History of Riverside County, California, Part 1

Author: Holmes, Elmer Wallace, 1841-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 845


USA > California > Riverside County > History of Riverside County, California > Part 1


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.


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HISTORY OF Riverside County CALIFORNIA


LC


2441


WITH


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF


The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present


HISTORY BY ELMER WALLACE HOLMES AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS


ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME


HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 1912 P


13


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THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 377872B


ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS 1914 L


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CONTENTS


CHAPTER I.


INTRODUCTION 5


Prehistoric California-The Spanish Explorers-Spanish Colonization- Colonel de Anza's Expedition-The Indian People, Their Characteristics and Habits-The Myths of the Cahuilla Indians-The Riverside Indians and Their Relation to the Missions-The Spanish Land Grants-Louis Rubidoux-Battle of San Pasqual-Old Fort of Jurupa-The Flood of 1862-The Silk Culture Craze.


CHAPTER II.


COLONY DAYS 24


Location of the Colony-Judge North, the Promoter and Organizer- The Co-Operative Plan-The Committee's Search for a Home-Early Settlers-First Irrigating Canal-Hartshorn Tract-Consolidation of Water Interests-First Tree-planting and Irrigating-Water Wars- First Building Erected-Interesting Pioneer Experiences-First School- The Grasshopper Plague-Introduction of the Washington Navel Orange-Horse Thieves-Claim Jumping-Experiments in Horticulture -First Orange Trees Planted-Riverside in 1873.


CHAPTER III.


DAWNING OF A NEW ERA 48


8 * Consolidation of the Colonies-Impetus to Growth-Settlers of 1875 and 1876-New Canals-Valley Transformed-Magnolia Avenue Laid 1 Out-Thousands of Acres Planted-New Hotels-First Profits From Oranges and Raisins-First Bridge Across the Santa Ana River- Pio- neer Newspapers - Original Citrus Fairs - Valley Prospering - New Churches Built.


CHAPTER IV.


DAWNING OF A NEW ERA (Continued) 64


Citrus Fair Pavilion-Amateur Theatricals-Increased Orchard Values- A Real Snow-storm-Gage Water System Built-Birth of Highgrove- First Public Park-Coming of the Railroads-Heavy Shipment of Oranges-Early Subdivisions-Growth of Street-car Facilities-River- side Made a City-Drought of 1883 and Flood of 1884-Fruit Packing Houses Established-Honors Won at the New Orleans World's Fair- Great Fruit Exhibits at Chicago and New York-State Citrus Fair.


CHAPTER V.


DAWNING OF A NEW ERA (Concluded) 79


Progress in the Early '80s-Newspaper History-Banking Institutions- Excitement Over the Disappearance of T. W. Cover-Temperance Move- ment Inaugurated-A Saloonless City-Growth of the City Due to Unnamed as Well as to the Conspicuous.


CHAPTER VI.


RIVERSIDE MUNICIPAL RECORDS


87


Present Population and Assessed Valuation-Officials Who Have Served


the City-Bonds Issued for Roads.


CHAPTER VII.


RIVERSIDE'S PARKS


92


Street Ornamentation-Albert S. White Park-Fairmount Park-Evans Athletic Park-Huntington Park-Chemawa Park.


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CONTENTS


CHAPTER VIII.


RIVERSIDE PUBLIC LIBRARY 96 Story of Its Making-Made a Public Library-The Carnegie Building- Library Serves County as Well as City.


CHAPTER IX.


RIVERSIDE SCHOOLS


100


Primitive District Schools-Growth of the District Schools-High School Created-Schools Under City Government.


CHAPTER X.


CHURCHES OF RIVERSIDE. 107


First Church Undenominational-First Methodist-First Baptist-Mag- nolia Presbyterian-All Souls' Universalist-All Saints' Protestant Epis- copal-Swedenborgian-First Christian-Calvary Presbyterian-St. Fran- cis de Sales-Trinity Lutheran-Scandinavian Lutheran-Grace Metho- dist-First United Brethren-Christian Science-Arlington Methodist- Highgrove Methodist-African Methodist-Second Baptist, African- Arlington Christian-Free Methodist-United Presbyterian-Seventh Day Baptist-Other Religious Organizations.


