When Walter Dow moved his family into their new house in 1896,
they were some 3 miles north of town, out of Glendale's territory, in
an area known as Casa Verdugo.
Eleven acres of orange and avocado groves surrounded the house and
barn, which were placed on a slight knoll and overlooked the yet
unincorporated town of Glendale in the distance.
The back door opened onto a dusty lane then called Baugh Road,
which, according to a map drawn in 1906, started at Central Avenue
and followed the curve of the foothills as it headed north toward
Burbank.
Walter Kenneth Dow, one of the Dow children, recalled in a 1969
newspaper article that the road was renamed at his request.
The Dows lived in the house for about 14 years, from 1896 when it
was built, to 1910 when they sold it to the Blacks.
Dow, who was 90 when he was featured in the article, told the
interviewer the area had not yet subdivided when they lived there and
the lane in back of the house hadn't been given an official name,
although they called it Baugh Road.
At that time, voters were few and far between and were assiduously
courted. The year their county supervisor was up for reelection, he
visited the Dows and asked if he could do anything for them. Walter
Dow recalled he jokingly requested the board of supervisors change
the road's name to Kenneth in honor of his middle name.
A week later, much to his surprise, Walter Kenneth saw a big white
sign at Central Avenue and Baugh. Going over to look at it, he saw
that it read "Kenneth Road."
Nowadays, Kenneth Road is a wide, well-paved thoroughfare -- the
only through road paralleling Glenoaks Boulevard, according to
"Glendale, A Pictorial History." It begins at Brand Boulevard and
continues on through Burbank.
This photo was taken early in 1934, after one of the most
devastating floods to hit the foothill area struck on New Year's Eve,
1933 and New Year's Day, 1934.
A November fire, which burned from the Arroyo Seco to Tujunga,
left the hillsides bare and unable to hold back moisture.
Then, in late December, the rains came. More than 13 inches fell
during several days of very intense storms. Eventually, the water,
mud and debris washed down the mountains into La Crescenta and
Montrose, killing 44 people. The city of Glendale escaped major
problems, but many streets, such as Kenneth Road, were mired in mud.
* KATHERINE YAMADA is a volunteer with the Special Collections
Room at the Central Library. To reach her, leave a message at
637-3241. The Special Collections Room is open from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
on Saturdays or by appointment. For more information on Glendale's
history, contact the reference desk at the Central Library at
548-2027.
