Rose Bowl, The

Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California Listed February 27, 1987 Ref. 87000755 National Historic Landmark Structure

Why it's listed

Set in Brookside Park in Pasadena's Arroyo Seco, this concrete stadium was designed by architect Myron Hunt and completed in 1922. Built on a true elliptical plan, it measures 880 feet along its long axis and 695 feet across. Hunt modeled the bowl-like seating curve on the Yale Bowl and used a cut-and-fill method, excavating the field 25 feet and using the fill to support the seating banks. Athletes enter through corner tunnels, and the south end was originally left open, a feature later closed in 1928. Capacity grew from about 57,000 to roughly 104,000. The stadium is the home of the annual New Year's Day Rose Bowl Game, the oldest and best-known post-season college football bowl game, which grew out of the Tournament of Roses festival begun in 1890. It also served as a venue for the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games and for several professional championship games.

Significance in brief: It is the long-term site of the oldest and most renowned post-season college football bowl game, held on New Year's Day. It is also the leading surviving physical result of the civic work of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association. It also hosted events of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games.

Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 87000755, listed February 27, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).

Key facts

Address	991 Rosemont Ave., Brookside Park, Pasadena
County	Los Angeles County
Listed	February 27, 1987
Reference number	87000755
Resource type	Structure
Period of significance	1900- (specific dates 1922; 1928; 1932)
Architect / builder	Myron Hunt
Areas of significance	Entertainment/Recreation
Level of significance	National
National Historic Landmark	Yes, designated February 27, 1987
Status (as stated in the nomination)	Occupied and in excellent condition, with alterations; seating capacity is about 104,000 after several enlargements.
Acreage	10
Within district	Pasadena Arroyo Parks and Recreation District
Coordinates	34.16107, -118.16760 (NPS GIS)

What listing means for this property

National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.

Sources and further reading

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 87000755.
Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
Wikidata Q582280
This listing as JSON

Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.