CHAPTER XI.


YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION 117 Organized in 1884-Has Generous Support-Provided With Magnificent Building-Young Women's Christian Association-Organization Splen- didly Managed.


CHAPTER XII.


SHERMAN INSTITUTE 119


. Indian School Named in Honor of Vice-President Sherman-Laying of Cornerstone-Contributing Causes to Success of the Institution- Courses of Study.


CHAPTER XIII.


CALIFORNIA FRUIT EXCHANGE 121 Inefficiency of Early Marketing Methods Leads to Inauguration of Exchange Growers Previously at Mercy of Commission Men-Growth of the Exchange-The Test of Two Decades Proves It a Success- Officers.


CHAPTER XIV.


FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS


124


Odd Fellows-Masonic Order-Eastern Star-Knights of Pythias.


CHAPTER XV.


THE WOMEN'S CLUBS 127


Women to the Fore in All Movements for Improvement of City-River- side Woman's Club Takes Tangible Form-Founders and Charter Mem- bers-Growth of the Organization-Building of Club House-Wednesday Morning Club-Tuesday Musical Club.


CHAPTER XVI.


RIVERSIDE'S MILITARY HISTORY .13


Riverside Post, G. A. R .- List of Post Commanders-Union Veterans- Confederate Veterans-National Guard-Company Organized for Service in the Spanish War.


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CONTENTS


CHAPTER XVII.


ORGANIZATION OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY. 133


Territory From Which Riverside County Was Made-Minerals and Horticultural Wealth of County Compared-Topography of the County- San Diego County Contributes Territory Willingly-San Bernardino County's Bitter Opposition-Reason Which Led to Separation of River- side From San Bernardino County-Bill for Division of Counties Passes Both Houses of Legislature-Assessed Valuation of New County-First Board of Supervisors-Officers Who Have Served the County Since Its Organization.


CHAPTER XVIII.


THE PERRIS VALLEY 139


Romance Associated With the Valley-Location of the Valley-Mining and Dry Farming First Attractions-Experiences of Early Settlers- Postoffice and General Supply Store an Impetus to the Settlement- Other Indications of Growth-Population Doubles-First White Child Born in Perris-Prominent Pioneer Settlers-Introduction of Irrigation and the Controversies Which It Entailed-Perris Has Her Ups and Downs-Incorporated as a City.


CHAPTER XIX.


MORENO VALLEY 168


The Transformation of the Valley From a Sterile Plain-The Bear Valley Reservoir Contributory to Development-Citrus Fruit Raising Begins-Town of Moreno-Prosperity of the Valley Has a Setback- Dry Farming Now Being Followed.


CHAPTER XX.


SAN GORGONIO PASS. 174


Location of the Pass-Early Days in the Pass-Exploration and Survey Parties-San Gorgonio Rancho Grant-Coming of White Settlers-Days of the Stage Coach-Changes Wrought by Coming of Railroad-Indians of the Pass-Towns in the Pass-Banning-Beaumont-Cabazon-White- water-Palm Springs.


CHAPTER XXI. 218


SAN JACINTO VALLEY Early Records of the Valley-Early Settlers and Reminiscences of Their Journey Overland-Later Experiences-Hemet-Indians the First Inhabi- tants-Smallpox Among the Mission Indians-Indian Government- Legend of the San Jacinto Valley-Historical Sketch of the San Jacinto Indians-Legend of Tauquitz-Threatened Eviction-The Eviction Plot -Soboba Indian of Today-San Jacinto Valley of Today-Winchester- Lakeview-Valle Vista-Indian Village of Soboba.


CHAPTER XXII.


