Arroyo Seco...

When Pasadena was developing on the western fringes, Arroyo Wood Lots of 2 to 5 acres could be purchased by the settlers and the trees felled for use as building material or heating fuel. Unfortunately this practice quickly denuded the lush forest and was denounced by the likes of Jeannie Carr of “Carmelita” and other preservationists. A movement to protect the surviving remnants took hold in the early 1900s with the idea of acquiring all the Wood Lots as parkland for the City of Pasadena. Many eminent citizens endorsed the idea and lent their financial support in the effort. Lots not obtainable on the free market were targeted for eminent domain and eventually most of the Arroyo Seco became city property.