South Pasadena was established on March 2, 1888. The city was originally notable for its ostrich farm, a popular local tourist attraction. South Pasadena's streets are lined with numerous species of native California trees. Because there are very few stucco-clad Spanish Colonial Revival Style architectureSpanish Colonial houses and virtually no palm trees in some parts of the city, South Pasadena is a popular stand-in for Midwestern and Northeastern towns in motion picture and television productions. Few cities in the nation are better recognized for their determination to preserve their neighborhoods and small-town atmosphere. (South Pasadena residents' frequent use of the term "Mayberry" to describe their city has drawn scorn from opinion/editorial staff at most of Los Angeles' newspapers, both old-line and "alternative." Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez has noted that South Pasadena sits less than 10 miles from Downtown Los Angeles and that substantial numbers of residents work either in Bunker Hill, Los Angeles, CaliforniaBunker Hill or as professors and staff at the University of Southern California.) Moral and financial support for a fight against a major highway project through the city has come from all across the country; however, the bulk of it comes from the residents themselves, who pay legal bills incurred by the city in the freeway fight from their general fund (no special taxes are used), making the fight an ongoing local election issue. South Pasadena has been cited five times on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of "Most Endangered Places." "Mom and Pop" merchants populate the business district, and the Mission West area is a part of the original Route 66. Of note is the historic Rialto Theater in downtown South Pasadena; the theater is a unique blend of Spanish Baroque and Egyptian stylings and was built in 1925. It is one of the last remaining single screen cinemas in the country. The Rialto was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, having narrowly missed the wrecking ball that year. It has been featured in many films and commercials, most notably Robert Altman's The Player and more recently in Scream 2. South Pasadena is now home to mass transit with the Metro Gold Line stopping at Mission Station. On the first Saturday of December every year, South Pasadena hosts an annual 5K/10K run around South Pasadena known as Tiger Run. 5K has no elevation changes and 10K has elevation changes on the last 5K of the 10K race. South Pasadena can often be seen in motion picture productions with its beautiful tree-lined streets and "anywhere in America" feel. Such movies as Gone with the Wind (film)Gone with the Wind, Halloween (film)Halloween, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, American Pie (film)American Pie, Legally Blonde, 13 Going on 30, Back to the Future, Mr. Deeds, Bruce Almighty, and License to Wed are just a few of the notable films shot on location in South Pasadena. Notable television series that have been filmed there include Boston Public, Nip/Tuck, and Desperate Housewives. South Pasadena is also the home of the record $110 million winning lotto ticket for the July 5, 2006 drawing. South Pasadena is the oldest self-builder of floats in the Tournament of Roses Parade. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pasadena%2C_California