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Pasadena's History is Now Online

Ever wonder what Pasadena looked like years ago? Interested in seeing historical photos of the Pasadena Central Library, City Hall, Old Town Pasadena, or the Colorado Street Bridge? Now you can with just one click!

PMH is partnering with the Pasadena Public Library and the Pasadena City College Shatford Library to bring Pasadena history to life. The partnership, known as the Pasadena Digital History Collaboration, or the PDHC, has made hundreds of digital images of historic Pasadena available for free for anyone to view from anywhere they are, and the collection keeps on growing, with updates on a weekly basis! This new service will make these invaluable collections available online all in one place, making it easier to find what you need and browse the collections from all three cultural institutions.

Besides the hundreds of digital images available for searching, the PDHC also houses an online exhibit, featuring photographs from all three institutions, rotating on a quarterly basis. Specialized collections focusing on topics such as Old Pasadena, Tournament of Roses, the Rose Bowl, and Busch Gardens are also included. Another great feature is “This date in Pasadena history”: find out what happened on any given day in Pasadena 10, 50, or even 100 years ago.

A Mystery Photo collection is also highlighted. The PDHC invites the public to help identify some mystery photos! If you recognize the place, the time period, the people, or the event in one of these photos, please share the information with us by commenting on the photo!

This project was funded by a one-time grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provision of the Library Services Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.