Pasadena Celebrates 127th Birthday

“This is a celebration of community and a celebration of a glorious history. Pasadena is 127 years,” Congresswoman Judy Chu said at the city’s birthday celebration on Saturday, June 22 held on the grounds of the Pasadena Museum of History.

The extra special birthday party celebrated the 127th anniversary of the city of Pasadena as well as the 100th anniversary of the city’s most cherished landmark, the Colorado Street Bridge.

While she may not be 127, Vice Mayor Jacque Robinson shared her birthday with Pasadena, celebrating her 27th by gladly serving the city all day long. Mayor Bill Bogaard honored Robinson by presenting her a cake of her own out during the ceremonious cutting of the bridged cake.

The theme of the day celebrated the bridges of Pasadena, both the actual historic bridges as well as bridges to community with live Pasadena bloggers, bridges to exploration with JPL, bridges to history, bridges to health with historic pictures of Huntington Hospital, bridges to imagination with a workshop for the kids, and bridges to understanding other cultures with Pasadena Sister Cities Committee.

“I’m so thankful for a place like this that celebrates our history,” Korean War Veteran Bert Bollinger said who has lived in Pasadena for the past 50 years.

As everyone celebrated the rich history and tradition of Pasadena, the older generation bridged the gap to the younger generation by passing down the heritage in a form children can understand and relate to, a birthday party.

“My hope is that as we celebrate this 127th birthday, that the community will build on its strength, build on its history and traditions, build on its arts and culture, build on its science and technology, build on its economy and build on the commitment that we have to embrace all members of the community,” Mayor Bill Bogaard said.

Pasadena has a special character that has developed over the years because the people truly care and take pride in a sense of participation to make the community better as a whole.

“I wish this community another year of recognition in how you teach other cities how to be a community, how to work together, how to trust each other, how to plan for the future, and this is an exceptional city and it’s history bears it out, its architecture and planning, the city organizations, the history and tradition of this community,” Assemblymember Chris Holden said.

As Congresswoman Judy Chu reflected on the old photographs, she commented about how lucky we are today to have a city like Pasadena. Of course Mayor Bill Bogaard agrees and he especially appreciates the diversity of the city.
“Diversity is a big part of Pasadena, it is from my point of view, and I think people enjoy living in community where there are so many stimulating and diverse points of view to be part of life day to day,” Bogaard said.

The city has crossed several bridges with the traditions and organizations built over the years and will only continue to develop its very special character in the future.