​by Vicky Hansen, MHM Exhibit Chair and Development Coordinator

​Our historic home exhibit continues to advance, thanks to the generous support of local businesses and contractors. Recently, Jeff Anderson, Branch Manager of ABC Supply in Monrovia, donated roofing materials, while Mike Marshall and his team from Sedona West Roofing provided labor for the installation of our exquisite shingle roofing. Additionally, Sherwin Williams of Monrovia contributed the paint, for which we extend our gratitude to store manager Anabertha Soto.
​
Further enhancing our exhibit, Monrovia residents, Tom and Tina Posen, owners of Arcadia Sash and Door, are generously donating the door and windows. These contributions significantly enrich our ongoing exhibit, which chronicles Monrovia's history through its architectural heritage.

​Scheduled for completion this fall, we sincerely thank Jeff Anderson, Mike Marshall, Tom and Tina Posen, and all involved for their invaluable contributions in making this project a reality.

Did you know about "Aunt Kate" Wright? 
by Sarah Farmer Earll (former MHM Board Member, written originally in June 2022)

While Pottenger’s Sanatorium led the way for tuberculosis treatment in Southern California in the early 1900s, their clientele was almost exclusively white. The Jewish Consumptive Relief Association started a free non-sectarian tuberculosis sanatorium in nearby Duarte, which became the City of Hope National Medical Center. Others relied on Kate Wright for care.   

Fondly known as “Aunt Kate,” Kate Wright (1861-1937) was a former slave who came to Monrovia in 1901 after emancipation. Wright purchased property on East Cypress Avenue with savings earned from domestic work. Around 1904, she had a religious conversion, and that experience led her to devote her life to the care of the sick and indigent.  

She sought donations of lumber and labor to build small cottages on her property, where she tended to tuberculosis patients who had no family or resources to assist them.  Without many resources herself, Aunt Kate believed “the Lord would provide.” She served selflessly for over 30 years, and she cared for all alike, regardless of color, nationality or creed. 
​
Kate Wright is respected and revered by Monrovians from all walks of life. In 2018, the City named her as one of the first honorees of the Monrovia Neighborhood Treasure program. In 2020, KGEM-TV posted this YouTube video of Steve Baker speaking about Kate Wright's legacy for the Monrovia ChangeMakers. Also, see this Facebook post tribute on Juneteenth 2022.

​William Newton Monroe: Monrovia’s Father
Written by Oliver Beckwith, Monrovia Historical Museum Board Member

William Newton Monroe (1841-1935) did many things in his long life. While still in his teens he was a teacher in Iowa. When the Civil War began he served two years in 1st Iowa Cavalry where, among other things, he saw action against Quantrill’s Raiders at Pleasant Hill, Missouri. Monroe joined the 7th Iowa Cavalry Regiment in 1863, and completed his military service as a brevet Major in 1864 at Ft. Kearney, Nebraska. It was there he met a teacher, Mary Jane Hall, and on Christmas Eve, 1863, they were married. Together they raised five children, Milton, George, Myrtle, Annetta and Mabelle. 

After the war William joined his father-in-law Milton Hall in building a part of the transcontinental railroad. Monroe was good at supervising train construction, and in the following decades he built railroads in the American Southwest, Mexico, Alaska, and Chile. As a result William Monroe supervised construction of the northernmost and southernmost railroads in the Western Hemisphere. 

We all recognize William Monroe as the father of Monrovia, and those of us who live here are beneficiaries of the city he created. In the postwar years Monroe had been supervising the building of railroads in Arizona and Texas, but in 1884 he and Mary Jane decided to settle down in Southern California. They were attracted to the beautiful foothills and water sources that came from them. In 1885 Monroe purchased some land from Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin, and built the home we know today as The Oaks on Primrose Avenue.  

In that same year Monroe teamed up with Edward F. Spence, then Mayor of Los Angeles, real estate attorney John D. Bicknell, railroad entrepreneur James F. Crank, and local landowner Jeremiah Falvey to purchase the land needed to create the city of Monrovia. The land was organized into lots and put up for sale in 1886, and by 1887 Monrovia became the 4th city in Los Angeles County to be incorporated. 

In his lifetime Monroe faced many challenges. As a young man he served in the Civil War, and after Monrovia was incorporated its citizens suffered through more wars and economic downturns. He accomplished many things and had some failures too, but William Newton Monroe could always look at his greatest success, the City of Monrovia. If you would like to know more about William Monroe’s story please visit us at The Monrovia Historical Museum. On your visit you can purchase Richard Singer’s book, 1887: A History of Early Monrovia to find more details about William Monroe’s life.

