Residents' Testimonials

25 Years of Progress

"Lancaster has seen many positive changes in the past quarter century since its incorporation in 1977. These changes have been the result of sound leadership working jointly with a concerned and active citizenry. We have reason to be proud of our City."
-Mayor Frank C. Roberts (Former Mayor) 

Congratulations, Citizens

"As proud as I am of our early accomplishments, it is even more gratifying to have watched later Councils expand on our concepts and establish their own priorities that have now made Lancaster the eight largest City in Los Angeles County. The citizens of our community are to be congratulated for creating and developing our City."
-Fred M. Hann (Former Mayor)

Growing Job Diversity

"The local economy was very different twenty-five years ago. We depended on the ups and downs of the aerospace industry. There was no job diversity and we all felt the pain of those sharp fluctuations."
-Dixie Eliopulos

A Revitalized Downtown

The downtown business district was declining in 1977; it has improved dramatically since then. A lot of businesses were moving out of downtown at that time because the area was not attractive at all. Redevelopment has really improved the look of downtown.
-Budd Aven
Aven's Furniture

A Safer City

"We used to be a much more rural community with one fire station and only a few Sheriff's deputies, but as we've grown, so has our need for fire and police protection. Thanks to all the new fire stations that have been built and the increase in the Sheriff's presence in our community, I feel as though the response time will be even quicker should I ever need their help."
-Diana Cook
AV Pulmonary Care

Family Activities

"When I wanted to take my children on a family outing back in 1977, I couldn't take them to live theater or museums or even a baseball game unless I went out of town. Now I can offer my grandchildren lots of choices."
-Dave Hines
Burns Pharmacy

A Place for Education

"Our whole community was much smaller twenty-five years ago, and there were fewer schools. While they were good back then, now they offer so many new opportunities in both academic and extra-curricular activities. There were no after school daycare programs available and teen civic programs hadn't yet surfaced."
-Jay Duke
AV Boys & Girls Club

Remembering a Transformation before Incorporation

"Twenty-five years ago, you had two choices if you wanted to get from here to there. You could go in a private car or you could depend on shoe leather. But what I remember most was that whenever it rained, even a little, you had to deal with flooded intersections everywhere."
-Stan Ulvin
Sierra Automotives & Towing

Activities for Everybody

"Back in 1977, when I was a teenager, there wasn't much in the way of activities for teens in Lancaster. The only things we did were go to drive-in movies and cruise Lancaster Boulevard. There was no City-organized softball or soccer, no batting cages, and certainly nowhere near 22 movie screens."
-Laura Maluccio

Home Ownership

"We bought our home in College Terrace in 1977 and now it is worth three times as much, but it is still a good value compared to other areas. Lancaster is still a great place to invest in real estate."
-Lani Currado
Currado Insurance Agency

No Sprawl in Lancaster

"Urban sprawl defines the growth pattern of many cities. The Urban Structure Program has resulted in a sensible pattern of growth in Lancaster. Back in 1977, many of us didn't understand the significance of the plan. Today, we appreciate it."
-Karl Mallick
CCL Engineering

Our Children, Our Future

"Our most valuable asset in realizing a great future is our children. Lancaster has built excellence into all its programs and facilities to ensure their success."
-Jean Varden
Educator