USA > California > Riverside County > History of Riverside County, California > Part 25
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 (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74
Digitized by Google
250
HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY
The honey industry is also important, the numerous apiaries pro- ducing many trainloads of the world's sweetness. White sage, wild buckwheat, chemise, wild alfalfa and the smaller mountain flowers constitute the principal pasturage for bees.
The mountains surrounding the San Jacinto valley, aside from being natural storage reservoirs for impounding the winter's rain for use of the irrigationists during the dry summer season, furnish great quantities of native lumber. Forests of pine and cedar supply two large mills that saw millions of feet of lumber during the sum- mer months. This mountain range is a most valuable asset to the great valley plains stretching away from its western base. Not only does it furnish the valley's water supply, support thousands of head of cattle; form a sportsman's paradise, abounding in all kinds of game; produce millions of feet of lumber and hundreds of cords of firewood; but it is also becoming known as an important apple-grow- ing section. For years apples have been successfully grown at Cahuilla and in other parts of the mountains. Of late years the industry is receiving more attention, and dozens of settlers on lands recently opened in the forest reserve are turning their attention to apple growing. The mountain grown fruit compares most favorably with that produced in the famed apple sections of the east.
In the breaking up, crumbling and subdividing of the great bodies of land that came down from the Spanish and Mexican gov- ernments, the work of the small land owner and subdivider has been most thorough. Only in a few instances are the large tracts of land left intact. In this valley the one rancho that remains with boundaries practically unchanged since the days of the early mis- sionaries is that now owned and occupied by Mrs. Dolores A. de Pico. This ranch, known as the Casa Loma rancho, belonged to the San Luis Rey Mission, more than a hundred years ago. Here was where the mission kept its herds of horses and cattle, the income from the ranch being no small part of the support of the mission of San Luis Rey. Mrs. Pico's grandfather was the overseer of the ranch and other lands, amounting in all to eight leagues. Part of the Casa Loma, now occupied by Mrs. Pico and family, was built by the missionaries a century ago, but the thick adobe walls are as firm as they were a hundred years ago. In making some changes in the house a few years ago, Mr. Pico found in one of the adobe blocks a head of wheat containing several kernels. Mr. Pico planted
Digitized by Google
251
HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY
the wheat, and to his surprise and delight it grew, after lying for a century in the dry dirt of the adobe wall. This ranch, as owned today by Mrs. Pico, consists of 4,500 acres, most of which is rich, moist valley land of splendid value. Mrs. Pico's father, Jose A. Aguirre, was one of the first incorporators of San Diego and built the first wharf at that seaport. He was an extensive shipowner, trading between California and China and Japan, exchanging tallow and hides for silks, ivory, laces, etc. Governor Pico was an uncle of her husband, the late Francisco Pico.
Angelo Domenigoni is another early settler in this section who still owns large bodies of land, both in the valley and mountains. Mr. Domenigoni's ranch home is four miles southeast of Winches- ter, where he has several thousand acres of grain and pasture land. Coming to this section about thirty years ago, Mr. Domenigoni has been adding to his holdings steadily until he is now rated as one of the biggest landowners in Riverside county. His cattle and lumber- ing interests are also large. In the march of development the large Domenigoni holdings must eventually give way to the subdivider and the small landowner, but until that day comes Mr. Domenigoni is governor of a principality of no mean dimensions, all his own, every rod of which he earned by personal effort and splendid busi- ness acumen.
Another great body of land that has remained intact, despite the present-day land hunger, is the Rawson ranch in Crown valley. This beautiful foothill, valley and mountain property lies some twelve miles southwest of Hemet. It is largely devoted to cattle and bees, the place supporting some 500 head of cattle the year around, be- sides many horses, mules and hogs. On the great ranch the dif- ferent apiaries contain 3,000 stands of bees that produce honey by the trainload. The Rawson holdings represent a total of some 15,000 acres. This vast acreage represents the estate of the late James Rawson, after thirty years of endeavor in the early days. Mr. and Mrs. Rawson located near the present home in 1872, coming by team from Los Angeles, and passing through Riverside when a single sheep camp was the only habitation where the proud city of River- side now stands. They witnessed the eviction of the Indians at Temecula by the whites, and suffered with others from the depreda- tions of the lawless followers of Vasquez and other thieving desper-
Digitized by Google
252
HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY
adoes. The estate is now owned by the widow, Mrs. Mary Rawson, and the children, Mary, James, Will, John, Tommy and Louis.
