Did you know that Gone With The Wind was filmed in Pasadena?  Day 178 of 365 Things To Do In Pasadena takes us to Pasadena‘s Arroyo Seco where the Busch Gardens used to be.  Drive down to the corner of Arroyo Boulevard and Arroyo Terrace to see where Vivian Leigh’s & Clark Gable’s house used to be and imagine what this neighborhood was like in the 1930s.

Busch Gardens included miles of pathways, tens of thousands of plants and shrubs, rare birds, and 100 vividly painted sculptures imported from Germany including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel and the Gingerbread House. Construction and maintenance required the services of 30 expert gardeners as well as additional laborers with an annual cost estimated in the $40,000 to $60,000 range.

Busch Gardens was built by Adolphus Busch, who emigrated from Germany, on his own property along the Arroyo Seco to please and entertain his own family.  In 1911, Adolphus wrote:

“I selected Pasadena…because I consider it a veritable paradise. It has no equal in the world regarding healthful climate, scenery, vegetation, flowers, shrubberies, fruit and general comfort of living…”

Busch Gardens were open from 1905 to 1937.  It was one of Pasadena’s major tourist attractions and millions of visitors enjoyed its lush gardens and fairy tale sculptures.  The Gardens resided on 30 acres.

Interestingly enough it is said that what remained of the original Gardens were offered to Pasadena as a public park, but the City declined.

If you are a Gone With The Wind fan, you might be interested in seeing some of the home video footage that was recently discovered:

For additional movie filming history, visit Pasadena City Hall’s website.

UPDATE:

There seems to be some confusion on where the original Tara was.  There is a home in Glendale at 727 West Kenneth Road that was the inspiration behind Tara.  However, Tara was a set built on on the backlot at Selznick International Studios in Culver City. The Twelve Oaks gardens where the barbecue is held were actually filmed at the Busch Gardens.  🙂

Visit 365 Things To Do In Pasadena®  for more fun activities in Pasadena California and surrounding neighborhoods.