Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, Arcadia is a thriving family-oriented, suburban community of 56,364 residents. Located just 18 miles from downtown, Arcadia has small-town charm with all the conveniences and amenities of a mid-size city. Known as the “Community of Homes” for its beautiful estates in well landscaped neighborhoods, Arcadia offers mature trees and established homes with a close-knit community feel, a low crime rate, excellent community programs that meet the needs of children, adults and seniors, outstanding municipal services, and one of the highest scoring school districts in the State. Complementing the residential feel of the community, Arcadia has three notable local shopping districts, a variety of restaurants, Westfield Santa Anita Shopping Center (which receives more than 40,000 shoppers a day), and one of the most famous horse racing tracks in the United States, Santa Anita Park. This renowned facility has hosted the Breeders Cup, the “Super Bowl” of horse racing, six times, most recently in November 2012. The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden offers guests a relaxing stroll through its numerous gardens, and of course, a sighting of Arcadia’s official bird, the peacock.

Arcadia has a long, colorful history that can trace its roots to the Tongva Native American Indians who established the first settlement in 1771 on what would later become Arcadia land. More than 100 years later, Arcadia’s founding father Elias “Lucky” Baldwin first saw the beautiful mountain landscape and lush greenery and exclaimed “By gads! This must be paradise!” -- a sentiment many Arcadians still feel today.