Hastings Ranch, Pasadena, California

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Hastings Ranch is a neighborhood of Pasadena, California which lies in northeast Pasadena. It is principally accessed by Sierra Madre Boulevard, Michillinda Avenue, Hastings Ranch Blvd., and Riviera Drive. Hastings Ranch is also identified by large shopping areas at its southern-most end and by a shopping center at the corner of Sierra Madre and Michillinda.

In 1882, Charles Cook Hastings purchased 1,100 acres (4.5 km²) of land between Pasadena and Sierra Madre for USD$7 per acre. He named his ranch "Mesa Alta Rancho" and began planting 300 acres (1.2 km²) with grape vines and constructed a mansion. Soon after he died, his son, Charles Houston Hastings, assumed responsibility for the land. He imported unusual specimens of plants and trees and populated the ranch with peacocks, pheasants, cats, dogs (32 collies) and champion horses. In 1928, the Hastings mansion caught fire and burned to the ground. The ranch fell into a state of disrepair and its operation was left to managers.

Following the death of Charles Houston Hastings in 1942, the ranch was sold by the Hastings Foundation to a syndicate for over $1 million. The land was subdivided into luxury housing tracts. In the late 1940s, about 600 homes were built in the lower Hastings tract; in the early 1950s, 800 houses were constructed by Coronet Homes, Inc.; and in the early 1960s, the upper portion of the ranch was developed.

With the post war growth of the 1950s, a drive-in theater was established at the lowest point of the neighborhood between Rosemead and Foothill Boulevards by the name of Hastings Drive-In Theater. It fell to heavy commercial development in the 1960s. The drive-in was replaced by the Hastings Theater, one of the first multi-screen cinema theaters to be built in Pasadena. The Hastings Theater is now a part of the Pacific Theater chain.

Today Hastings Ranch is defined locally as two independent neighborhoods: Upper Hastings and Lower Hastings.

The Lariat is the bimonthly newsletter published for the residents of Upper Hastings Ranch. The newsletter contains information about the neighborhood, as well as publicizing essays by young residents.

[edit] Significant Christmas display

Upper Hastings Ranch has become one of the most popular areas for neighborhood outdoor Christmas displays.^{[citation needed]} The practice began in 1957 whereby each block in the neighborhood would decorate their homes with some type of theme icon placed in the parkway, e.g., snowmen, Christmas trees, Santas and reindeer, Peanuts cartoon characters, etc. The tour which was taken by automobile would consist of miles of lighting and other entertaining Christmas scenarios displayed about the labyrinth of homes.

The Hastings Ranch Christmas display took its place among the popular local venues of Christmas Tree Lane and the Balian Mansion, both in Altadena.