Biographical Links: 

• City of Monrovia Legacy Project - Short Bio of William N. Monroe by T.M. Hotchkiss, 1985
• PPOlinks - Ten-page Biography of William N. Monroe by Edithe Harbison Hathaway, 1931
• Wikipedia - Vocation and Public Service History of William N. Monroe

Long-time councilman, six-time mayor, past president of Rotary Club of Monrovia, Realtor (Century 21 Adams and Barnes) and generous sponsor for the Monrovia Historical Museum's Historic Homes Exhibit, Tom Adams, came to tour the Museum on Saturday, June 15th, with his family on the occasion of a pre-Father's Day celebration. The honor was ours, of course!

"For years I knew the Monrovia Historical Museum existed but it never occurred to me to be a tourist in my own town," says Cory Adams. "My family has many connections to Monrovia and I thought a great way to celebrate Father's Day would be connecting all those dots.  My father, Tom Adams, was born at the Monrovia Hospital in 1951 and moved back to Monrovia in his early 20's to raise his family.  My Uncle, James Adams, served as a member of the Monrovia City Police Department back in the 1960's. My late mother-in-law, Sandra Freeman, who passed last year, graduated from M.A.D. High School in 1954. Seeing her pictures in the yearbooks was really heartwarming for my husband, Gage Freeman. It was so great to learn more about this wonderful community and its history. We had an amazing time and really appreciate Oliver Beckwith, Mark Harvis and Sharon Motheral for taking time out of their Saturday. Thank you!" 

Board member, Oliver Beckwith, who served as the main tour guide said, "Tom really enjoyed the tour and admitted he hadn’t been through the museum in a long time." Well, Tom, it was a pleasure getting re-acquainted with you and meeting your wonderful family! And thank you, Cory, for choosing to visit us as part of your Father's Day weekend celebration! 

​The Monrovia Historical Museum wishes to give special acknowledgment to our dedicated City Manager, Dylan Feik. Throughout Monrovia, Dylan is hailed as an outstanding leader who consistently engages with the public on various fronts. 

In addition to his regular responsibilities of overseeing city employees and managing policies, budgets, and personnel, Dylan tirelessly addresses a wide range of issues—from organizing special events to managing weather-related disasters, responding to inquiries, addressing concerns within the unhoused community, and even handling complaints on social media platforms. His commitment to problem-solving knows no bounds, and he goes above and beyond the call of duty. This unwavering dedication has made a significant impact on our community, and we extend our heartfelt appreciation for everything he has done for our organization and the beloved city we serve.

A short biography: 

Dylan Feik assumed the role of City Manager following his appointment by the Monrovia City Council in October 2019. With a rich background in various facets of local government, Dylan brings a wealth of expertise in formulating and executing policies, managing personnel and budgeting. His academic credentials include a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Kansas and a Bachelor of Arts from Weber State University.

Dylan resides in Monrovia with his wife, Kira, and their children.  Outside of his professional duties, he finds joy in pursuits such as mountain biking, hiking, and restoring vintage cars, particularly his collection of Ford Mustangs and a Chevrolet pickup.

Lea Robinson was all smiles when she came to us to offer her services to volunteer as a docent a year ago! Today, she is still all smiles because, not only did she just graduate from Covina’s South Hills High as a Valedictorian, but she was also accepted to all colleges and universities she applied to. But her heart was set on UCLA, and so this Fall, she will begin her collegiate journey there, to pursue studies in human biology, with the end goal of becoming a physician someday!

“Volunteering at the Monrovia Historical Museum (MHM) has allowed me to connect with countless new people,” says Lea. “As a docent, I learn just as much from our guests as they, hopefully, learn from me. Helping out in the office, assisting in archival tasks, was surprisingly fun, too. I already had a passion for history, but I had no idea how much I would learn and grow, professionally and personally, over the year I spent there. I have forged friendships with so many people who love history just as much as I do. I will always love MHM and encourage absolutely everyone to visit and volunteer, if you can!”

