Eagle Rock takes its name from this unique rock formation that resembles an eagle in flight.
It is believed that early day Indians living in the area and coming
upon this distinctive sandstone rock formation, very fittingly bestowed
the title of the "Eagle Rock," which in actual fact does bear a
striking resemblance to the head and wings of an eagle in flight.
In later years, as settlers began arriving in the area, the name
was attached to include a large area of land surrounding the rock,
mostly in a westerly direction in what is now called Eagle Rock.
The land's elevation varied from 565 to almost 1,000 feet, which
provided some spectacular views of the surrounding areas Real estate
promoters described it as "The Switzerland of Southern California," at
one point, to would be buyers.
The air was clean, and the ground gave up a plentiful supply of
pure, clean water. Farming became a part of early day living in the
Eagle Rock area, and numerous and extensive truck gardens and orchards
flourished within, the products therefrom finding a ready and viable
market in nearby Glendale, Pasadena, and Los Angeles. Strawberries were
a mainstay of this type of business.
As subdivisions were plotted, divided into lots, and sold, a minor
influx of people created a need for some public services. The first
school was established in 1884, and had an enrollment of 17 students.
The roads were mostly dirt, with the expectation that later they would be oiled or paved with asphalt.
A land boom after the turn of the century brought many new residents into the area.
Churches and clubs were organized and they knit the social fabric of the community.
Two electric railroads were brought into the area. One, a narrow
gauge trolley system, provided passenger service between Eagle Rock and
downtown Los Angeles. The other, initially a narrow gauge system,
offered service between Eagle Rock and Glendale, but was later standard
gauged to provide adequate freight service to and from the area. This
service was established primarily to transport lumber and other
building materials to major suppliers, located near the corner of
Colorado Boulevard and Eagle Rock Boulevard, for the eventual use of
local housing.
Eagle Rock incorporated itself as a city in 1911, and was annexed to the City of Los Angeles in 1923.
Telephone, gas, electric, and U.S. Mail service found their way into the area, all by the mid-teens.
The need for additional room forced Occidental College to move from
its Highland Park campus to a more spacious 95 acre rolling hills site
situated in Eagle Rock. The grounds and buildings were planned by the
noted architect Myron Hunt, and opened (with only three major
buildings) in the spring of 1914.
Wanting to make the campus more of a "community" the first of
several dormitories was built in 1925. During the twenties, in a surge
of construction, an outdoor theater, a student union, library,
gymnasium, and a music building, all complimented with generous
landscaping, appeared on the campus.
The area's natural attraction, the Eagle Rock and its surrounding
recreational land, drew interest from a wide variety of sources. The
first Boy Scout Convention was held at the park in 1910, at the urging
and support of William Randolph Hearst. Easter sunrise services were
conducted each spring, drawing thousands of worshippers who gathered
around the Eagle Rock. Major state, national, company, and union events
were held at the park.
Eagle Rock High School was opened in 1927, with 690 students,
eliminating the need to send students over the knoll to attend Glendale
High School.
Eagle Rock resident Staff Sergeant Philip Johnston helped the U.S.
Marine Corps develop, in 1942, the Navajo Code. It is said to be
unbroken, though used extensively in the South Pacific war zone.
The novelist/writer John Steinbeck once lived in Eagle Rock.
Legend of the Eagle Rock