253


CORONA Town First Known as South Riverside-Survives the Boom-Devel- opment of Water-First Building Erected-Early Settlers-First Hotel -Advent of Railroads-First Child Born in the Colony-Tin Mine- Schools-The Colony Grows-Dissatisfaction With Name of Settlement- -First Satisfactory Results to Orange Growers-Churches-Library- South Riverside Died and Corona Born-Board of Trade-Town Con- tinues to Grow. CHAPTER XXIII. 288


ELSINORE


Exceptional Location and Climatic Conditions-Resources of Elsinore Valley-Lake Elsinore-Clay a Resource of the Valley-Wildomar- Murrietta-Temecula.


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INDEX


A


Adair, A. Aird


480


Aguirre, Miguel A


590


Alderman, Alton L.


495


Alexandrian, Nazareth, M. D.


514


Allen, John A.


378


Allen, John D.


711


Allison, John L.


572


Amstutz, John W.


722


Arlington Supply Company


336


Ayers, Wilbur W


717


B


Backstrand, John F


517


Bain, Hugh A 733


Baird, Fred M 651


Baird, James G., M. D. 623


Baldwin, John H


644


Ball, James H.


667


Barnett, Eli E 334


Barnett, Thomas D 772


Battles, Daniel 483


Bertramson, Paul


678


Bird, Stephen


731


Bizler, Frank A 681


Black, Samuel


504


Blair, George M


686


Blodgett, Fred P.


716


Bloom Brothers


634


Bollinger, P. Jerome.


579


Bonfoey, Edward


626


Bortz, August E


635


Bowen, Archer


660


Bowman, Menno S


704


Bridson, Edward


457


Brown, Ebenezer G


374


Brown, George


444


Browning, D. M 691


Brunmier, Henry


666


Brunson, Robert L


652


C


Camp, Mrs. Julia


348


Campbell, Albert P. . 428


Campbell, James L.


693


Carlton, Karl S.


620


Carnahan, Herschel L.


588


Carroll, James W


735


Castleman, John S 530


Cawthon, Charles R 771


Chase, Ethan


562


Christern, Abraham C.


522


Clapp, James D.


363


Clark, Hugh A 730


Clark, Lewis D 705


Clarke, E. P.


358


Clatworthy, W. C


687


Clayson, Walter S


721


Clayton, John W


768


Clements, George P., M. D 479


Clements, W. D.


553


Clough, Emery A


671


Cochrane, David


534


Colburn, Jefferson M., M. D


583


Coleman, M. L.


509


Collier, Emerson B


Cook, Jamison E


571


Coplen, John B 505


Copley, Edward


592


Corkhill, William


696


Cornelius, Nels M


594


Cornwell, Joseph W


625


Craig, Hugh H


437


Crane, Edmund D


543


Crane, James


A


392


Crawford, Robert D.


739


Crimmins, John T


336


Crosby, Chester


339


Crow, Ben H.


697


Cundiff, Robert P


709


Cunningham, George D.


542


Cutter, John


770


D


Daniels, Henry


641


Daniels, James G


762


Darling, William V


700


Davenport, Terry W


670


Davis, Eli


756


Dawson, Daniel J.


649


Deputy H. E. and Anna W


627


Dinsmore, Pembroke S


489


Dinsmore, William T


340


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763


x


INDEX


Dole, George H


639


Drinkwater, Thomas P.


471


E


Edmiston, Rev. Berry


738


Estudillo, Miguel


345


Evans, Samuel Cary


445


Evans, Samuel C


449


Eyer, Clarendon B


665


F


Farmer, Thomas


747


Farr, Frank J.


701


Ferguson, J. F.


.


612


Fink, George W


646


Flaherty, Thomas F.


601


Fletcher, Thomas I


661


Ford, Rupert E.


489


Fountain, Joseph R


682


Fraser, Mrs. Floretta


685


Frazier, William H


630


Freeman, Moses D


549


French, George A


356


French, Sanger E


482


G


Gallwas, William E


513


Gamble, Austin A


464


Gantt, Abel T


650


Garcelon, George W


400


Gard, Howard E


657


Gardner, Charles N.


779


Garner, John T.


