At first glance, the South Pasadena Historical Museum might remind you of a set fit for a Hollywood production. And you wouldn’t be wrong. The museum’s picturesque, storefront facade has been use a number of films, including 1987’s Halloween and 2008’s Stepbrothers. But the building, and the museum it houses, has a rich history that goes beyond a few film cameos.
The building stands at 913 Meridian, and its construction dates back to 1886, a full two years before South Pasadena becomes the sixth municipality in what is now Los Angeles County. It was originally a general store and small hotel operated by Aaron F. McReynolds. It also served as a ticketing office for the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley Railroad before a station was built.
As years have gone by, 913 Meridian has served as a church, bicycle shop, Red Cross Center, and a Japanese language school. Its last commercial use was as the Meridian Iron Works, a name by which it is sometimes still known. South Pasadena purchased the building in 1982, renovated it, and since 1987 has been managed by the nonprofit South Pasadena Preservation Foundation as a local history museum.
Several displays inside the museum trace the history of the land where the building stands: from its initial inhabitants, the Hahamog’na band of native Tongva/Kitz people, to its colonization by the Spanish, to its transition to Mexican rulership.
One corner gives visitors an idea of what the building would have looked like when it first opened. If you are curious about the significance of an old wooden sign or a strange green glass plate, the archivist/docent is happy to assist. Another room jumps forward in time to rock it out on Route 66, which South Pasadena proudly was a part of.
A visit to the museum would not be complete without learning about the Cawston Ostrich Farm, the first Ostrich farm in America. A number of souvenirs from the farm are on display, including some real life eggshells. At the front counter, visitors can admire some of the other notable events that have happened in South Pasadena, such as the fight against the 710 freeway.
An archive is upstairs, but an appointment must be booked in advance if you are interested in seeing it. And rumor has it that if one asks the docent if they have any haunted museum stories, they are more than willing to tell you a spooky tale or two.