Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to San Marino

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
B+History
History · San Marino

San Marino dates to 1913, and 41% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 69% of U.S. towns · #55 of 847 in California. What drives it

5 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Edwin Hubble House, a National Historic Landmark. Below: 7 old photos and papers, maps from 1896 on, and the census since 1920.

1913founded
5on the National Register
41%homes built before 1940
7old photos & papers
11famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From San Marino’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How San Marino began

When was San Marino founded?

1913

San Marino dates its founding to 1913 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1920.

First census: 584 in 19202020 census: 12,513113 years

How historic is San Marino?

B+

More historic than 69% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives San Marino’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, San Marino is more historic than 69% of U.S. towns, #55 of 847 in California. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.

B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of San Marino’s overall grade.
Founding era1913, from Wikipedia: founded 1900–1944, an older era than 9% of U.S. townsDHomes built before 194040.8% of homes (±5.2) · typical CA town 3.4% · U.S. 8.4%ANational Register5 listings, 6 historic buildings, 4.9 per 10,000 residents · typical CA town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 69%
NewerOlder
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 94%

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 San Marino’s 4.9 sits above most of its state (87% of California towns have fewer) while its 6 historic buildings outnumber those of 72% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.2 points). Two sources give 1913.

Founding year: Wikipedia (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 San Marino’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

On the map since 18966 editions of the USGS map, 1896 to 1972. Watch San Marino change.A National Historic Landmark5 places on the National Register, including Edwin Hubble House, a National Historic Landmark.Old housesHalf of San Marino’s homes were built before 1943.Famous sons and daughtersDavid Lindley, Kaitlyn Chen and 9 more were born here.
★ What stands out · On the map

San Marino on the map, 1896 to 1972

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of San Marino. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

San Marino on the 1896 USGS mapSan Marino on the 1900 USGS mapSan Marino on the 1928 USGS mapSan Marino on the 1953 USGS mapSan Marino on the 1966 USGS mapSan Marino on the 1972 USGS map1896Pasadena 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 San Marino.

On the National Register

5 historic places in San Marino

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier.

places listed
5
National Historic Landmark
1
Edwin Hubble House
historic buildings protected
6
each building in a district counts
first listed
1971
El Molino Viejo
El Molino ViejoHouse at 1050 S. Madison Ave.Emery, Katherine EstateWhite, Michael, AdobeEdwin Hubble House★
Buildings★ landmark

Architectural styles listings

California Mission1
Colonial Revival1
Tudor Revival1
★ Landmark
Edwin Hubble HouseCalifornia Mission
El Molino ViejoBuilding
House at 1050 S. Madison Ave.Colonial Revival
Emery, Katherine EstateTudor Revival
All 5 listings
White, Michael, AdobeBuilding · listed 2014

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

The story

How San Marino came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of San Marino.

Read it all →

The city takes its name from the ancient Republic of San Marino, founded by Saint Marinus who fled his home in Dalmatia (modern Croatia) at the time of the Diocletianic Persecution.

The seal of the City of San Marino, California is modeled on that of the republic, depicting the Three Towers of San Marino each capped with a bronze plume, surrounded by a heart-shaped scroll with two roundels and a lozenge (of unknown significance) at the top. The crown representing sovereignty on the original was replaced with five stars, representing the five members of the city's governing body. Beneath the city's seal are crossed palm fronds and orange branches.

