Following nearly a year of planning, discussion and community input, Chinatown Service Center (CSC) unveiled a large-scale historical mural on the exterior of the CSC Health Center in Alhambra on August 8, 2026. Created by renowned visual artist Kerne Erickson, the mural took approximately two months to complete.
More than a new work of public art, the mural is a tribute to the people and places that shaped Alhambra. Through its nostalgic imagery and richly layered scenes, it brings the city’s history back into public view while adding new beauty and cultural character to the surrounding neighborhood.
More than 50 guests attended the unveiling ceremony, including U.S. Representative Judy Chu, California Assembly member Mike Fong, Alhambra City Councilmember Katherine Lee, other local elected officials and community leaders.
CSC representatives included CSC President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Ng,CSC Board Chair Roy Jasso; Board Vice Chair Heidi Kwok; former Board Chair and Monterey Park City Councilmember Vinh Ngo; former Board Chair and San Marino Unified School District Board Member C. Joseph Chang; members of the CSC Board of Directors.
CSC Board Chair Roy Jasso
Representative Judy Chu said the occasion was more than the unveiling of a work of art. It was also an opportunity to honor Alhambra’s history while celebrating the city’s continued progress toward a brighter future.
Judy Chu noted that CSC invited local residents to participate in discussions during the mural’s planning and design process. As a result, the finished work reflects not only an artist’s vision, but also the voices, memories and shared experiences of the community.
Judy Chu expressed hope that the mural would inspire younger generations to become curious about Alhambra’s past and to think more deeply about their own connection to the city they call home.
Assembly member Mike Fong reflected on the special significance of preserving local history through a hand-painted mural at a time when so much of modern life has become digital.
The mural, Mike Fong noted, allows the city’s story to be communicated in a tangible and deeply human way—through color, craftsmanship and the touch of an artist’s hand.
Councilmember Katherine Lee thanked residents for their enthusiastic participation and praised CSC for its longstanding commitment to the community. She highlighted the organization’s free health fairs and other public programs, noting that the strong turnout at the unveiling demonstrated the community’s unity and support.
CSC President and CEO Peter Ng emphasized the importance of ensuring that local history is not forgotten.
“History matters because it tells us where we came from,” Ng said. “It also helps future generations understand that the community they inherit was built over time through the lives, work and dreams of those who came before them.”
Ng thanked the artist and everyone who contributed to the project. He encouraged families to bring their children to see the mural and use it as a starting point for discovering Alhambra’s history and heritage.
Ng also announced that CSC had received the 2026 Health Center Quality Leader Gold Award from the Health Resources and Services Administration. He said the recognition belongs to the entire CSC team and reflects the organization’s enduring commitment to providing high-quality, compassionate care to the community.
Created on site by Kerne Erickson, the mural uses a vintage-inspired artistic style to weave together scenes from different chapters of Alhambra’s development.
Some of the buildings depicted in the mural remain standing today, continuing to bear witness to the city’s transformation. Others have disappeared or been replaced by newer developments and now survive primarily in archival photographs and the memories of longtime residents.
With assistance from the Alhambra Historical Society and other community partners, these fragments of the past have been gathered and preserved in a single sweeping work of public art.
Among the landmarks featured are the Midwick Country Club, Pyrenees Castle, the former Alhambra Airport, the Alhambra Hotel, historic buildings along Main Street, the Alhambra clock, period homes in a variety of architectural styles and the city’s tree-lined streets.
The mural also depicts trains, streetcars, automobiles and the beloved Fosselman’s ice cream truck, along with people from different eras. These human figures give life to the historic settings, transforming the mural from a record of buildings into a portrait of a living city—a place where generations have worked, raised families, pursued dreams and created lasting memories.
larly meaningful detail is the inclusion of Norman Rockwell, one of the most celebrated American illustrators of the 20th century, who once lived in Alhambra. His presence in the mural serves as a subtle historical tribute and a reminder of the creative lives connected to the city.
Cities are always changing. Streets evolve, buildings disappear and familiar landmarks can quietly give way to new development. But when history is painted on a public wall, memory is no longer confined to fading photographs or history books. It becomes something people can see, experience and share.
This mural has done more than beautify a building. It has opened a window into Alhambra’s past in the heart of the city.
It reminds every passerby that the place we call home is built from the footsteps, struggles, hopes and dreams of those who came before us.
And when children stand before the mural and look up, they are seeing more than a painting. They are seeing a city’s journey—from its remembered past toward a future they will help create.
Mural Location:
CSC Health Center
726 E. Main Street, Suite B
Alhambra, CA 91801
