17,349 people (30.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 9,214 people (16.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males according to the census. There were 20,686 housing units at an average density of , of which 12,371 (63.1%) were owner-occupied, and 7,221 (36.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.7%. 37,000 people (65.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 18,502 people (32.8%) lived in rental housing units. ==Economy==

Arcadia's economy is driven by wholesale trade, retail trade, manufacturing, health care and social assistance, arts, entertainment, and recreation. Revenue from the Santa Anita Racetrack has long supported capital improvements for the City of Arcadia, resulting in the city having very little bonded indebtedness. The Shops at Santa Anita mall (formerly Westfield Santa Anita, formerly the Santa Anita Fashion Park) is a major shopping center in the city. In 2005, the Westfield Santa Anita completed its first phase of expansion, featuring a new food court, numerous smaller retailers, various full-service eateries in an area known as Restaurant Square, and a 16-screen AMC Theatres megaplex. In 2008, expansion of the mall continued as the Promenade outdoor structure was completed, with new high-end retailers. In 2004, citing success from regional shopping malls such as The Grove and The Americana, Caruso Affiliated and Magna Entertainment (the owners of the Santa Anita Park racetrack) proposed to build a second large shopping mall adjacent to Westfield Santa Anita on the grounds of the Santa Anita Park south parking lot, which would have made Arcadia the largest retail shopping district in Los Angeles County. The controversial project, known as "The Shops at Santa Anita", originally included retail, restaurants, condominium projects, a decorative water display, and a horse-drawn trolley. Arcadia City Council unanimously approved the project in 2007 after much heated debate between some residents in the community and corporate interests, which included ballot initiatives such as free parking for Arcadia residents, prevention of retail signage installations, and downsizing the project by the removal of condominiums from the project. Magna Entertainment filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy during the Great Recession in 2009 and dissolved the partnership with Caruso Affiliated, with Caruso Affiliated a filing a $21 million bankruptcy claim in 2010 to cover damages Caruso Affiliated incurred as a result of the inability to complete the project. The plan to build "The Shops at Santa Anita" was ultimately terminated on May 20, 2011. Top employers According to the city's 2024 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top private employers in the city are: Tourism The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden is located in Arcadia across from the Santa Anita mall and racetrack. The peafowl that roam free on the grounds and in the neighborhoods near the arboretum are a remainder of the former Baldwin ranch. When the peafowl were brought from India, they helped control snakes and snails on his farm. They are considered an attraction to some residents and a nuisance to others due to their loud cries and the droppings they leave on residents' properties. ==Government==

Local government Effective with the 2018 elections, Arcadia voters elect a City Council member by geographical district instead of at-large. The current mayor is Eileen Wang since February 3, 2026. • 1927–1930 A. N. Multer • 1974–1975 Alton E. Scott • 1977–1978 Jack Saelid • 1997–1998 Robert C. Harbricht • 2011–2012 Gary A. Kovacic • 2015–2016 Gary A. Kovacic • 2020–2021 Rodger Chandler • 2021–2022 Sho Tay • 2022–2023 Paul P. Cheng • 2023–2024 April Verlato • 2024–2025 Michael Cao • 2025–2026 Sharon Kwan – First female Asian-American mayor of Arcadia. • 2026–Present Eileen Wang County government In the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Arcadia is in the Fifth District, represented by Kathryn Barger. The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Monrovia Health Center in Monrovia, serving Arcadia. State and federal representation In the California State Legislature, Arcadia is in , and in . In the United States House of Representatives, Arcadia is in . ==Education==

Performing Arts Center For primary and secondary education the city is served by the Arcadia Unified School District. Elementary schools • Baldwin Stocker Elementary • Camino Grove Elementary • Highland Oaks Elementary • Holly Avenue Elementary • Longley Way Elementary • Reid (Hugo) Elementary Middle schools • Dana (Richard Henry) Middle • First Avenue Middle • Foothills Middle High school • Arcadia High School ==Media==