Several museum board members were on hand, June 13th, to congratulate Lea and thank her for her services. Mark Harvis and Sharon Motheral were there to lead the cheer, while Board President, Franci Bolen, took time out of her busy day to bid Lea farewell personally. Meanwhile, Mike Andrews created a special 3D-printed plaque in her honor. Retired history teacher, Oliver Beckwith, wrote in his recommendation letter, “based on my interactions with Lea, she would have easily been among my best students who demonstrates academic excellence and leadership. But Lea’s dependability, profound interest in history and caring heart made her even more special and a good fit to represent what we stand for. I have had the honor to see her participate in making our museum a better place.” Nennette Ferris, volunteer coordinator says, “Lea’s beautiful smile and cheerful disposition made it easy to work with her. She also has an entrepreneurial spirit and is credited for making our souvenir tote bags.” Vicky Hansen adds, “Lea is a gem, and I hope she stays connected with us.” Vicky also came up with the idea of gifting Lea one of our vintage vanity sets as a graduation gift. 

The future is bright for Lea Robinson. As her adoptive community, join us in wishing her the best and in expressing heartfelt gratitude for being a part of our volunteer family! 

(Contributing Author: Linda Taubenreuther, Monrovia-based freelance writer)

In a city filled with architecturally significant places of worship, Monrovia's Saint Luke's Episcopal Church is a standout. The Romanesque beauty at Wildrose and California is dazzled with 46 massive jewel toned stained glass windows by Judson Studios, America's oldest family-run stained glass company. This year, as Judson's ongoing restoration addresses any bowing,  reglazing and resealing issues, it's time to take a closer look at these masterworks. Here's the link to St. Luke's stained glass windows. 

Soaring above eye level on the north and south sides of the building, the brilliantly hued eight-foot windows are backlit at night. Each is a symbol-rich portrait of an Old or New Testament figure. Subjects include a Creation window plus dazzling depictions of Moses parting the Red Sea and Jesus walking on water. The only non-Biblical subject, the last to be dedicated in 1984, features renowned author and Anglican theologian C.S. Lewis, considered by many to be one of the 20th century’s greatest writers and teachers.

The crowning work is a colossal rose window set above the main entrance, framed inside with a wreath of organ pipes.

By the time the building was consecrated in May 1926, St. Luke's had been in Monrovia for over three decades. Its first services were held in 1891 in a rented room at Myrtle and Palm. In 1908, the church consecrated its first home at 206 South Myrtle. By 1923, the congregation had outgrown that building and acquired four lots at Wildrose and California, where the church still stands today.

St. Luke's was designed by Carleton M. Winslow (1876-1946), a major enthusiast of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in Southern California. Among his high-profile assignments were Supervising Architect of the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego, completer of the LA Central Library, and designer of many major LA area churches and notable private homes.

In the words of its rector, The Rev. Neil Tadken, “After decades of financial neglect, St. Luke’s has reclaimed its place among the most beautiful and spiritually rich houses of worship in Southern California. The only thing that outshines the physical beauty of its structure and location is the beauty of the community within its doors: complemented by rich liturgy, extraordinary music and acoustics, and inclusive hospitality.”

The Monrovia Historical Museum opened bright and early on June 6th, for a special, private tour. We welcomed over 20 of the city staff, who walked almost a mile from their various offices after their city-sponsored Thursday Morning Coffee. Led by City Manager, Dylan Feik, many of them came from Public Works (PW), Finance, Human Resources and Fire and Rescue. Included among them were Fire Chief, Jeremy Sanchez, Alice Atkins, as well as Todd Hull and Richard Cortez from PW and Pauline Gallo (HR). Collectively, these individuals combined have been with the city for a several decades. (Apologies for not getting everyone's names!) 

Board Vice President, Mark Harvis, led the tour along with Ili Lobaco, our returning board member and former long-time city employee herself, as well as Vicky Hansen and Nennette Ferris. The hour-and-a-half tour took them from our 99-year-old building’s history and through our two wings. From our city founders' history to the upcoming historic homes exhibit (under construction), there is value to be found and we are always happy to share it with our guests.

In the World War I and II Exhibit, Mark Harvis made special mention of the fact that the day, June 6th, happens to be the 80th anniversary of WWII D-Day. He said, “About 150,000 troops landed on those five beaches in Normandy. The casualties were tremendous on Omaha Beach. 2,400 Americans died that day on that sand, while over 5,000 Americans were wounded. A terrible sacrifice.” As Americans, we are proud of that heritage, and as a community service organization, we are grateful to be able to showcase it as one of our exhibits.

In the end, Mark Harvis said, “The tour was fun. It was really a nice morning with the City staff - they were all fantastic.” Later that day, he received an email of appreciation for our hospitality and a very positive feedback for the “enjoyable experience!”