From The "You'll Never See This Event Again" Files

Today's post is more about the story than it is about the photo, but the photo helps to tell the story.

A long, long time ago when I was a little, little boy, Monrovia had an event that brought out many of the residents to watch.

The photo above is of Madison Ave. looking south from Hillcrest. The white "X" (middle of the photo, just below center) is the approximate location of a gas station on the southwest corner of Foothill Blvd.

I don't know why this event took place and I've never heard of anything like it, but here's what happened:

On the east side of the gas station, in an open area away from the gas pumps and the building, a large block of ice was positioned on the ground. When I say large, I mean that it was much larger than I was in every dimension. Large enough to stop a car (hint, hint). There might have been 2 blocks, my memory is a little fuzzy on this.

Up at the top of Madison (where the photo was taken from), an old sedan was revving it's engine, ready to speed down the hill. People lined both sides of the intersection, wondering if the driver was really crazy enough to do what it looked like he was going to do.

Then the car started to move. The driver wasn't tentative, he accelerated the entire way down, crossing the intersection, up the entry to the gas station on the east side and head-on into the ice. That was a sound I'll never forget. Witness to my first car wreck. Ice was everywhere. Big chunks, little chunks, some as fine as snow. My parents let me walk around in it a little while and pick up some of the pieces of ice. What a mess. We checked out the car. Also a mess. It would never do that again.

Like I said, I don't know why someone would crash a car into a block of ice, but I remember thinking it was pretty cool.

Being so young at the time, I'll be the first to admit that my memory for the details is shaky at best. If anyone out there remembers it better than I do or has some more information, I'd love to hear it.

Monrovia Public Library

I've spent many, many hours in this building. It's now scheduled for demolition by the end of the year. That's when construction begins on a bigger, better Monrovia Public Library. The new library is expected to open early 2009.

Monrovia Skate Park

This is about half of it. Located next to the Mary Wilcox Youth Center.

Baseball Diamond - Recreation Park

Panorama from home plate.

Good Morning Monrovia

Just before the streetlights turn off in downtown Monrovia.

Mary Wilcox Youth Center / KGEM

Links:

Info page on the city website.

Photo's from the dedication.

Monrovia Airport Tile Mural Detail

Continuing with yesterday's subject, here's a closeup from the tile mural to enjoy the detail. I really like the colors used. Clicking on the image should open a larger version.

Monrovia Airport

Tile mural of the Monrovia Airport on the front of Albertson's supermarket on Huntington Dr.

I don't see the name of the artist anywhere on the mural but I did find this reference indicating that the artist is Paul Doolin and it was created it 1999.

Additional links:

Abandoned and little known airfields: California - More info on the history of the airport.

Photo from the The Frasher Foto Postcard Collection via the Pomona Public Library.

Visions of Caramel Apples

From Sir Walter Nuts and Candy.

Between these and the chocolate covered strawberries, one of my favorites windows in town.

Scoreboard

A photo fitting for the weekend. The scoreboard in Recreation Park.

Huntington Oaks Center - Monrovia

Monrovia City Hall Annex

Across the street from City Hall.

Mal Packer Mesa Memorial Plaque

Located in front of the nature center in Monrovia Canyon Park.

Monrovia Police Department Statue

Monrovia Train Depot - Looking East

Here's another view of the train depot from the other side.

I decided to go with a high dynamic range (HDR) image here for a little change of pace.

Monrovia Train Depot

Built in 1926, the depot will remain a part of the future transit hub as the Metro Gold Line light rail extension makes its way east.

First Baptist Church

With some beautiful stained glass windows.
This is a panorama made from 7 separate images.

Boys And Girls Club - Monrovia

Boys and Girls Club of Monrovia website.

Foothill Blvd. Minus The Traffic

This one may interest me more than anyone else. A major arterial traffic street devoid of traffic has a certain appeal to me.

This is looking east just after the end of the 2006 Monrovia Days Parade before the street was re-opened. Those little figures way in the distance are the end of the parade about to turn south down Myrtle Ave.

That is a portion of the famous Aztec Hotel on the left.

Monrovia High School

Monrovia High School website.

Sawpit Dam Building

Maybe this technically is L. A. County Flood Control property but I think it qualifies for inclusion here since it is so associated with, and connected to, Monrovia Canyon Park.

This is a small building atop the Sawpit Dam.

Vietnam Memorial

In Library Park.

Monrovia Historical Museum

3 Graves - Monrovia Canyon Park

Albert, Polly and Estella Rankins. 3 of the 4 children of the first non-native settlers in Monrovia Canyon. Died of typhoid fever in 1877.

Fawn

Saw this little fawn in the backyard of a friend. It spent about 4 days there with its mom and another sibling.

Monrovia City Limit Sign

Monrovia 4th of July Fireworks 2007

Also, here's an edited video version of the fireworks on Myrtle Ave:

Courtyard

Happy 4th of July!

Historic Lighting

Historic Lighting website.

Myrtle Ave Alley: Parking to Downtown

One of many landscaped alleyways leading to and from parking lots for visits to downtown Monrovia. This one shows the Monrovia Public Library across the street.

Monrovia High Murals