MariaAlmaraz

History301
ProfessorNamala
December5,2013

TheCityofPasadena,California

ThecityofPasadenabeganasaprosperousplacethatprovidedjobopportunitiesforits
newsettlersinthe1870s.ThesefirstsettlerswerewhitespeculatorsfromtheEast,mainly
IndianannativesfromIndianapolis.TheirgoalwastocreatePasadenaintoacity,anewcitythat
wouldflourishandprovidegoodsandopportunitiesforothers.Differentethnicgroups
collaborated,butinrealitywereexploitedbythewhitesettlerstomakethePasadenathatitis
today.AmongtheseethnicgroupswereAsians,AfricanAmericansbutspeciallyLatinos,the
majorityMexicans.ThehistoryofMexicanlaborandcultureisrarelyheardaboutorincludedin
thehistoryofthecityofPasadenasincetheybecamemarginalizedbythewhiterace.
Therefore,IarguethattheLatinocultureinPasadenashouldbegreatlyappreciatedsince
itisdepictedinitsarchitecture,migrationpatterns,andovercomingracialsegregation.Toprove
myargumentsIwillusephotographsasaprimarysourcethatshowsexploitedMexicansdoing
cheaplabor,segregatedschools,andthearchitecturalstyleusedinPasadenasbuildings.The
secondarysourcesthatinfluencemyargumentsarefourJstorjournalarticlesthatwillbe
introducedthroughoutandthebookWhitewashedAdobebyWilliamDeverell.
Tobeginwith,accordingtothejournalarticlePasadena,19001910:TheBirthofIts
CulturebyRobertWinter,Pasadenabegantoattractdifferentethnicgroupsintheearly1900s
duetothegoodweatherandjobopportunitiesitprovided.Greatmigrationpatternsbeganto
invadethecitywithoutexpectingtobemarginalizedanddiscriminatedbythecurrentsettlers.
ThefirstgrouptosettleintheareaofArroyoSecoinPasadena,werethewhitespeculatorswho

migratedfromIndiana.Besidesprovidinggoodweather,ArroyoSecoprovidedgoodsoilthat
wouldbeusedforagriculture.Exoticcropslikeorangesandlemonsweremainlygrowninthe
fieldsandlatermakingPasadenapopularforitslemonandorangegroves.Theagricultural
opportunitiesbegantoattractlargenumbersofimmigrantsintothenewcity.Railroadbuilding
gaveeasieraccessforgroupsofpeopletotraveltoPasadena.Somepeoplebegantomovefrom
thecityofLosAngelestothisnewcitythatofferedbetteropportunities.Pasadenaalsobecamea
preferredplacebytourists.
Bythe1910sPasadenahadbecomeamultiethniccommunity.Between1900and1910
thepopulationofPasadenatripled,thearrivalreflectingoftheSantaFerailroadsitspromotion
ofthetownasaresortcommunity(P299.Winter).ThepopulationofAsians,AfricanAmerican
andLatinoswasgrowinglargelyinjustathirtyyearspan.Theseethnicgroupsemigratedto
workintherailroads,groves,industriesandbusinessesthatsparkedthedevelopmentofthecity.
Thisphotograph(Figure1)foundonpage48ofthebookLatinosinPasadenabyRoberta
Martinezshowsanintegratedfourthgradeclassroomin1913.

FIGURE1

TheclassroominMadisonElementarySchoollocatedinSouthPasadenaisintegratedwith
AfricanAmericans,whitesandLatinos.Thesewerethechildrenoftheworkerswhoworkedthe

agriculturalfieldsorintherailroadsandthechildrenofthewhitespeculators.LatinoandAfrican
childrencanbeeasilycontrastedfromthewhitechildrenbythewaytheyaredressed.White
childrenaredressedprofessionallywithtiesandformalwearincomparisontoAfrican
AmericansandLatinos.Thishelpeddistinguishwhichchildrenbelongedtothehigh,wealthy
classandwhichchildrenbelongedtotheworking,lowclass.

Tocontinue,theMexicanmigrationof1930increasedthepopulationby13.5%inthe

cityofLosAngeles.Thegreatamountofjobopportunitieswereattractingtheseimmigrantsin
searchforabetterlifeandwiththat,improvethedevelopmentofthecityanditseconomy.The
journalarticleLikeSwallowsattheOldMission:MexicansandtheRacialPoliticsofGrowthin
LosAngelesintheInterwarPeriodbyDouglasMonroystatesthetypeofcheaplaborthatwas
offeredtotheMexicanimmigrantsthathadenteredLosAngeles.Mostofthemlivedinurban
occupations,althoughtheircloseproximitytothefieldsofeasternLosAngelesmeantthatmany
alsoworkedinagricultureThoseinnorthSanGabrielworkedthecitrusgrovesofPasadena
andthoseintheeasternSanGabrielinthetruckfarmsaroundElMonte(P438Monroy)
PasadenawasthenearestcityfromLosAngelestooffertheagriculturallabortotheMexican
immigrants.Theyworkedinthecitrusgrovesthatbelongedtothewealthywhites.Besidesthe
citrusgroves,MexicanimmigrantsworkedintherailroadsalongwiththeChinese.
TherailroadjobsthatwereavailableinPasadenawereattractingmanyimmigrantslike
CatarinoDominguezwhoisdepictedinthefollowingphotograph(Figure2)fromMartinezs
bookonpage55.HewasanimmigrantwhomigratedfromMexicoduringtherailroadprojects,
theearly1900sdespitethelaborexploitation.Theyworkedundernativewhite,European
born,orsometimesJapaneseforemen,apositiontowhichtherailroadcompaniessimplynever

