Tournament of Roses History Walk
First Tournament of Roses
Dr. Charles Frederick Holder and Dr. Francis F. Rowland, Founders
1890
First Rose Queen
Hallie Woods
1905
Completion of Rose Bowl Stadium
William L. Leishman
1923
First Telecast of Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game
KTLA
1948
100th Tournament of Roses Parade and 75th Rose Bowl Game
John H. Biggar III, President
1989
Erected 1990 by Gateway Plaza.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Sports. A significant historical date for this entry is January 1, 1890.
Location. 34° 9.041′ N, 118° 7.933′ W. Marker is in Pasadena, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Catalina Villas. Marker is at the intersection of North Lake Avenue and Locust Street, on the right on North Lake Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 North Lake Avenue, Pasadena CA 91101, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. George Ellery Hale (approx. 0.4 miles away); Pasadena Playhouse (approx. half a mile away); Pasadena Playhouse College of Theatre Arts (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named Pasadena Playhouse (approx. half a mile away); Victor Jory Bell
More about this marker. The Tournament of Roses History walk consists of five plaques set in the sidewalk running northward along North Lake Boulevard.
Also see . . .
1. Rose Parade History (Pasadena Tournament of Roses). In 1890, Valley Hunt Club members, led by Charles Frederick Holder, sponsored the first Tournament of Roses. The abundance of flowers, even in the midst of winter, prompted the club to add a parade before the competition, where entrants would decorate carriages with hundreds of colorful blooms....“In New York, people are buried in snow,” announced Professor Charles F. Holder at a Club meeting. “Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let’s hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise.” (Submitted on November 28, 2020.)
2. Rose Parade (Wikipedia). "The Rose Parade, also known as the Tournament of Roses Parade (or simply the Tournament of Roses), is an annual parade to mark the start of the Rose Bowl Game, held mostly along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena...on New Year's Day...and includes flower-covered floats, marching bands, and equestrian units. The parade is followed in the afternoon by the Rose Bowl, one of the major bowl games in college football. It has been uninterrupted except during World War II in 1942, 1943 and 1945, and the upcoming parade in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic....First held on January 1, 1890, hundreds of thousands of spectators watch the Rose Parade. The Rose Bowl college football game was added in 1902 to help fund the cost of staging the parade...." (Submitted on November 28, 2020.)
3. Tournament of Roses History Highlights (YouTube, 6 min.). (Submitted on November 28, 2020.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 23, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 28, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 213 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on November 28, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.