In the San Jacinto mountains the famous Charlie Thomas ranch is known to old Californians throughout the state. On that moun- tain ranch Charlie Thomas raised a number of the fastest horses known to the racing world of a quarter of a century ago. Imported thoroughbred cattle from England were also raised, and these prize cattle made the Thomas ranch known far beyond the limits of this state. Although a portion of the ranch was bought for the site of the Hemet Dam and Lake Hemet, the greater part of the ranch remains as it was thirty years ago. It is now owned by R. F. Garner of San Bernardino.
1
.
.
Digitized by Google
253
HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY
CHAPTER XXII. CORONA By William Corkhill
But a few years ago, comparatively speaking, California was a mysterious stretch of country in the far, far west-the population Mexicans and adventurous white men-the Mexicans living their usual life of ease, the white men seeking gold-hardy, determined men, who faced all kinds of danger in search of the yellow metal. They could not see any possibilities in the arid wastes in which they dug, only that it might yield the valuable metal. This was mostly in the northern part of the state, and those who had to travel in the south- ern part could only see dry and drear wastes of mesa, with here and there an oasis. Charles A. Dana, in his "Two Years Before the Mast," remarking on this part of the state, said: "Many times I took rides horseback into the interior, where there were great reaches of level country, that no doubt would be valuable for grazing." Lit- tle did Mr. Dana think, when he rode over those reaches of mesas, that the time would soon come when they would blossom like the rose-be the wonder of the world in products. Little did he think that in a few years the ports in which he helped to cure and pack hides would teem with mighty commerce; that the mesas would be redolent with the perfume of orange blossoms, and that its golden fruit would fill the markets of the country; that great cities would spring up as if by magic, and that it would be considered the favored corner of the world in all that goes to make life worth living.
South Riverside was born in the time of the great boom; the time when it was supposed that every piece of land would grow oranges successfully; the time when men lost their heads, when for- tunes were lost in wild speculation; when two real estate offices and a hotel and the promise of water would set men wild to buy. Many towns were born at this time, and many died in the borning, as it was soon discovered that not all lands were capable of raising the golden fruit. The orange was all that was thought of, the thousand and one things that since have made fortunes were not then thought of. And so the towns born at that time, and that survived, were the favored spots on which citrus fruits could be raised successfully.
Digitized by Google
1
254
HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY
This was the reason that South Riverside survived. And though the transforming of a desert into a garden had many serious draw- backs, yet success came, and the Queen Colony of 1887 is today a large factor in Southern California.
In February, 1886, R. B. Taylor of Sioux City, Iowa, conceived the idea of planting a colony in Southern California. He succeeded in organizing a company composed of the following gentlemen: R. B. Taylor, Adolph Rimpau, George L. Joy, S. Merrill, ex-governor of Iowa, and A. S. Garretson. They succeeded in buying from the heirs of B. Yorba nearly 12,000 acres of land, and at once began the transformation. The name chosen for the new townsite was South Riverside, and they christened it the Queen Colony. Why the name South Riverside was chosen is not known; but Riverside, even at that time, had a wide reputation, and no doubt the promoters of the new town thought the name chosen would give it prestige. The lands were situated in the southwest corner of the great county of San Bernardino, on an inclined plain, or mesa, sloping to the north from the Temescal mountains. To the east the Temescal canyon, to the west the Santa Ana canyon. It was said later by Prof. Hilgard of the State University that the upper mesa would no doubt always be comparatively frostless by reason of air currents caused by the peculiar situation of the two canyons, and time has demonstrated that the professor was correct. It would be hard to find a more glorious prospect that the one from the upper mesa. Looking over miles of valley, to the west the towns of Pomona and Chino; to the north the towns of Ontario and Uplands; to the northeast beautiful Riverside, and in the far distance old San Bernardino, while stretch- ing almost east and west are the great Sierras. Directly north stands Old Baldy, grim old sentinel, keeping guard, as it were, of the beau- tiful towns at his feet. As a background to Old San Bernardino stands grand Mount San Bernardino, his hoary head seeming to touch the sky. To the east, beyond the Gavilan hills, can be seen the crest of stately Mount San Jacinto. 'Tis truly a sight once seen never forgotten.
