We will celebrate the 226th anniversary of America's independence
Thursday with fireworks, picnics and parades. Four days later, we in
Burbank also celebrate another, albeit lesser known, anniversary of
our city's incorporation.
Since we already are familiar with the events that triggered the
American Revolution, like the Boston Tea Party and the sacrifices it
took to win our independence as a nation, let's look at the city's
anniversary, which is Monday.
The area that is now the city of Burbank originally belonged to
two separate Spanish land grants. Rancho San Rafael, the northern
land grant, was given to Don Jose Mardia Verdugo by the Spanish Crown
in 1798. The southern land grant, Rancho La Providencia, was created
by Mexico after gaining its independence from Spain in 1821. Rancho
La Providencia consisted of more than 4,600 acres and bordered San
Rafael's southwestern boundary. In 1855, the Land Commission created
by Congress confirmed these grants.
Difficult economic times and heavy debts signaled an end to both
Rancho San Rafael and Rancho La Providencia. By 1857, the 4,600 acres
of Rancho La Providencia were sold to Alexander Bell and David W.
Alexander for 37 cents an acre. Jonathon R. Scott, an attorney from
neighboring Los Angeles, became the first American to purchase
portions of Rancho San Rafael. The three men owned the properties for
nearly a decade, but did little to develop it.
In 1867, Dr. David Burbank purchased nearly 4,000 acres of what
was Rancho San Rafael from Scott and the entire 4,600 acres that were
Rancho La Providencia. Dr. Burbank was a successful dentist in New
Hampshire before he moved to San Francisco in the 1850s.
In 1866, Dr. Burbank again moved to open a dental practice in Los
Angeles. His vast land holdings sustained his sheep ranching
business.
By 1872, his financial success allowed him to stop practicing
dentistry altogether and pursue real estate investments full time.
Dr. Burbank sold small portions of his vast acreage to the many
people who had migrated to California. New arrivals greatly increased
in 1874, when the first train passed through Burbank.
In 1877, Thomas Story purchased 80 acres from Dr. Burbank before
becoming the first mayor of Burbank. In 1879, the first schoolhouse
was built after Mrs. S.W. White and nine others signed a petition and
convinced Dr. Burbank to donate an acre of property. The drought of
1886, however, caused difficult times for him, and in 1887, he sold