ChaptersOrigin of nameEarly historyHistory (1900s)History (2000s)

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

San Marino, 1896 to 2002

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1896On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  3. 20th century
  4. 1913
    FoundingSan Marino is established
  5. 1921In the archiveMap of a Portion of the City of
  6. 1930In the archiveMarino House, 2627 Mission St., San Marino, California (86074)
  7. 1941Born hereDonald Segretti is born here
  8. 1944Born hereDavid Lindley is born here
  9. 1975In the archiveEdwin Powell Hubble House, San Marino (Los Angeles County, California)
  10. 1976LandmarkEdwin Hubble House named a National Historic Landmark
  11. 1980Born hereAndrew Park is born here
  12. 21st century
  13. 2002Born hereKaitlyn Chen is born here
By decade

San Marino, decade by decade

3 decades in the archive, from the 1920s to the 1970s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1920s–1930s5 items
Map of a Portion of the City of1921Map of a Portion of the City ofMapHenry Edwards Huntington house, Oxford Road1923Henry Edwards Huntington house, Oxford RoadHenry Edwards Huntington house, Oxford Road1923Henry Edwards Huntington house, Oxford RoadHenry Edwards Huntington house, Oxford Road, San Marino, California. Pathway to guest house1923Henry Edwards Huntington house, Oxford Road, San Mari…Marino House, 2627 Mission St., San Marino, California (86074)c. 1930Marino House, 2627 Mission St., San Marino, Californi…
1940s–1960snothing yet
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.
Add from your album
1970s1 item
Edwin Powell Hubble House, San Marino (Los Angeles County, California)1975Edwin Powell Hubble House, San Marino (Los Angeles Co…
1980s–1990snothing yet
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.
Add from your album
Date unknown1 to date
Casa de Miguel Blanco, 2701 Huntington DriveDate?Casa de Miguel Blanco, 2701 Huntington Drive
Today14 recent
San Marino High School 20202020San Marino High School 2020Saints Felicitas and Perpetua Catholic Church San Marino 2020b2020Saints Felicitas and Perpetua Catholic Church San Mar…Saints Felicitas and Perpetua Catholic Church San Marino 2020a2020Saints Felicitas and Perpetua Catholic Church San Mar…The Sun God2017The Sun GodSleeping Cupid2016Sleeping CupidLTD Coupe2016LTD CoupeI Guard The Gate2016I Guard The GateSan Marino, California2014San Marino, CaliforniaSan Marino, California2014San Marino, CaliforniaKatherine Emery Estate front gate2013Katherine Emery Estate front gateHubble, Edwin, House2013Hubble, Edwin, HouseFinal Clock2005Final ClockSouthwesternAcademy22002SouthwesternAcademy2SouthwesternAcademy12002SouthwesternAcademy1
Every building

San Marino, building by building, 1929

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 sheet.

San Marino fire insurance map, 1929, sheet 11929Sheet 1 of 1
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Henry Edwards Huntington house, Oxford Road
Retake this viewHenry Edwards Huntington house, Oxford Road, 1923

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on San Marino’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

San Marino, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,000192019401960198020002020Peak: 14,177

Between 584 and 14,177 people in every census since 1920.

11 censuses, 1920–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on San Marino’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

11 famous people were born in San Marino

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
David LindleyAmerican musician · b. 1944
Kaitlyn ChenAmerican basketball player · b. 2002
D
Donald SegrettiAmerican lawyer · b. 1941
A
Andrew ParkAmerican tennis player · b. 1980
Michael CatherwoodAmerican radio personality · b. 1979
M
Mike ChandlerAmerican racing driver · b. 1958
Places that used to be

Places now gone and burying grounds

Gone or out of use
San Marino Post Officepost office
1cemetery inside San Marino
San Gabriel

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Finish San Marino’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
3 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old viewHenry Edwards Huntington house, Oxford …: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Pasadena123 historic placesASan Gabriel3 historic placesAEast San GabrielIts storyC−San PasqualIts storyB+South Pasadena9 historic placesA−Alhambra1 historic placeB

Questions about San Marino’s history

What year was San Marino founded?

In 1913, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1920 counted 584 people here.

How does San Marino rank for history?

San Marino is more historic than 69% of U.S. towns, #55 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 San Marino?

5 listings: 5 buildings, among them the Edwin Hubble House (a National Historic Landmark since 1976) and the El Molino Viejo (listed 1971, the first). 6 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in San Marino?

41% of San Marino’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.2 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1943.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (18), the Library of Congress (3), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (5), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.