Glendora Historical Society

The Glendora Historical Society is a nonprofit organization founded in 1947 dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of Glendora, California, and the broader San Gabriel Valley. It maintains significant historical sites, archives, and artifacts, providing educational outreach through immersive field trips and community programs, thereby fostering community identity, pride, and a sense of rootedness by connecting residents to their shared past.^[1]

Established in 1947, the Glendora Historical Society was formed by local residents intent on preserving the rapidly vanishing historical sites and artifacts related to the area's pioneering era. From its earliest days, the Society has acted as custodian of local history, collecting artifacts, building an archive, and caring for key historical landmarks such as Glendora's original City Hall (which also served as the fire station and jail until the current City Hall was opened in 1922) and the Rubel Castle, two prominent heritage sites in the region.^[2]

From its founding, the Society represented a significant departure from other local social organizations, all of which were gender-segregated or restricted by ancestry, veteran status, or religious affiliation. Prior to the Society's formation, Glendora clubs typically limited membership based on specific criteria: the Glendora Woman’s Club, established in 1908, admitted only women,^[3] while organizations such as Rotary and Kiwanis were men-only clubs until the late 20th century. Groups like the American Legion required veteran status,^[4] and lineage-based organizations such as the Daughters of the American Revolution mandated proven ancestry.^[5]

In contrast, the Glendora Historical Society explicitly welcomed all individuals interested in local history without restrictions on gender, age, ancestry, veteran status, faith, or length of residency. Its founding members included both men and women, teenagers, seniors, and residents of varying backgrounds, marking it as the first genuinely inclusive social organization in Glendora.^[6] The Society's first president was a woman, Mrs. Ruth Kimball. Its founding board also notably included members from long-established local pioneer families, such as J. Walter Cullen, as well as newcomers like H. Paul Keiser, who became the Society's first curator and was instrumental in organizing and preserving the early collections.^[7]

The Society manages two major historical landmarks: the Rubel Castle and the Glendora Museum. Rubel Castle, an architectural and artistic landmark constructed by Michael Rubel and his friends over several decades was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013, highlighting its significance.^[8] It is the only full-scale fortress-style castle in Los Angeles County. In 2024, the Glendora Historical Society was awarded a Preservation Award by the Los Angeles Conservancy for its proactive efforts in preserving the Rubel Castle Historic District. The award recognized the society’s comprehensive preservation plan, including meticulous assessment, documentation, seismic retrofitting, infrastructure upgrades, and a long-term maintenance strategy to ensure the survival and continued accessibility of this unique folk-art landmark. The preservation project was commended for capturing and safeguarding both the creative spirit and artistic freedom emblematic of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the site’s historical importance as one of the last remaining intact citrus packing houses and related agricultural facilities in Southern California, providing a vital connection to the region’s early agricultural heritage. ^[9]

The Glendora Museum, housed in the historic former city hall built in 1913, serves as the Society's headquarters. It is also as a repository of historical artifacts, photographs, and documents, telling the story of the city from precolonial times through its establishment as a thriving citrus-producing community and into the modern era. ^[10][11]

The Glendora Historical Society significantly contributes to community cohesion and identity by offering educational programs, events, and field trips. It provides immersive educational experiences to thousands of local schoolchildren annually, fostering an appreciation of local history and heritage through guided tours and interactive learning activities at its sites.^[12]

Additionally, the Society hosts regular community events aimed at strengthening local cultural bonds and encouraging community participation. These activities foster a shared sense of local identity and cohesion, something particularly valuable in communities often characterized as commuter towns—doubly so in an era increasingly marked around the globe by social fragmentation and isolation.^[13][14][15]

The Society's extensive archives include photographs, documents, oral histories, newspapers, maps, yearbooks, and personal artifacts from local historical figures, businesses, and families. These archives are open to researchers, genealogists, historians, and students, significantly supporting local historical scholarship.^[16]

As a nonprofit, the Glendora Historical Society relies on membership dues, private donations, grants, ticket sales for castle tours, community fundraising efforts, and location fees from film and television productions to maintain Rubel Castle and fund ongoing operations.

• List of historical societies in California