618


Gibson, Carlisle


446


Gill, Lafayette


529


Gilman, James M


463


Glenn, D. W


672


Graham, Alexander


757


Green, William H


673


Grotzinger, Ferdinand


680


Grout, Harry F.


510


Guffey, Daniel W


659


Gulliver, Thomas C


741


Gunsolus, Philip A.


744


H


Hall, John and Dorothea S


402


Hall, Priestley


396


Hamner, John T


555


Hampton, Samuel B


568


Hanna, John F.


406


Harford, Henry M


609


Hargrave, Alla


616


Hathaway, Walter S


679


Hauverman, C. D. 539


Hazard, Margaret 319


Hennessy, Thomas M 589


Herbelin, Marcel N


753


Herrick, George F


567


Hewitt, John J.


361


Hewitt, Theodore D. 674


Hibbard, J. M


450


Hill, Stetson L.


367


Hinde, Harry H.


613


Hoffman, A. Theodore


645


Holmes, Elmer W.


383


Holmes, Henry H. 475


Hoover, Martin


742


Howe, Stedman M


710


Humbel, John W


648


I


Irving, Robert M


608


.J


Jarvis, John


405


Jensen, Henry


523


Jensen, John


578


Jensen, Jose


485


Jessup, Ray H


732


Johnson, Frank S


394


K


Keegan, Thomas E


714


Keith, Walter E


576


Kelly, James A


689


King, Jesse A


675


Kingman, Edward F


407


Kingman, George A


636


Kise, Thomas A


728


Kishlar, John W


748


Knight, Herbert D


355


Kumler, Abram N


752


Kyes, Henry P.


557


L


Ladd, Zaccheus E.


490


Laird, Henry K


676


LaRue, Scott


421


LaRue, Seneca


585


Lewis, David


W


478


Lewis, Frank


D


575


Logsdon, Joseph M


537


Lord, Daniel


699


M


McCarty, Alva R.


782


McCarty, John E.


417


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1


xi


McDonald, Charles 455


Mackey, Alexander M 640


Main, Charles W 617


Martin, Achilles


434


Potter, Sidney E.


734


Powers, Pleasant A 637


Prince, N


556


Provensal, Peter 569


Puffer, Clark


423


Puls, Henry A.


427


Putnam, Nathan T


501


R


Randall, Melvin M 766


Rankin, David


560


Record, Ellington H 765


Rector, Jason L.


497


Reed, John H


411


Reeve, Charter 764


Reynolds, George N.


726


Mitchell, David G


718


Moore, Isaac H.


638


Moore, William C.


307


Morris, William P.


466


Morse, Bradford


596


Mueller, Fred J.


300


Murray, Isaac S.


643


Mylne, John M


496


N


Nevins, George


580


North, John G.


311


North, J. W.


305


North, Richard L.


342


0


Ogden, Frank P


415


Oldendorf, Joseph M


760


P


Parker, Henry T


369


Pattee, H. Gordon 499


Patton, Archibald G


433


Paulson, Hans H.


774


Pearson, George M


533


Peck, Leonard B


506


Pedley, Francis X 598


Penprase, Edward E 662


Perley, John Q.


715


Pettes, Fred D.


313


Pew, Thomas H


603


Phelps, William W


536


Pilch, Arthur B


519


Pillar, Seeley L.


531


Plaisted, Mark H


614


Polkinghorn, William 622


Poole, W. W. 775


Potter, Harvey 501


Martin, Frederick C.


399


Martin, Hugh R., M. D


416


Martini, Otto


600


Matthews, Abram L.


440


May, Harry M


777


Meharg, John


698


Meier, Martin


599


Merriam, John L. 713


Miles, Eusebius M


758


672


Miller, Capt. C. C.


332


Miller, Frank A.


389


Miller, Harvey


663


Miller, Henry L.


526


Milliken, Peter


368


Reynolds, Thomas J.


301


Rich, Joseph J.


632


Ricker, J. Wesley


Riddell, William


694


Robbins, Harwood


750


Roberts, Fred H.


544


Roberts, George T.


