Remember the name Tropico? From 1911 to 1918, Adams Square was part of an independent city named Tropico. In 1918, Glendale annexed Tropico, but the spirit of independence remains. Adams Square is located at the bottom of Adams Hill on the Glendale side.
Adams Square Building is a landmark Art Deco structure. It was built in 1928. The prestigious architect firm Morgan, Walls, and Clements designed it. They also designed the EL CAPITAN and MUSIC BOX theaters in Hollywood. The Wiltern in Mid-Wilshire and the Mayan in DTLA were also their designs. They even designed The Adamson House in Malibu. Since 2008, the Adams Square Building serves as the local library. The library conducts citizenship classes for locals.
Adams Square acts as the business district. It is a small enclave that straddles Glendale and Los Angeles. You can find Adams Hill within the triangle formed by the 5, 134, and 2 Freeways. Main access points include Chevy Chase, Verdugo, and York. York turns into Adams Street.
The hillside neighborhood was primarily developed in the 20s and 30s. Historical Spanish and English Tudor homes live alongside Mid-Century designs. The people are varied too. You will see young families, professionals, working immigrants, and hipsters.
Adams Square Mini Park is a treasure. It was created on the old 1936 Richfield gas lot. It is perfect for toddlers or a quiet coffee break.
In 1945, Irvine Robbins opened the Snowbird Ice Cream Store. This store later became the first Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors store. The first ever Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors Ice Cream Store was located in Adams Square.
Since 2016, Adams Square has had a public art gallery. In 2024, the City installed colorful crosswalks. They also painted curb extensions. This was part of the City’s “Creative Crosswalks” public art program.
Walking around Adams Square feels like a neighborhood. Neighbors connect with each other here. Million dollar views of Glendale and Burbank downtowns are visible. You can even see the Verdugo Mountains.
From the 1960s, Matthew Schmidt and Albert Antunes hosted costume parties. These parties were for Glendale’s LGBT+ community. Kafn Coffee is a coffeehouse known as an LGBT+-friendly business. Since 2022, glendaleOUT has hosted its annual Glendale Pride in the Park event. It is a family-friendly picnic. The Glendale Public Library hosts LGBT+ events. These have included a GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society-sponsored reading.
Adams Square continues to evolve. It preserves its rich history and embraces diversity. This makes it a unique and vibrant part of Glendale.