Here then was where the townsite of South Riverside was located. A perfect desert in summer; a perfect garden in winter, when the rains brought forth the alfilaree and flowers in the greatest profu- sion. Great patches of cactus were here and there, and the coyote and rabbit were lords of it all. There were a few trails or roads,
Digitized by Google
255
HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY
and over one of these, it is said, General Fremont led his troops to Monterey in the long ago. We must understand that the lands were sixteen miles away from the nearest railroad, it reaching only to Riverside, but plans had been laid to continue the railroad through to Los Angeles in the near future. Everything needed in starting the new town had to be hauled by teams this sixteen miles, as River- side was the nearest point.
R. B. Taylor may well be called the father of South Riverside, for he not only saw the possibilities of the venture, but he threw into it his great executive ability, and as the first superintendent forced the work along with tireless energy. To transform a desert into a habitable place was the task. The land was there; the marvelous climate was there, and that was all. Water, the king of the far west, must be developed, for without water the whole scheme would come to naught. The town must be platted, streets and roads marked out and graded, and a great pipe line laid to deliver the water to the lands. Immediately after the lands were acquired development was started. Lands in the Temescal canyon, some twelve miles east of the townsite, had been acquired, where water was to be developed, and operations were commenced at once. H. C. Kellogg of Ana- heim, a civil engineer of excellent ability, was engaged to survey and plat the town and outside acre property. On June 6, 1886, he drove the first stake in what is now the intersection of Main and Sixth streets. From thence he ran a line to what is now the inter- section of the Boulevard and Main street, south. He then ran a line in a grand circle, one mile in diameter. This was the Grand Boule- vard surrounding the town, a feature possessed, perhaps, by no other town. Inside the circle the streets were laid out at right angles, outside the roads were laid out radiating from the circle, like spokes from a hub. Magnolia avenue, the pride of Riverside at that time, was only laid out to the arroyo, or wash northeast of town, but this avenue was continued through the colony lands clear to the foothills, and in time it will be the marvel of this part of the south.
.
The development of water went merrily on, and sufficient hav- ing been developed to warrant a pipe line, the construction of a thirty-six-inch line was commenced. This pipe line was commenced about August, 1886, and was completed in the spring of 1887 at a cost of $45,000.
The first building erected was an office for the use of R. B.
Digitized by Google
-
i
256
. HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY
Taylor, in the rear of the present First National Bank. Its size was 16x24. In the rear of this building a well had been sunk which supplied the wants in that line until water could be delivered from the main pipe line. The first house built was on Sixth street, between Ramona and Victoria streets, on the south side of the street. This was for the use of H. C. Kellogg, engineer, as a residence. In Octo- ber, 1887, the house was bought by J. L. Taber and used by the Taber family until it was moved in 1910 to make room for the con- crete garage built by A. L. Taber.
The real settlement of South Riverside began in 1887, and this year was a very busy one for the new colony. Early in the year set- tlers began to arrive. Most of the newcomers were from the state of Iowa, though several other states were represented, as also was Canada. Among them were William Dyer and family, F. H. Robin- son and family, Andrew Wheaten, B. C. Turner, Harry Woodhall, John, Allan and Ted Fraser, I. A. Newton and family and William Wall and family. Charles Wall and R. B. Taylor have the honor of being the first to sleep in the new town, having the whole townsite as their bedstead and the sky as the coverlet. Charles Wall also had the privilege of being the first zanjero. These were among some of the first comers to South Riverside, and the desert began to resound with the hum of hammer and saw. The mere fact that all material had to be hauled sixteen miles was no deterrent, for the ones who came from their homes in the east meant business-they had come here to make homes, and no little thing could stop them.