advancedMexicanworkers.Mexicanrailroadworkersearned25percentlessthannon
Mexicans(P445Monroy).RegardlessofthefactthatMexicanworkersintherailroadswere
unfairlyexploited,familiesthatalreadyworkedtherecontinuedtosharethejobopportunities
withfamilymembersbackinMexico.CatarinoDominguezwasamongtheseworkerswho
broughthisnephew,AngelContrerasfromMexicotoworkintherailroad.Theyknewthatthe
workingconditionswereverybad,buttheneedtosurvivewasmoreimportant.Therefore,that
wasthereasonwhysomanyMexicanimmigrantscontinuedtoworkintherailroadsanddoing
othercheaplabor.

FIGURE2
Furthermore,theLatinopopulationinPasadenaismarginalizedeventhoughthepost
colonialMexicancultureisportrayedinPasadenasarchitecture.ThejournalarticlePasadenas
CivicCenterAGrandVisionRealized,DespoiledandRevivedbyAnnScheiddescribesonly
theappreciationtowardEuropeanculturesinceitsarchitecturewasinspiredbytheBeauxArts
fromParis.TheEuropeanarchitecturalstyleusedinPasadenawasthencalledCalifornia

Mediterranean.TheCaliforniaversionoftheMediterraneanstylemadefreeuseofSpanishand
Italianarchitecturalstyles,aswellasborrowingfromGreekandRomanantiquity,Romanesque
elementsfromthesouthofFrance,VenetianGothic,evenNorthAfricantraditions(P394
Scheid).TheMediterraneanstyleincludesdomes,arches,pillarsandrooftiles.Itisgreatlyused
forcommercialandresidentialbuildingsinthecityofPasadenauntiltoday.

Untilthisday,thefascinatingarchitecturethatdecoratesthecityofPasadenaisa

commontouristattraction.Thearchitecturewasusedforthisintention,besidesmakingthecity
lookmorebeautifulitwouldattractmorepeoplefromothercities.Mostbuildingsarebuiltand
decoratedwithlightcoloredwalls,oftenwhite,plasters,roofsofredtileandbricks.Mosthouses
forexample,aredesignedwithredtileroofingaswellasthepopularMarylandHotelwhichwas
amaintouristattraction.Thesearethesmallarchitecturaldetailsthatarenottakeninto
considerationwhenappreciatingotherculturesarchitecturalhistory.Inthiscase,thepost
colonialMexicanarchitecturewasnotappreciateddespitethefactthatMexicanimmigrantswere
alsopartoftheconstructionofthesebuildings.TheMexicanhistoryisrarelyheardaboutinthe
cityshistory.
Moreover,inchapter4TheColorofBrickworkisBrownofthebookWhitewashed
AdobebyWilliamDeverell,thebrickyardworkandhistoryisfullydescribedasonethatonly
immigrantsdid,mainlyMexicansfromJalisco,MichoacanandGuanajuato.Whilethese
exploitedworkersdidtheendlessjobofmakingbricks,theSimonsbrotherswhowere
Midwesternmigrantsandownedthebrickyards,enjoyedtheirprofit.Thereweredifferent
brickyardsindifferentareasofLosAngelesandoneofthemstoodrightinthecityofPasadena.
TheuseofbrickinarchitecturesymbolizedprogressandasuccessfulAnglofutureduetobeing

solidandfirm.BrickbegantobeusedeverywherearoundmodernarchitectureandPasadenawas
oneofthecitystolargelyusebricks.InPasadena,especially,theSimonsfamilyhadbeenin
therightplaceattherighttime.Thatcityssteadygrowthandbig,sturdyhouses,plusafew
grandtouristhotels,provedaboontothelocalbrickandconstructiontradesfromthemid1880s
forward(P138Deverell).

