South Pasadena Tutors

About South Pasadena

Nestled about halfway between the 10 and 210 freeways, South Pasadena is a Los Angeles suburb in the San Gabriel Valley. The Native American Tongva people occupied what is now South Pasadena along the Arroyo Seco (dry stream in Spanish), a seasonal river that runs through the northern section of what is now Los Angeles County, for 1,200 years before the Spanish conquistador Juan Gaspar de Portolá explored California from San Diego to Monterey in the 1760’s. The land came under the control of the Mexican land grant Rancho el Rincon de San Pasqual in 1834. Much of it was purchased by pioneering land owner Benjamin “Don Benito” Wilson who came to California in 1841. Wilson raised cattle and planted grapes and citrus. For a time, Wilson and his son-in-law James de Barth Shorb had one of the largest vineyards in California. After the U.S.-Mexico War, Pasadena and South Pasadena were officially founded as the Indiana Colony by Dr. Thomas B. Elliot who eventually changed the name to Pasadena, a Native American term meaning “crown of the valley.” In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the city’s population began to grow with the completion of a railway into Los Angeles allowing South Pasadena residents to commute to the big city. South Pasadena was also along the original “Route 66” which connected much of the American southwest. Today, South Pasadena has a diverse, affluent population with a median household income exceeding $85,000 a year.

It’s likely that a South Pasadena tutor will be able to keep you ahead of the academic curve so you can take time away from the books to enjoy the many exciting things to do in South Pasadena and the greater Los Angeles area. For outdoor enthusiasts, South Pasadena is within easy access to several green spaces amidst the urban sprawl. For younger children and dogs, Garfield Park is seven acres offering kid friendly playgrounds and a dedicated area where man’s best friend can run off-leash to his heart’s content. Arroyo Park is 19 acres with lighted athletic fields, playgrounds and hiking trails. Hermon Park at the Arroyo Seco features the amenities of a typical park as well as an “Art in the Park” program which holds classes for children in music, dance and art. The park also celebrates special events such as the Corn Festival in spring and Día de los Muertos in fall.

South Pasadena residents and visitors alike benefit from their proximity to the many popular attractions in larger Pasadena. Old Town Pasadena takes visitors back in time for some exciting nightlife with shops, up-scale restaurants and nightclubs. The Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden in Pasadena offers a scenic and peaceful Japanese style garden with ponds, waterfalls and a traditional teahouse. Pasadena is also the place to be on New Year’s Day as the Tournament of Roses Parade rolls down Colorado Boulevard. The 128-year old parade is highlighted by colorful floats and marching bands from all over the United States.

It’s just a short drive north on Orange Grove Boulevard from South Pasadena to the Norton Simon Museum. Founded as the Pasadena Art Institute in 1922, the museum is home to one of the world’s most renowned collections of art from all over the world with an emphasis on European painting and Asian sculpture. The museum boasts over 12,000 objects including paintings by Rembrandt, Renoir, Raphael and Picasso as well as sculptures by Rodin and Henry Moore.