Verdugo Viejo, Glendale, CA

Verdugo Viejo in Glendale holds one of the oldest houses in the city, the Casa Adobe de San Rafael, an 1865 adobe built on land carved from the old Rancho San Rafael and now kept as a small historic park on Dorothy Drive. Craftsman bungalows are thick on some blocks, and the Brockmont Park area adds a historic district of period homes. Many streets also carry 1960s and later apartment and condo buildings, so the look changes block by block. It is busier than El Miradero to the north and more residential than the downtown blocks to the south. Fremont Park on Hahn Avenue is the neighborhood's main park, with open lawn and a playground, and Casa Adobe's grounds make a quiet stop for a short stroll. Brand Park, with its Verdugo trailheads, is an easy drive away. Hatsatoun serves Armenian grill plates, Lord and Villa Bakery handles pastries, and Gold Rail Bar is the neighborhood dive. On West Stocker Street, Shamshiri Persian Grill covers kebabs, while Muffin Can Stop Us on North Brand is a breakfast stop. Soulsweets Coffee, known for polished espresso and matcha drinks, is a short walk away on West Glenoaks. Ralphs sits on North Central Avenue, smaller markets line Pacific, and the Casa Verdugo Library on North Brand is a neighborhood branch. The tradeoff is density, with traffic on Glenoaks and street parking that fills early near the larger apartment buildings. Verdugo Viejo carries its history lightly. The adobe sits on a residential street among ordinary houses, and it predates the founding of the city around it.