Azusa was first counted by the census in 1860, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
More historic than 40% of U.S. towns · #227 of 847 in California. What drives it
Most of Azusa was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1970. Its Register listing is the Azusa Civic Center. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1888 on, and the census since 1860.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Azusa is more historic than 40% of U.S. towns, #227 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Azusa’s overall grade.
Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Azusa’s 0.4 sits above most of its state (69% of California towns have fewer) while its 2 historic buildings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B−. The pre-1940 share (±1.2 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: the first census (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Azusa’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Azusa. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1894Pomona sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Azusa.
Every building
Azusa, building by building, 1888–1912
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
The name "Azusa" appears to have been derived from the Tongva place name Asuksa-nga, meaning "skunk place," with asuksa meaning skunk and -nga denoting place.
The first human settlements in the area date back to approximately 6000 BC. The Takic people moved into the area c. 3500 BC and the Tongva people (Gabrieleño Indians), now commonly regarded as the indigenous people of the region, arrived by at least 55 BC. A backronym, "Azusa stands for everything from A to Z in the U.S.A.", has been a phrase used for many years by organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce to promote the city.
Passages that mention Azusa, cut from the printed page as they were published.
An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California. Containing a history of Los Angeles County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future ... and biographical mention of many of it1889Read the page →
Read the text
He came to the Azusa in 1872 and took up a Government claim of eighty acres in the Outside school district of Azusa, about two miles and a half southeast of the present site of Azusa City, and one mile northwest of Covina. He successfully contested the claim of the Azusa grant holders to this land, and was then compelled to contest the claims of the Southern
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California. Containing a history of Los Angeles County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future ... and biographical mention of many of it1889Read the page →
Read the text
to agricultural pursuits, and remained in Lassen County until the fall of 1882. He then came to Los Angeles County, and after spending the winter in Los Angeles, located at Azusa. He purchased thirty-two and a half acres of wild and uncultivated land a mile and a half south of the city of Azusa, and engaged in horticultural pursuits, clearing his land and planting
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California1889Read the page →
Read the text
that section now boasts. Mr. Roberts, at this writing (1889), is the owner of 250 acres of land (including his original claim of 160 acres), located about one mile from the town of Azusa, upon which he is engaged in agricultural and horticultural pursuits. He has twenty acres of citrus fruits and five acres of deciduous fruits.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California1889Read the page →
Read the text
the family to Los Angeles County and located at El Monte, and engaged in farming operations until 1870. And in that year he located at the Azusa, about a mile and a half southeast of the I present city of Azusa, and engaged in agricult-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Azusa, 1874 to 1998
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
The Azusa post office opened in 1860, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1887.
How does Azusa rank for history?
Azusa is more historic than 40% of U.S. towns, #227 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Azusa?
One place: the Azusa Civic Center (listed 2002).
How old are the homes in Azusa?
5% of Azusa’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.2 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1970.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (4), the Library of Congress (5), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
Date?
Date?
Date?
Date?
Date?
2022
2017
2014