The first building of magnitude was the Hotel Temescal. This was built by A. S. Garretson, and. he tried to make it the equal of any hostelry in the southern country. The grounds comprised a whole block of ground in the center of town, bounded by Main, Sixth, Washburn and Seventh streets. The building was a five-story struc- ture and was up to date in every appointment. . O. A. Smith was made manager, and it must be said that no hotel ever had a more genial host. Mr. Smith took delight in making the grounds beauti- ful, and it was not long until they were the most beautiful of any hotel grounds in the south, and for many years were the beauty spot of the town.
The hotel was commenced in the spring of 1887, and here, in the midst of the lumber in front of the unfinished building, was held the first church service in the new colony-the pulpit a pile of boards
Digitized by Google
257
HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY
-the pews whatever there might to be to sit upon. The Rev. Mr. Houlding of the Congregational Society was the preacher, he having since become a missionary to China. This same year the Congre- gational Society built a church on the corner of Ramona and Eighth streets. The Rev. Houlding was installed as pastor, but held the position but a few months. Here worshipped all denominations for many months, or until they severally organized. In May the Citi- zens Bank was organized and commenced business August 1, with R. B. Taylor as president and H. Woodhall, cashier. The bank had its home in the small office of Mr. Taylor, before mentioned, for several months, or until the present bank building was finished. This building was commenced in June of this year on the northeast cor- ner of Sixth and Main streets. The corner room was for the home of the Citizens Bank, besides which there were two large storerooms, and in the upper story were offices.
At this time the building operations in Southern California were so great that much difficulty was experienced in getting materials, and with South Riverside so far from supplies, made it so much worse, so the Taylor or Bank Block was not finished until the fol- lowing April.
The first orange grove in the new colony was set by Patrick Harrington, an old resident of Temescal. They were old trees taken up in the Temescal and transplanted in the southwest of town, on the grove now owned by Leo Kroonan. Mr. Harrington also started a brick yard north of town and supplied bricks for the town in its building operations.
On Thursday, June 2nd, the first newspaper was issued under the name of the South Riverside Bee, by F. T. Sheppard. The office was located on the west side of Main street, below Fifth. Shortly after the first issue Frank Dyer bought one-half interest, and still later H. C. Foster bought the interest of Mr. Sheppard. R. B. Taylor had built a fine residence on the corner of Eighth and Victoria streets, which furnished the first fire in the new colony, as it burned before it was quite finished.
The great need was the railroad; the roadbed was made; the rails were laid, and longing eyes were looking for the cars. All mail was directed to Riverside, from whence it was carried by stage, and although P. M. Coburn carried it gratis, vet the people wanted the railroad and a postoffice. At last, on June 30, the first train
Digitized by Google
258
HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY
pulled into South Riverside, whereat there was much rejoicing. On the 12th of July an excursion was run to South Riverside from the surrounding towns. An auction sale of lots and acre property had been advertised, and on the day appointed the crowds were there and much property was sold and many decided to locate.
No postoffice had yet been located by the government, but very shortly after the railroad was an established fact, O. A. Smith was appointed postmaster. He appointed J. H. Taylor of the Taylor & Lawrence hardware firm, his deputy, and the postoffice was opened in the hardware store, on the site of the present Corona Lumber Company.
It is a commendable fact that every new American community must have schools, and South Riverside was no exception to the rule. Settlers were coming in, and the necessity of schools very soon began to be felt. The matter was agitated, and the first school meeting was held in the drug store of B. C. Turner, on the 12th of October. B. W. Sloan was chairman and John Priest, secretary. There being no provision as yet for schools by the county, it was ordered that every male resident should pay the sum of $2 per month and now three months in advance, and that the school should com- mence November 5th. Miss Gertie McEwen was appointed teacher. A schoolhouse was built on the corner of Eighth and Howard streets, largely by the Land and Water Company. The building was bought later by the Christian Church organization, and later still by the Christian Scientists. Here school was kept for over one year, or until the schoolhouse was built in the next block. Shortly after the school was started the Yorba School District was formed and funds were provided in the usual manner.
Some time after the advent of the railroad a new enterprise was started. This was to build a railroad from Pomona to Elsinore. A company was formed, consisting of Ex-Governor Merrill, George L. Joy, R. Gird of Chino, F. H. Heald of Elsinore, H. A. Palmer of Berkeley, A. F. Naftzger and G. H. Fullerton of Riverside. At once work was commenced; following the surveyors the road was graded to or near the Hoags canyon, when work ceased. Had the road been carried through it would no doubt have opened up a large area of country, but whatever the reason was the work ceased, and the Pomona and Elsinore passed into history as a joke.