584


Robertson, Oswald M


761


Roe, James H


373


Rogers, Roswell M


778


Roulston, Robert J.


552


Rouse, Gaylor


512


Rumsey. Cornelius E


351


Russell, William P.


683


Russell, William R.


754


Ryan, James W


353


S


Sallee, Frazier M


607


Sanborn, Kingsbury 548


Sanders, Frank A 708


Sanders, Will H


422


Sargent, William H.


654


Savery, Barnabas E. 664


Schaefer, Glenn A


602


Schain, John H


749


Schneider, Joseph


695


Schoneman, August H


624


Seares, Edwin C


611


Sewell, William A.


668


Shaver, John


604


Shaw, Martin R


418


Shepherd, Benton L.


595


Shiels, John


476


Shryock, B. Roscoe


541


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559


Millbank, Joseph


INDEX


xii


INDEX


Shugart, Kelita D., M. D. 329


Simms, John A. 781


Simpson, Joseph


395


Small, Charles L. 725


Small, Henry K.


736


Small, Warren D.


574


Smith, Sylvester K


653


Smoot, Kenneth R


633


Snidecor, George E.


565


Speich, Fred H


605


Spining, Joseph M


755


Spooner, Lemuel


493


Stanley. Will H


688


Stephenson, Homer


723


Stobbs, John, Jr


658


Stone, Casper P.


528


Strain, Robert


767


Streeter, Henry M


323


Streight, Charles F. 469


Strickler, Mark M


692


T


Tetley, Frank A


546


Thayer, George R 376


Thompson, Frank F.


554


Thompson, H. L.


769


Thresher, Albert E.


610


Thursby, Nathaniel M. M 619


Tilden, Adelbert D., M. D


642


Tilson, Walter N.


647


Tucker, George E., M. D 451


Tuthill, Arthur B


581


Twogood, Adoniram J.


297


Twogood, Daniel C.


330


U


Unholz, F. E.


336


V


Vosburgh, Capt. C. H.


655


W


Waite, Charles E.


391


Waite, Lyman C.


317


Ward, George F. 564


Ware, Andrew J


550


Webb, Holton


516


Whiffin, M. R 745


White, Albert S.


299


White. James R


584


White, S. A.


487


Wilkinson, Cicero P.


587


Wilks, Richard


439


Wilks, Thomas H.


677


Wilson, Charles S.


591


Wilson, Frank P.


580


Wilson, Lycurgus S. 456


Wolever, E. F. 385


Woodford, Asa W


384


Wright, Samuel L.


703


Y


Yates. John


379


Yong, George J


780


Z


Zinn, Lloyd W


707


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HISTORICAL


CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY TO HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY By E. W. Holmes


Within the limits of what is now the county of Riverside there are few points definitely known to have been the scene of Mission activities or of other important action worthy of record; and yet across these broad valleys, these mountains and deserts, have toiled, in the long centuries before the American era, a people whose history belongs as much to this section as to the state as a whole. As an introduction to the more exact history of Riverside and the county of which it is the capital, it seems proper to dwell briefly upon the indefinite past and hint at causes which have made this region one of the most attractive which the world now knows.


What this land is, with its beautiful valleys and magnificent mountains, its equable climate and fertile soil, is due to causes shap- ing it in ages so distant as to be almost incomprehensible to the human mind. Before man was, these grand mountains stood mas- sive and silent, guarding the valleys from the cold of a northern clime. For centuries innumerable the lofty summits have caught the moisture from the inflowing ocean winds, and sent in the down- flowing streams to the slowly forming valleys below the elements of fertility which the disintegrating rocks supplied.


That animal life existed here long before the mountain's up- heaval the discoveries of the scientists is convincing proof, for the fossil remains so plentifully found indicate that even further back in the far distant past, when, perhaps, our mountains hardly showed above the level of the sea, the climate must have been humid and tropical in character, and many monstrous creatures, no longer liv- ing upon the earth, ranged amid a very jungle of vegetable growth, which, deeply buried for millions of years may have created the im- mense deposits of oil now being utilized by man as a source of wealth. Even within the limits of the city of Riverside the bones of some of these prehistoric animals have been discovered.


