Burbank History

Burbank's Firsts

Burbank's First High School
Burbank Union High School

In 1908, Burbank high school students attended classes in Glendale until a bond issue was passed to raise money for Burbank’s own high school. While the school was being built, Burbank withdrew from the Glendale Union High School District and students used three unoccupied rooms in the elementary school.  Burbank Union High School opened on September 14, 1908 on San Fernando Boulevard between Cypress Avenue and Grinnell Drive. There were 42 pupils and a faculty consisting of a principal and one teacher.

Below is an aerial view of Burbank High School in 1947 looking south toward downtown.  Third Street is shown through the center of the photo at an angle.  Walnut Avenue is visible passing through the middle of the campus and continuing through to San Fernando Boulevard.

 

Burbank's First Bank
Burbank State Bank

Burbank's first bank, the Burbank State Bank, opened on April 1, 1908 on the corner of Olive Avenue and San Fernando Boulevard. H.A. Church and his son Ralph O. Church had purchased the 30-foot frontage on San Fernando Boulevard for $1,000. Capital Stock worth $25,000 was sold and the bank opened for business.  By the end of the first day, $30,000 had been deposited.

 

Burbank's First Hotel
Burbank Villa Hotel

The Burbank Villa Hotel, shown above shortly after its completion in 1887, was built by Dr. David Burbank and his son-in-law John W. Griffith to provide a place for visitors to stay when they came to Burbank looking for home sites and business locations.  The hotel was later renamed the Santa Rosa Hotel.

 

Burbank's First Funeral Home

Burbank's first funeral home was built in 1919 and owned by Andrew C. Fillbach.  The home, shown in above photo at an unknown date, was located at 152 E. Palm Avenue on the current site of the AMC movie theater complex.