The first child born in the new colony was the daughter of Mr.
Digitized by Google
1
259
HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY
and Mrs. F. H. Robinson, in September of '87; and the first death was the infant daughter of H. E. Taylor, who at that time held the position of station agent.
The South Riverside Land and Water Company was putting forth every effort to make the settlement a success. They had donated one-quarter block each to the Methodist, Episcopal, Baptist, Congre- gational and Catholic denominations. As I have noted, the Congre- gationalists were the first to use their land, but the Methodists in the fall of this year laid plans for meetings and organization. The Rev. Mr. Sowden was stationed here, and a small parsonage was built on their lot on Ramona and Tenth streets. The company also offered prizes for those who beautified their lots, and a prize to the one who would build the first brick dwelling. This prize went to Col. Allan Fraser, who built the two-story brick house now standing on the corner of Howard and Seventh streets. Settlers were coming in fast and dwellings going up in all parts of the colony. George L. Joy was laying plans for a fine residence. W. H. Jameson, son-in-law of Mr. Joy, had plans for a modern dwelling, which was erected the following spring. N. C. Hudson also planned to build a fine resi- dence. These gentlemen, all interested in the company, were men of energy, and evidenced their faith in the new colony by making it their home. It is hard to think of Mr. Joy and Mr. Hudson without feeling that it was something to have known them. Mr. Joy was a man of magnificent physique, always kindly and courteous, willing to lend a helping hand to the one in distress; Mr. Hudson, than whom a more lovable character never lived, was always ready to give a gentle and kind word, and when these gentlemen died the town suffered a great loss.
Everyone had faith in the new colony. Those who had bought acre property were preparing to set out trees. It must be under- stood that though oranges had been grown successfully for some years, yet the raising of oranges was but in its infancy. Much had to be learned; to the man from the east everything was different from the old home, yet men came across the continent and invested their money in an enterprise wholly new to them, with the usual American courage, willing to take whatever might come, but always hoping for success. And so the year 1887 closed with everyone hopeful and every prospect pointing to a great future for South Riverside. The winter of 1887 and '88 was blessed with abundant
Digitized by Google
260
HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY
rains, so necessary to this country, and the mesas were a sea of white and gold; the flowers were perhaps more abundant than at any time since. Soon the young orange trees began to come in, and the different acre pieces were soon dotted with the young buds. O. A. Smith had the honor of raising the first orange in the new colony. It has been stated that Mr. Smith very early planted dif- ferent kinds of trees, and this orange grew on a young bud in the rear of the hotel. It is useless to say that Mr. Smith was proud of his early success, or that the orange was of much interest to the colonists. This was what so many had located here for, to raise oranges, and to see the first successful result only spurred them on.
Early in April the Taylor, or Bank block, was finished and the Citizens Bank took possession of its new home, where it has been for many years. The Land and Water Company had their quarters in the rear of the Citizens Bank, or in the room now used as the Citizens Bank.
The year '88 was a busy year in every way. Dr. R. D. Barber of Worthington, Minn., erected the building bearing his name, on the west side of Main street, below the Bank Building, and later located here and built a fine residence on Victoria street near the Boulevard. Messrs. Nowlin and Burton built the brick building on the east side of Main, below Fifth, both of these gentlemen locating here and purchasing acre property. The building of dwelling houses continued, and the new town began to assume a most prosperous appearance.
It must be understood that no revenue was being derived from the new lands, this was all in the future. Young trees were costly, ranging from $1.50 to $2.00 per tree for good stock. The country was new to nearly all who located here. Little or nothing was known as to what would or would not grow to advantage and find a market. Experience has taught that certain localities are right for certain products, and the same would be a failure in other localities. But this had to be learned, and to some it proved somewhat costly. Again, the caring for citrus orchards had to be learned, for even in the older communities, where citrus fruits had been raised for some years, the growers had not arrived at near the perfection since acquired. Many mistakes were made, but on the whole South Riverside measured up with other communities in this respect, and
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.