Altadena The northernmost end of the road lies at the very foot of the
San Gabriel Mountains in Altadena and immediately accesses Las Flores Canyon. The first resident of Las Flores Canyon was the Forsyth Ranch. It sold in 1919 to Mr. Cobb who had an enormous and fascinating estate on the
alluvial fan which emanates from the Canyon. Las Flores was also known for its small and short-lived
gold mining operations there. The Cobb Estate was deeded to the
United States Forest Service as a free growth Arboretum in 1967. The gates on Lake Avenue mark the entrance to the estate which still has its long, paved, curving driveway which leads to the site of the defunct manor. The adjacent trailhead of the
Sam Merrill Trail also leads into the canyon from Lake Avenue. This is the origin of the local term "top of Lake," which refers to the northernmost neighborhoods. In the days of the
Red Car in Altadena (1902–1941), Lake Avenue was known as the
short line, or
Oak Knoll line. Oak Knoll is the street into which Lake Avenue transitions with a slow curve to the right and then back to the left. The
Pacific Electric cars came up from a switch on the Huntington Drive line below the famous hotel of the same name. The “short line” was a shorter way to get to Lake and Mariposa in Altadena without having to ride the circuitous route up Fair Oaks Avenue. In 1914 a spur on the short line was built across Mendocino Street from Lake Avenue to Allen Street and the development of Country Club Parks. The line was put there to access the new development and the Altadena Country Club and Golf Course.
Pasadena on Lake Lake Avenue was originally named Lake Vineyard Avenue after the ranch of the same name (on which the lake mentioned above was located) on which the street was partially located. Lake Avenue is located centrally to Pasadena and is the East–West divider of the city;
Fair Oaks Avenue and
Colorado Boulevard mark the postal center of town (0e/w, 0n/s) where its downtown section had originally developed. This postal division carries through into Altadena. However, Lake defines County Road Division No. 5 (West) from County Road Division No. 4 (East).
Holliston Church is located at the intersection with Colorado. Lake Avenue defines the eastern boundary of the original Woodbury Ranch purchase of . In Pasadena, Lake Avenue serves a great number of business districts and is relatively free of residential addresses, though some still exist from earlier times. Well known to locals is the South Lake Avenue Business District which runs south from Green Street to California Boulevard, about in length. The shops on the east side of South Lake Avenue are notable for being accessible from the street and from Shoppers' lane, a half-mile long alleyway that runs alongside Lake Avenue. Also located on Lake Avenue is a large
Macy's department store built in early 1940s modern architecture. ==See also==