When did man first appear upon these shores? And why did


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he not-under climatic conditions so nearly identical with those which made possible his advancement around the shores of the Med- iterranean, and the resultant civilizations of Egypt and Greece and Rome-reach a higher state of development? Was he indigenous, or did his ancestors drift across the sea from eastern Asia and down along this coast! The ruins found in the southwestern part of the continent seem to warrant the belief that a civilization might once have existed far superior to that found by Cortez and his followers. Those at Mitla and elsewhere, to the southward, prove some earlier race to have reached the stone age, and to have been fully equal in advancement to that stage of development in the old world. Are our present Indians their decadent descendants, or are they of a later and more barbarous people who swept down upon and destroyed the more advanced race which preceded them? Since our govern- ment has reversed its former brutal treatment of the American In- dian, and provided training schools such as we now have in River- side, where the Indians are given education and a kindly environ- ment, we have reason to change our former belief in their mental inferiority. Who that has seen the self-respecting and well-dressed Indian student alongside a squad of Japanese youth has failed to notice the resemblance between them, and when he remembers that only half a century has enabled a nation of barbarians to acquire the wisdom of the ages, and use it successfully in war and commerce against the white race, his foolish prejudice must be greatly modi- fied and the conclusion reached that these dark-skinned people are not naturally so greatly inferior in intelligence as has been assumed, and may fairly claim to be of those whom God "created in His own image."


Into this long undeveloped land, which nature has so wonderfully fitted for the highest human use, has now come a new race, bringing energy and the most approved modern methods for its development. The olden days, veiled in mystery, when the unsophisticated savage roamed in happy freedom over its flower-bedecked valleys, are gone. The centuries of the Spanish era, with its records of cupidity and crime on the part of a brutal soldiery, of the generous hospitality of the better class among their leaders, and of the self-sacrificing devo- tion of the noble missionaries under Junipero Serra, leave a misty glamour of romance, which the entrance upon the scene of the gold- seeking and matter-of-fact American has not lessened. It is little


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HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY


over half a century since the Mexican was dispossessed, and already the few rude pathways he had made over mountain and valley and desert have been transformed into many great railway and trolley lines, over which has swept a continually increasing tide of popula- tion, to utilize for business and home-making the wonderful natural resources of Southern California. Orchards and vineyards and fields of grain furnish immense quantities of freight for trans-conti- nental railways and create wealth for the people who possess them. The waters of the once idle mountain streams are no longer wasted in the desert sands, but are made to generate electric power for the manufacturer and the transportation lines and light for the cities, and finally supply, through innumerable canals, the irrigating water which makes possible the productiveness of the once barren mesas. It is the history of the steps by which this change has been wrought that is the purpose of this publication.


The name of California was derived from a Spanish romance, published about 1510. In that work the "Island of California" is described as "on the right of the Indies" and "very near the ter- restrial paradise." It was reputed to be settled by a "race of Ama- zons, without any men among them." It is very evident that the first explorers of the Pacific coast were largely influenced by the same sort of mythical tales regarding the strange new land as were those who, under Coronado, braved the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico in search of the reputed wealth of the "seven cities of Cibola," which proved to be but the adobe-built villages of the Pueblo Indians.


[ It was only fifty years after Columbus discovered America, and seventy years before the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, that the Spaniards sent out from Acapulco, on the west coast of Mexico, their first exploring party along the coast of Alta California. This expedition was in charge of Juan Cabrillo, a Portuguese by birth, and he was given orders to explore the northwest coast of America. On the 28th of September, 1542, he found a "safe and land-locked harbor," which he named San Miguel-now San Diego. Sailing northward five days later he discovered the islands of Santa Catalina and San Clemente. It is quite certain that white men had set foot in what is now a part of Riverside county some two years earlier than this, for when Coronado started with his little army in search of Cibola he sent an auxiliary force by sea, under Hernando de




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