Lost and Found II- Review by R.A. Lovka

Did you know that Altadena’s Mountain View Cemetery is the final resting place of Charles Richter, developer of the Richter Scale for measuring earthquakes? Or that a 1999 census counted a flock of 1150 parrots inhabiting Temple City’s Live Oak Park (along with 200 parakeets)?

Pasadena-based author and “History Hunter” Elizabeth Pomeroy does know, and launched her new book on interesting local history and San Gabriel Valley landmarks during a reception and book signing at the historic Zane Grey House in Altadena. Lost and Found II, Pomeroy’s new book, is a collection of notable stories and a guide to historic places right in your neighborhood. The book covers the San Gabriel Valley and nearby areas, extending to Claremont and Whittier.

The avid chronicler of local lore wrote a series of newspaper columns over seven years for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, and the Whittier Daily News. Those columns were also the basis for the first volume of Lost and Found.

The new book is richly designed with photographs and artwork of the sites chronicled. Pasadena artist Joseph Stoddard provided lovely watercolors of Eaton Canyon and the Arroyo Seco for the book’s covers, along with pen and ink sketches of many of the historical buildings. Design and art direction are by artist Hortensia Chu. “This volume emphasizes outdoor places where history and landscape meet,” Pomeroy explained.

Colorful stories provide a glimpse into the “who” and “what" of our vintage parks, historical areas, and natural landscapes. The Palomares Adobe, the Chinese Historical Society, Tournament Park, and of course, those wild parrots are included. The book also functions as a useful guidebook to visiting the sites. It’s a pro-active book: “history to read and explore,” Pomeroy says.

R.A. Lovka
Altadena Mountain Views