A really long time ago in a place called Brooklyn there was a little kid who watched TV on a black and white set. Brooklyn was going through a lot of changes back then, and most of them were bad. The New York weather was often gloomy, it was cold and rainy much of the time. But safe inside the family apartment, the kid saw a magical place on TV where the sun shined almost all the time. There were palm trees and stunning purple mountains in the background (seen as grey on black and white TV). It was where they made all the movies and TV shows. It looked like an exciting paradise compared to Brooklyn. That place was called Burbank.
The kid from Brooklyn was me of course, and my memories of seeing Burbank on TV way back then are invoked quite often as I walk around our beautiful and unique community. Many of us living here in California often take the mountains and palm trees for granted, but I don’t. To this day, I often look with awe at the beauty of the mountains just northeast of Burbank.
A bit of history:
Like many Southern California communities, Burbank started as ranch and farm property. Back in 1900 when New York was a large, bustling city with millions of people and already becoming the center of global finance, Burbank was just a farm and sheep ranch. In 1869, Dr David Burbank, a dentist originally from Maine purchased the 4,600 acres of what was then the Rancho Providencia. Dr Burbank raised sheep and grew wheat on the property. And then the railroads came. Dr Burbank sold right of way to the Union Pacific railroad for one dollar, and the Burbank land boom was unleashed. [1]
Dr Burbank saw opportunity to profit from selling his property perhaps a bit too soon, as he sold most of his land holding to property speculators in 1886 for $250,000 (around $8,300,000 in today’s money).
The Rise of the Studios: Burbank Becomes a Global Landmark:
The first film studio to open in Burbank was First National Pictures in 1926, which purchased what is now the Warner Bros. property. Soon after, Columbia Pictures, Walt Disney, NBC and many others made Burbank their home. Burbank remains today as an international hub of media and entertainment known around the world. The degree to which the city of Burbank has shaped the emotions, fantasies and lives of people everywhere on earth cannot be overestimated.
Aviation Miracles
Burbank has been a center of aviation and especially advanced aviation innovation since the early days of flight. In 1928 the Loughead brothers, (their name later changed to “Lockheed”) opened their airplane manufacturing plant alongside what is now Burbank Airport. The aviation achievements made in Burbank (especially the Lockheed Skunkworks”) are so numerous and so influential they deserve an entire article unto themselves. (I will get to writing that one at some point).
Burbank’s Unique Economy: Challenges Ahead
Burbank’s economy remains centered on the media and entertainment industry. Much of the once thriving aerospace manufacturing infrastructure has gone away, though the Burbank airport remains a vibrant part of the city’s economy. Media industry analysts expect further contraction and consolidation by major studio holding companies such as Disney and Warner’s. Smaller editing, post-production and sound related business may also see contraction. Production continues to move offshore, a trend that has yet to peak. Yet, with all of the dislocation and change, Burbank still thrives. An A.I. inquiry regarding Burbank household income generated the following:
The average household income in Burbank, California is $126,423, which is 43% higher than the state’s median household income of $91,905.
The kid from Brooklyn all those years ago did not see a mirage on black and white TV, he saw a magical place that is still as magical today as it was then.
[1] Wikipedia