Throwback Thursday | South Pasadena’s Three Rose Parade Floats

A look back at the time our town had the rare honor of displaying 3 floats for the Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena

PHOTO: Rick Thomas Collection | SouthPasadenan.com | South Pasadena Float, Tournament of Roses Parade (1959)

Since 1892, South Pasadena has entered a self-build “float” in the Tournament of Roses Parade. Our city also has the distinction of having not one, not two, but THREE floats entered at the same time in the parade.

PHOTO: Rick Thomas Collection | SouthPasadenan.com | South Pasadena Float, Tournament of Roses Parade

During the early 20th century (over 30 years), South Pasadena had three floats in the parade from:

  • South Pasadena – since 1892
  • Raymond Hotel – 1892-1894, and 1902-1931
  • Cawston Ostrich Farm – 1898-1933
PHOTO: Rick Thomas Collection | SouthPasadenan.com | Raymond Hotel Float, Tournament of Roses Parade (1928)

During the 1920s, South Pasadena city entries are box-like floats about the size of a luxury SUV.

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PHOTO: Rick Thomas Collection | SouthPasadenan.com | Rick Thomas Collection | Cawston Ostrich Farm Float, Tournament of Roses Parade (1922)
PHOTO: Rick Thomas Collection | SouthPasadenan.com | South Pasadena Float, Tournament of Roses Parade (1923)

During the 1930s, our city floats begin to appear as they do today.

PHOTO: Rick Thomas Collection | SouthPasadenan.com | South Pasadena Float, Tournament of Roses Parade (1925)
PHOTO: Rick Thomas Collection | SouthPasadenan.com | South Pasadena Float, Tournament of Roses Parade (1935)
PHOTO: Rick Thomas Collection | SouthPasadenan.com | South Pasadena Float, Tournament of Roses Parade (1936)

Throwback Thursday is written and produced by Rick Thomas


Rick Thomas
Author Rick Thomas is the former museum curator and vice-chair of education for the South Pasadena Preservation Foundation. He served on the South Pasadena Natural Resources Commission, helping to maintain a strict policy protecting the city’s great old-growth trees. Using touchstone photographs from his own collection—one of the San Gabriel Valley’s largest accumulations of historical images and artifacts—as well as national, state, and local historical archives, Thomas provides a window to his city’s past and an understanding of why its preservation is so important.