TheuseofbrickiscommonlyseentodayinmodernLosAngelesandPasadenas

architecture.TheSimonsbrickcompanyfabricatedmillionsofbricksandrooftilesthatwere
usedinbuildings.EverybrickwasprintedwiththenameSimonstoindicatethattheyweremade
bytheSimonsBrickCompany.TheironyisthatonlythehistoryabouttheSimonsCompanyis
knownaboutexceptthehistoryandappreciationofthehardworkingMexicanmenwhobuilt
thesemillionsofbricksthatnowdecorateourcities.IfitwasntfortheMexicanimmigrants
workingforthebrickyards,theeconomywouldfail,noMexicansmeantnobricksandno
money.MoreMexicansmeantmorebricksandmoremoney(P146Deverell).Inthefollowing
photograph(Figure3)frompage134onWhitewashedAdobe,twoMexicanmenarecaptured
workingendlesslyintheSimonsbrickyard,anotherevidenceofworkerexploitation.

FIGURE3

Alas,theMexicancultureandlabordidnotservetoenddiscriminationinthecityof

PasadenaandappreciatetheMexicanhistory.AccordingtoRobertWinterinhisjournalarticle
inthe1920s,Pasadenabecameasegregatedcity.NowthatPasadenawasamultiethnic
communityduetothejobopportunities,railroadsandeducationthatitserved,thewhite
residentsdespreciabanotherculturesandethnicities.Pasadenawasdividedintodifferent
sectionsthatsegregatedracialgroups.OncetherailroadswerecompletedtheChineseworkers
weremovedintotheSouthernSectionknownasSouthRaymondwherethelowincome,non
whitefamilieswerefound.AmongthesefamilieswereotherAsians,AfricanAmericansand
Mexicans.TheareaonorcontiguoustoSouthRaymondcontainedalmostallthenonwhite
population(Winter,297)Meanwhile,mostMexicanslivedintheNorthernsectionofPasadena
knownasTitleyville.Titleyvillewaslocatedontheeastedgeofthetownandwasalsoalow
incomeneighborhood.Thewealthywhiteslivedinthenicerandcleanerareasofthecity.
TosupportthissegregationissueinPasadena,ademographicschartfromthe1920s
showstheMexicanpopulationthatinhabitedthethreedifferentsectionswheretheywere
segregated,shownonpage55onMartinezsbook.Thethreemainsectionspopulatedby

MexicanswereChihuahita,thenorthernsection;Titleyvilleandthesouthernsection;South
Raymond.ThisdemographicschartshowstheareawiththemostMexicaninhabitantsfrom
Jalisco,Durango,ChihuahuaandZacatecaswhichisSouthRaymondwithatotalof562
residents.Thenorthernsection,TitleyvillewaspredominantlypopulatedbyMexicansfrom
Chihuahua,Durango,GuanajuatoandAguascalienteswithatotalof207residents.Lastly,the
townofChihuahitawashometomainlyChihuahenses,DuranguensesandZacatecanoswitha
totalpopulationof158.Inthewholecityspopulation,MexicansfromChihuahua,Jalisco,
ZacatecasandDurangooutnumberedotherMexicans.Bythe1920stheMexicanswerenowthe
seconddominatingracethatpopulatedthecityofPasadenabesidesthewhites.
Besidesexperiencingphysicalsegregationintowns,Mexicansalongwithotherraces
becamesegregatedfromschools.ParentsofwhitestudentsdidnotliketheideathatSpanish
speakingchildren

Toconclude,Pasadenahasbeenamultiethniccommunitysinceitsbeginningsthathas

experiencedsegregationanddiscriminationtowardscoloredraces,likeMexicanimmigrants.The
Mexicanculturehasembracedtheircultureinthedevelopmentofthecitysinceitwasfirst
settled.Butuntiltoday,thehistoryofMexicansisrarelyheardaboutinthecityshistory.Itis
importanttoknowandappreciatethehardworkthatMexicanimmigrantsputintheagricultural
fields,industries,brickyards,andrailroadsinordertomakethemodernPasadenathatitistoday.
Thisraceshouldbemarginalizedbythewhitepopulationjustbecauseofcolororrace.Instead,I
believethatitshouldbegreatlyappreciatedandheardaboutforitsarchitecturalinfluence,and
fightingsegregation.Besides,theMexicancommunityhasbeentheseconddominatingracethat

populatesthecityofPasadenauntilthisdaywitha32%ofMexican/Latinoinhabitants.This
showsthatdespitethediscriminationandrejectionbyotherraces,theMexicansfindPasadenaa
placeastheirhomebecausetheyareawareofwhattheyhaveworkedfor.

Bibliography
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Print.
2. Deverell,WilliamFrancis.WhitewashedAdobe:

TheRiseof

LosAngelesandtheRemakingofItsMexicanpast.Berkeley:UniversityofCalifornia,
2004.Print.
3. David,TorresRouff.BecomingMexican:SegregatedSchoolsandSocialScientistsin
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4. Robert,Winter.Pasadena,19001910:TheBirthofItsCulture.91.3(2009):295317
SouthernCaliforniaQuarterly.Web.7Dec2013

5. Ann,Scheid.PasadenasCivicCenter:AGrandVisionRealized,Despoiled,and
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