Sierra Madre, a suburban town in the Pasadena-Los Angeles orbit, has a distinct history. By contrast, Southern California's story is huge, varied, difficult to grasp. Examining the two together, and looking at how Sierra Madre has reflected regional and national experiences, brings new focus to the whole. Unlike histories of regions, states, and nations that must draw broad strokes at the expense of details about place--this work uses such references as windows onto larger meanings, taking readers beyond the local. Peeking out from behind intimate stories are big historical themes and epochs: the Industrial Revolution, Westward expansion, the role of illness in forming regional culture, Americanization policies of the Progressive Era, Japanese internment, and post-war development. Sierra Madre provides a sharp lens through which to interpret Southern California's intense allure, its history as a real estate deal, and its racial ambivalence. The context of a specific town--and the quest for a better life--lends fresh perspective that enlivens and deepens out understanding of the Southern California story.