Filming locations is located on Baldwin Ave. Many films on location (including Tarzan and the Bing Crosby On the Road movies), television series, most notably Fantasy Island were filmed in Arcadia. A popular visiting site is the house with the bell tower, where Tattoo rang the bell, is the Queen Anne Cottage, located in the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia. The plane, "arriving" with the guests, was filmed in the lagoon behind the Queen Anne Cottage. of the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. The Santa Anita Park Racetrack is another popular filming locations. The true story film Seabiscuit (2003) was filmed and takes place at the Santa Anita race track. A commercial for Claritin allergy medicine, a Lexus commercial, and three episodes of ''Grey's Anatomy'' have used it as a location ("Walk on Water", "Drowning on Dry Land" and "Some Kind of Miracle"). This city was one of the filming locations for Columbia Pictures' comedy film North (1994). The fantasy-comedy film Matilda was shot here in 1996. Scenes from Mission: Impossible III (2006) were shot at Methodist Hospital. In the movie Cloverfield, the scene in which the survivors walk inside Bloomingdale's was actually filmed inside a Robinsons-May store under reconstruction inside the Westfield Santa Anita in Arcadia. The film Eagle Eye (2008) was also filmed in this location. Scenes from Kicking & Screaming (2005) were shot at Foothill Middle School and in Arcadia homes. The movie The Lone Ranger (2013) filmed their train scenes here within the Santa Anita Race Track parking lot by building an elevated 'roller coaster' like track. The comedy film Deal of a Lifetime (1999) was filmed entirely at Arcadia High School. The movie Moxie (2021) was filmed at Arcadia High School's North Gym and Salter Stadium. ==Infrastructure==

Police and fire The Arcadia Police Department and Arcadia Fire Department serve the city. Transportation Notable roads include Foothill Boulevard, Huntington Drive, and Foothill Freeway (I-210). Transit Arcadia operates three fixed route services, as well as a Dial-A-Ride. In 2016, Metro opened Arcadia Station, an at-grade light rail station served by the Metro A Line. Healthcare USC Arcadia Hospital sits on of land. The 460-bed hospital opened in Arcadia in 1957, after moving from downtown Los Angeles. USC Arcadia Hospital was the state's first community hospital to have a psychiatric unit. Its nursery school was one of the first corporate daycare facilities in the U.S. It was an official hospital of the 1984 Olympic Games. The hospital operated its own nursing school from 1915 to 1958. Water and sewer The City of Arcadia provides services for water and sewer to its residents. The city operates its own water distribution system via the Public Works Services Department. Arcadia's water supply comes from groundwater from municipal owned water pumps from the Main San Gabriel Basin and the Raymond Basin, both which are replenished with local rainwater and imported water. ==Notable people==

• Michael Anthony, bassist of the band Van Halen, graduated from Arcadia High School in 1972 • Lauren Barnes, soccer player • Marty Barrett (born 1958), baseball player • Ryan Bergara, cohost on Buzzfeed Unsolved and cofounder of Watcher Entertainment • Harold Budd, music composer and poet • Tracy Caldwell Dyson, astronaut. Born in Arcadia. • Jason Chen, singer • David Cohen (born 1984), jockey • Jimmy Conrad, soccer player who represented the United States national team • Sven Davidson, tennis player who won the French Open and Wimbledon • Genie, a feral child • John Grabow, major league baseball pitcher • Jeff Grosso (1968–2020), professional skateboarder • Phil Hendrie, radio personality, grew up in Arcadia and graduated from Arcadia High School in 1970 • Hua Wenyi (1941-2022), Kunqu performer • Colleen Kay Hutchins, Miss America 1952, was raised in Arcadia • Maren Jensen, actress, was born in Arcadia • Brittany Klein, soccer player • Rudy Kurniawan, wine swindler • Jimmy Lambert, baseball player • Ted Leonard of band Enchant was born in Arcadia • Jet Li, international film star and martial artist, resided in Arcadia with his wife, a former Miss China • Johnny Lindell, Major League Baseball player • Bruce McNall, owned NHL's Los Angeles Kings, was born in Arcadia • Mirai Nagasu, Olympic figure skater, 6-time medalist in U.S. championships • Lindsay Price, actress and wife of Curtis Stone • Jason Robertson, professional hockey player • Nick Robertson, professional hockey player • John Speraw, Head Coach US Men's Olympic Volleyball Team • Mark Tuan, member of South Korean boy-band GOT7, attended Arcadia High School • Rena Wang, badminton player • Steve Westly, politician and venture capitalist • Wil Wheaton, actor, Star Trek: The Next Generation • George Woolf, horse jockey, owner of The Derby restaurant in Arcadia and rider of Seabiscuit • Tim Worrell, professional baseball pitcher • Todd Worrell, professional baseball relief pitcher • Erica Wu, table tennis Olympian ==Sister cities==

Arcadia has one sister city (Newcastle, Australia), as designated by Sister Cities International. Consequently, Newcastle Park can be found on Colorado Boulevard. There is also an Arcadia Park in Newcastle. ==See also==