On January 1, 1914, the Baldwin Ranch (Anita Baldwin) entered a float in the Tournament of Roses Parade. The Rose Parade program described this float as follows: “…a huge peacock of white roses and lilies-of-the-valley, mounted in an oak tree at the front of a decorated car.”
The caption under the photo of the entry: “Lilies and roses in profusion made entry of Baldwin Ranch one of the most beautiful in pageant history.” The entry won the Silver Cup for the best decorated vehicle, roses predominating, and the cut glass trophy for most beautiful entry in the pageant.
In 1915, the city of Arcadia’s entry, paid for by Anita Baldwin, was the first entry for Arcadia and showed a ”Dove of Peace” with more than five thousand hothouse Kiliarney roses, five thousand sprays of Stevis serulate, five thousand lilies-of the-valley and a thousand sprays of maidenhair fern. It was twenty-six feet long with a spread of wings of eleven feet. The dove held an olive branch in its bill. This was the most costly float in the tournament parade.
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Carol Libby and Karen Hou
Carol Libby & Karen Hou
Arcadia Historical Society