Jim Huntington came to La Cañada in about 1914. He paid $90 for a building to open a blacksmith business. (That building is now an appliance store at 1428 Foothill Blvd.)

Huntington embarked on a career in metalwork that brought him nationwide fame. Huntington Iron Works’ products in the form of iron gates and fences were in demand all over Los Angeles, Hollywood and Beverly Hills, and can be seen locally at St. Francis High School and Rockhaven Sanitarium. During WWII he forged and produced parts for Liberty Ships. He was an innovator and inventor and is sometimes credited with creating the first portable barbecue in 1939. He acquired secondary fame as “The Barbecue King” with a radio show and a book and as chef at many large public barbecues. Jim Huntington died in 1984.

Sometime in the 1960s, he was interviewed about some of his memories of early La Cañada:

“Early autos were restricted not only by rough horse-and-buggy roads, but by lack of places to buy gas. The first gas pump in the area was at La Cañada Garage. (Today, that’s Rose Gold gym at 1424 Foothill Blvd.) The pump was installed next to the curb and motorists wanting a tank full would simply pull up to a parking place in the street next to the pump. There was little parking problem then so the arrangement worked satisfactorily. The garage became La Cañada’s first automobile agency when it obtained its Ford franchise.

“Whitey Womack ran two other automobile facilities, the Flintridge Garage at Haskell and Michigan (now Angeles Crest and Foothill) and the Union station across from Union Street.

“J.W. Stultz had a grocery store at the corner of Union and Michigan (now Foothill). In a period in which the horse and buggy was still a common conveyance, Stultz was the only resident who owned a motor truck, which he used to journey to Pasadena for supplies.

“Another establishment, the general store of Ernest Metcalf, was located on Michigan Avenue. Metcalf also sold grain and feed to the local ranchers.

“Two well known dairies of that period were the Cornwell Dairy, on the south side of Foothill between Oakwood and Commonwealth, and the Durand Dairy on the south side between Alta Canyada and Hillard.

“In those days the Crescenta-Cañada Valley boasted two wineries. Toskey’s was on the south side of Michigan Boulevard (now Foothill), while the Mesnager Winery was at the top of Pennsylvania Avenue.

“The first avocados in the area were raised by Dr. Shepman on his ranch at the top of School Street (now La Cañada Boulevard). Citrus growers P.H. Johnson and Wilber Seawright owned separate groves but ran them more or less in common. Johnson’s place was above Commonwealth while Seawright’s bordered along Haskell (now Angeles Crest Highway). Seawright also owned one of the area’s biggest chicken ranches and supplied eggs to homes all over the valley.

“Carpenter’s pigeon farm was widely known, for its pigeons were purchased all over the nation.

“A prominent leader in turkey breeding was Blackman. On his ranch, located between Haskell and School Street (Angeles Crest Highway and La Cañada Boulevard), he developed the wide-breasted bronze strain of turkeys.

“The Hi-up Ranch of H.S. Bissell (Bissell Vacuum Cleaners) was at the top of Los Angeles Street (now La Crescenta Avenue).

“In the early days, there were no road contractors ready at hand and no heavy equipment. Mike Kraus and Grant Ashworth, however, were the next best thing. Using pick and shovel they lowered the steep grade on Verdugo Boulevard above Honolulu, then hauled the dirt and rock away in old-fashioned dump wagons.

“Getting off to a very small start with only one deep well and several water tunnels driven into the side of the mountains, the Valley Water Company grew over the years until now it’s affiliated with the Metropolitan Water District in supplying water to the surge of new residents.”