Pasadena Heritage to offer Busch Gardens tour May 22

On Saturday, May 22, Pasadena Heritage will host the first showing of "Uncovering History in Pasadena’s Busch Gardens", in celebration of the centennial of the gardens’ most important survivor, the Old Mill. "Captain of Industry" and co-founder of the Anheuser-Busch Corporation, Adolphus Busch, and his wife Lily, bought a winter home on Orange Grove Boulevard in 1904, and immediately began working with a prominent landscape architect to beautify their property, planting rare and exotic plants and trees, installing fanciful water features, and turning the bed of the Arroyo into a botanical wonderland.

In 1906 they opened their garden to the public, and Busch Gardens became a major tourist attraction with over 1,000,000 visitors between 1905 and 1938 when the gardens closed for good. Memories of the once world famous and first Busch Gardens in Pasadena have nearly vanished since closing in 1938. However, most of the original features survived but many are hidden on private property.

In his presentation, researcher Michael Logan matches historic images to their same exact locations a century later. Following the program, docent-led walking tours will allow visitors a rare opportunity to walk the historic pathways and staircases in search of the many remnants of the past. Key garden sights will be highlighted, including the Old Mill, originally built as a playhouse for Mr. Busch’s daughter, and the Grecian Pergola, which was part of the original entrance to the gardens.

This illustrated lecture will take place at 10:00 am in the auditorium of Westridge School, located at 324 Madeline Drive, Pasadena, 91105. Tours will depart in thirty-minute increments starting at 11:30 am until 4:00 pm. Tours last approximately 2 hours. Space is limited!

Comfortable, flat-heeled shoes are a must, as the tour will cover over one mile and will include some hills. Ticket prices are $18 for Pasadena Heritage members and $22 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased online at www.pasadenaheritage.org or by calling Pasadena Heritage at (626) 441-6333.