Gordon R. Howard Museum

"Beautiful Downtown Burbank" was a comic TV slogan... jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

Reels of film, and the bicycle that used to deliver them around the studio... jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

There are local street signs and store signs here.... jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

Many exhibits look back at the golden days of movies... jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

Warner Bros is based in Burbank too - their water tower is a famous landmark, and was painted pink for "Barbie".. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

NBC have been in Burbank for many years - one of their exhibit pieces shows how their logo changed. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

KNCB was the local CBS affiliate; below it one of Johnny Carson's jackets. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

Walt Disney Studios are in Burbank; these two macquettes from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride at Disneyland are part of the Disney exhibit. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

A map showing the lots available for farming/living after Providencia Land, Water & Development Co bought the land from David Burbank. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

A bright red Model T Ford Speedster in Kong’s Speed Shop. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

The crazy 1982 converted "Bap Mobile" vehicle. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

The settlement was named after Burbank in 1887, and became a city in 1911. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

Dr David Burbank bought the original 9, 200 acres of ranch land... jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

Large exhibit on Lockheed, an aviation company based in Burbank for 90 years. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

A 1949 fire engine, and a 1923 Moreland Bus that featured in Oscar-winner "The Artist"., jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

The main Museum building, which covers 20,000 sq ft over two floors jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

Gordon R. Howard was the original benefactor to the Society. jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

The 1887 Menzer House - the Museum is behind here... jbartlett2000 (Atlas Obscura User)

Sign Avoiding Regret (Creative Commons)

Museum sign with Mentzer House in the background Avoiding Regret (Creative Commons)

At first glance, the museum located in George Izay Park seems to be solely the Menzter House, which is visible from the street. But after passing through that 1887 building you will find the Gordon R. Howard Museum, which measures some 20,000 square feet and is named after the Burbank Historical Society’s original benefactor.

Mary Jane Strickland began the Burbank Historical Society in 1973, after determining that city records and the library’s collection were not enough to encompass the city’s rich history.

Spread across the museum’s two floors are photographs, maps, souvenirs, and mementos of churches, schools, hotels, businesses, factories, and emergency services, as well as displays about local celebrities, famous restaurants, the NBC television station, and even one of Tonight Show host Johnny Carson’s striped jackets. The main heavy industries of Burbank—Lockheed Aviation, Warner Bros, Columbia, and Walt Disney Studios, the latter of which covered 51 acres when it first opened in 1939—also have large exhibits.

There is a selection of vintage vehicles, including the custom-made 1982 “Bap Mobile,” a 1949 fire engine, a 1923 Moreland Bus that featured in the 2011 Oscar-winning movie The Artist, and a bright red Model T Ford Speedster in Kong’s Speed Shop, and a whole 1920s ranch house is recreated here as well, while “The Salon” displays vintage dresses, hats and handbags. There are representations of what a store, office, parlor, bedroom, dentist, doctor, etc. would have looked like here in decades past.

Upstairs there is an extensive historical doll collection, which was one of the first donations, and other local curiosities include the box office of the old Magnolia movie theater, and countless examples of furniture, toys, tools, street signs, guns, posters, vintage cameras, musical instruments, and exhibits about local people who served in World War I and World War II.

The Mentzer House, which was ordered from a Sears & Roebuck catalog and then assembled, was one of six confirmed properties built by the Providencia Land, Water & Development Co, who bought over 9,000 acres of land from dentist David Burbank in 1887.

Burbank had bought two ranchos previously, establishing a sheep farm but after the sale, the land was divided into vineyards and fruit and vegetable farms. The settlement was named after him in 1887, and the 500 inhabitants voted to become a city in 1911.