Duarte - Our Kind of Town
Once inhabited by the Gabrielino Indians, the City of Duarte, consisting of nearly 7,000 acres of prime land in the upper San Gabriel Valley, was granted to ex-Mexican Corporat Andres Duarte and his wife in 1841 by the governor of Alta, California. Duarte named the place Rancho Azusa de Duarte.
In the mid-1800's, most of the Rancho was sold to help defray Andres Duarte's debts. One of those who purchased land was Dr. Nehemiah Beardslee, who started the first school in Duarte and laid out the first section of Duarte's water lines. Much of the remaining land was divided into 40-acre plots and sold individually. Duarte quickly grew into a thriving agricultural community specializing in citrus production.
Two of the country's premier medical institutions were started in Duarte in the early part of this century. In 1928, the Jewish Relief Association started a tuberculosis sanitarium on 40 acres of land South of Duarte Road. This later evolved into the world-renowned City of Hope Medical Center, a recognized leader in fighting cancer and other catastrophic diseases. In 1930, a group of Carmelite Sisters established the Santa Teresita Rest Home, known today as Santa Teresita Hospital. From four small cottages, this medical facility has developed into one of the finest hospitals in the region.
Duarte was incorporated as a city on August 22, 1957 and its new leadership helped the previously fragmented community to come together.
Preserving its history is very important to the City of Duarte. The City has an all-volunteer museum which is a resource for the community and a wonderful site for visitors to the area called the Historical Museum.
Source: Wikipedia.org
