Alhambra is a city in the western San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, California, about eight miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated in 1903 and takes its name from Washington Irving's "Tales of the Alhambra," a nod to the Moorish palace in Spain. The city grew rapidly through the early twentieth century as a residential suburb served by Pacific Electric rail lines, and many of its neighborhoods still reflect that early development. Alhambra is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the San Gabriel Valley, with a substantial Asian American population and a dining and retail scene — concentrated along Valley Boulevard, Main Street, and Atlantic Boulevard — that draws visitors from across the region. Its commercial corridors host one of the area's most celebrated collections of restaurants, bakeries, and specialty grocers. The city's housing stock spans more than a century, from Craftsman bungalows, Spanish revival homes, and English Tudors of the early 1900s to mid-century modern tracts and later ranch-style neighborhoods. Distinctive residential areas such as the Emery Park Tract, Midwick Tract, and Bean Tract are known for particular architectural styles, while the hillside Alhambra Hills and the neighborhoods around Pyrenees Castle offer larger lots and older estates. With roughly 82,000 residents, Alhambra maintains a walkable civic center anchored by the 1927 Alhambra Theatre, Alhambra Park, and the city's municipal buildings. The Alhambra Unified School District serves the city's students, and nearby Cal State LA anchors higher education. Interstates 10 and 710, along with Alhambra Community Transit bus service, connect the city to downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena, and the wider region. The city's parks, including Alhambra Park and the Almansor Park golf and recreation complex, provide green space throughout its neighborhoods, and a weekly farmers' market and community events keep the civic center active.