This is the City of Azusa—where Route 66 threads its way beneath towering palms and the dramatic backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains, whose steep canyons inspired the city’s enduring nickname. Here, you stand across from Azusa’s beautiful 1928 City Hall, a landmark in a community incorporated in 1898 that has watched the Mother Road unfold at its doorstep through decades of citrus-grove prosperity, neon storefronts, and the lively hum of Foothill Boulevard.

But this story begins much earlier. The Tongva people had called this valley Askuksa-nga—“skunk place”—long before Father Juan Crespí of the 1769 Portolá Expedition passed through and praised it as a “good place for planting.” (Don’t worry: you’re not likely to find any skunks these days!) The eventual arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in the 1880s transformed the area into a bustling regional hub, and by 1898 Azusa was officially incorporated.

And while fashions may change, as city historian Jeffrey Cornejo puts it, “Azusa has always been proud of its Route 66 legacy.”

Perhaps that’s why Azusa sometimes goes by a backronym that promises the perky town of 50,000 offers everything “from A to Z in the USA.”

EXPLORING AZUSA HISTORY

For nearly a century, the heart of central Azusa has sprung from its California Mission–style City Hall, completed in 1928 and recognized as the city’s only National Historic Landmark. It won architectural awards for its elegance in the 1930s, and remains a hub of activity for city leaders. One is Jeffrey Cornejo, city clerk and president of the Azusa Historical Society, who says, “We don’t feel like we work in a building here, we work in a hacienda. We’re very proud of it.”

On the east corner of the City Hall campus, you will find the World War Memorial monument inscribed with “Azusa”—a scaled-down tribute to the original memorial that once stood at the intersection of Route 66 and State Route 39. The full-sized monument was installed in 1923 and remained a defining feature of downtown until 1946, when rising traffic volumes required its removal. Just steps away along Route 66, you’ll also see a massive commemorative boulder placed in 1932 to honor the Azusa Pioneer Society, the precursor to today’s Azusa Historical Society. At City Hall, the Zacatecas Fountain—gifted to the city of Azusa in 1975 by its sister city, Zacatecas, Mexico—stands as a symbol of the enduring cultural ties between the two communities.

Just behind City Hall is a complex of four additional historic buildings, including the recently restored Santa Fe Train Depot, the restored Old Schoolhouse, and the 1920s-era Durrell House Museum.

 

In January of 2026, city officials unveiled Azusa’s Route 66 Centennial Monument along with a vibrant mural painted by artist Victor Ving. The mural depicts Azusa’s Route 66 landmarks and connection to the Mother Road throughout its history.

Around the city of Azusa, most Route 66–era signage has been replaced over the years, but the city continues to commemorate the Mother Road through several public art pieces and sign standards that encourage Route 66–inspired design. A key exception—and an enduring city icon—is the large neon marquee of the former Foothill Drive-In Theater, located about half a mile east of here. The theater operated from 1961 until its closure in 2001. You can find the marquee on the north side of Foothill Boulevard at Alosta Avenue, just a few blocks east of the city center.

While passing that way, watch for the parallel palm-lined roads running north just west of the sign at Palm Drive. All of the city came out for the opening in 1909, even President William H. Taft was on hand. Why two roads? Each led to separate estates of two sisters who so loathed each other they wouldn’t share a driveway. You can drive through the Mission-style gates (added in 1955) to have a palm-shaded peek at the alluring neighborhood.

LOCAL LORE: HOW AZUSA WON OVER WILL ROGERS

It’s commonly said that Will Rogers professed he never met a person he didn’t like. But initially the cowboy/actor/humorist wasn’t so sure about Azusa.

A century ago, few California roads had speed limits—but Azusa was a key exception, and Rogers found that out the hard way. After being pulled over for speeding here in 1923, he was so irritated that he refused to pay the ticket. A city judge eventually had to issue a warrant. When Rogers finally returned, he came prepared to pay the fine entirely in loose change as an act of spite—but something about the city’s beauty and slower pace unexpectedly won him over.

“He had sworn he’d never drive through the place again,” Cornejo says. “But lo and behold, when he came back finally to pay the fine in court, he fell in love with the city.”

After his death in 1935, in fact, Rogers’ funeral procession began near here on its way to Los Angeles.

EXPLORING THE CANYON OF “CANYON CITY”

The canyons of the San Gabriel Mountains rise dramatically just to the north, offering some of the most breathtaking natural scenery in the Greater Los Angeles area. Shaped by the ongoing uplift of the San Andreas Fault, these mountains are rugged, steep, and awe-inspiring—forming part of the Angeles National Forest and the newly expanded San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Azusa serves as the principal gateway to this landscape; simply follow State Highway 39 north from Route 66 in the heart of town.

Three miles north, detour to the Azusa River Wilderness Park, where a 1.25-mile trail gently rises alongside the river in the steep canyons (you can park just past the “El Encanto” sign). Or you can take a scenic drive up the winding road, past reservoirs, and pausing at pull-offs for canyon views or to reach a flurry of trailheads. Deeper in, about 16 miles from Azusa (a scenic 30-minute drive one way) along East Fork Road are many lovely riverside picnic spots with plenty of opportunities to get your feet wet, such as Oaks Picnic Area.

A fascinating destination for the more adventurous is the isolated Bridge to Nowhere—a fully completed 120-foot open-spandrel concrete arch bridge stranded in, quite literally, the middle of nowhere. Originally part of a 1930s highway project intended to connect the San Gabriel Valley with Wrightwood along the East Fork of the San Gabriel River, the route was abandoned after a devastating 1938 flood washed out much of the roadway. Today, the only way to see the bridge is by hiking a five-mile trail (each way).

FOR MORE INFORMATION

You can get more Azusa information from its city website (azusaca.gov), or its chamber of commerce, (www.azusachamber.com). Azusa keeps an active social media profile as well. Visit the city’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/azusacity/, or its Instagram page, https://www.instagram.com/azusacity/?hl=en, to keep up with events and other items of interest.

The biggest annual event is Azusa Golden Days (www.instagram.com/azusa.goldendays), a weeklong event held during the third weekend of October—the focus will be Route 66 in 2026. If you need a break from driving, Azusa is near the eastern terminus of Los Angeles Metro’s A line (https://www.metro.net/), which runs to both downtown Los Angeles and Pomona.

There are also many long-running restaurants popular with locals, including Max’s Mexican Cuisine, located at 635 North Azusa Avenue. Canyon City Barbeque (347 N San Gabriel Ave, canyoncitybbq.com), a few blocks south of Route 66, annually wins awards for the valley’s best barbecue for its slow-smoked brisket.