USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 35
USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 35
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 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79
THE FIRST BANK OF HIGHLAND. Chartered as a State bank, with a capital stock of $30,000, the First Bank of Highland opened its doors for business April 19, 1904, its officials being : Herbert W. Johnstone, president ; Charles C. Browning, vice president ; and Wakefield Phinney, cashier, these gentlemen, with K. C. Wells, L. C. Waite, W. C. Pat- terson, A. G. Stearns, L. A. Desmond and W. B. Brookings, forming the first board of directors.
EDUCATION In 1883 a petition was circulated by W. T. Noyes for the establishment of a new school district, and after some contention the name of Highland was adopted. The first school was held that year in a squatter's cabin north of Harlem Springs, but the following year a one-room school was erected, and this was later followed by the con- struction of a two-room school building. In November, 1892, the res- idents voted bonds for $10,000 for a new school building, and the fol- lowing year a handsome and commodious building was erected, which prepared the pupils for the high school course.
HIGHLAND LIBRARY CLUB. On December 21, 1897, a meeting of the citizens was called with the view of organizing a literary club, and at a subsequent meeting the organization was completed by the election of officers. The organization was named the Highland Library Club and the original installment of twenty-five volumes, secured through the expenditure of the annual dues of the members, were kept for a time at the home of one of the members who acted as librarian. In January, 1900, there was held the first of a series of lectures, musical recitals, etc., and since that time a course of from five to seven high-class enter- tainments has been given each year. On November 14, 1901, a com- mittee was appointed to solicit subscriptions for the purpose of pur- chasing a lot and erecting a building, and January 23, 1902, the Highland Library Club incorporated. The erection of the building was started in
244
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
August, 1902, and the library was opened to the public January 6. 1903. The cost was $2,100, the entire sum being raised by voluntary subscrip- tions, and at present the institution contains numerous volumes, cata- logued, in addition to newspapers, magazines, etc.
PRESS. The first number of the Highland Citrus Belt, a weekly eight-page paper devoted chiefly to local and county news, made its appearance October 6, 1892, with J. M. Martin as publisher. In March, 1902, the subscription list and good will of the paper were purchased by Opie L. Warner and Edward Wall, who changed the name to the High- land Messenger, and enlarged it to a five-column quarto, materially increasing its advertising patronage. The new owners likewise installed a modern job printing plant.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS. Highland Lodge No. 211, Knights of Pythias, which was promoted and organized in the fall of 1897, is a local organ- ization of whose record the members feel pardonably proud. Its influ- ence on the community has been wholesome socially and morally and its charitable work was been productive of much good. It was instituted January 28, 1898, with twenty-seven charter members, all well-known property holders and residents. It has commodious and well-equipped quarters and the lodge is in good financial condition with a large cash reserve and sound investments.
EAST HIGHLANDS. Comprising that portion of the Highland citrus belt lying east of City Creek, the superficial contour of the land of East Highlands is more undulating than that of Highland and the soil con- tains a larger percentage of clay. It is admirably adapted to the pro- duction of oranges of the highest grade and the fruit of the "East Bench" is generally recognized as having no superior anywhere. Louis Cram, who set out two seedling orange trees on his place in 1864, bought 100 trees from a Los Angeles nursery in 1873 and planted an orchard of one acre. Mr. Cram, who had no idea of making a profit, but placed these trees merely as an investment, was agreeably surprised to realize a profit of $1,800. Following the Cram brothers, who were the first settlers, came Frederick Van Leuven. In 1865 E. A. Ball located on the place later owned by T. T. Cook. Andrew Wakefield came in 1866 and bought the homestead of Goodcell Cram, which he later sold to Mr. Reeves.
Early in the '70s the first school at East Highlands was opened in a little house under the bluff, near the Cook place, and after one or two changes the school was permanently located on a lot donated by Joshua Hartzel, where in 1902 a fine structure was erected at a cost of $10,000. Soon after the building of the railroad through the district a general merchandise store was opened near the East Highlands station, and since that time a postoffice has been built, packing houses have been erected, business houses have been established, and a flourishing town has been developed.
WEST HIGHLANDS. The community known as West Highlands embraces several square miles of the mesa lands that constitute the Highland citrus belt, where a decomposed soil, a semi-tropic temper- ature and a southwestern slope combine to produce very favorable con- ditions for fruit growing. The early settlers whose pioneer homes nestled along the foothills of this neighborhood included C. Reivell, G. I. Bur- ton, A. Harrison, James Kennedy, Jacob Huff and brother and Zanon.
245
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
Zimmerman. There was little substantial growth in the community until the completion of the Bear Valley Canal in 1888, but, when once sup- plied with water, the settlers began the work of grading and planting, and since that time the orchard industry has been an important one. Other improvements kept pace with orchard planting. Large sums of money were expended in constructing ditches and pipe-lines, streets were laid out and lined with ornamental trees, and other improvements fol- lowed in quick succession. To accommodate the children of the growing settlement, a two-story building was erected, and a graded school was established, this building also serving for church and Sunday School purposes. Afer the advent of the railroad, a postoffice, bearing the name of Del Rosa, was established at the West Highlands station and a store opened. Later came rural free delivery and the gradual building up of a flourishing village around the station. One of West Highlands' leading industries is the Brookings Lumber & Box Company, which was incorporated in 1898.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS. Highland, the "Gateway to the Rim of the World," as it is pleasantly termed by friends who delight in honor- ing this thrifty community near the foothills, has reached the end of the year 1921 with a wonderful record for progress. This section of San Bernardino County is one of Southern California's richest in orange groves, with many packing houses-in Highland alone there are seven- employing many hundred people during the packing season.
One of the strongest factors in the development of Highland has been its Chamber of Commerce, organized in 1906, in a largely attended meeting, held in the Congregational Church. Dr. W. P. Burke pre- sided and Alexis E. Frye was secretary. The following directors were elected by ballot: W. P. Burke, M. M. Randall, C. W. Payne, H. H. Linville, C. A. Sherrod, Frank L. Cram, S. H. Barrett, J. Hartzwell, D. H. Richardson, F. W. Wood, E. C. Seymour, A. E. Sterling, James Watson and J. D. Carpenter. From this list it is shown that the whole Highland district on the east and on the west had representatives, but in later years lack of outside memberships narrowed the organization mostly to Highland proper.
The Chamber of Commerce is Highland's stronghold, and as the district is unincorporated, this organization becomes mayor, town clerk, and common council, and is, therefore, the organized entity, capable of instantly setting in motion machinery to meet any emergency. The offi- cers are : President, D. H. Roddick ; vice president. G. E. Goldie ; treas- urer, J. M. Spaulding ; secretary, C. D. Pennock ; directors : J. C. Smith, M. M. Randall, W. F. Grow, A. E. Ming, J. L. Yarnell, Z. Zimmerman, H. H. Williams, C. N. Hill, F. L. Cram, J. E. Williams, G. S. Thomp- son, G. W. Loring, A. H. Maddux, F. C. Hambly, G. T. Hensley.
Closely allied with the Chamber of Commerce is a real working part- ner in community work, the Woman's Club, an outgrowth of the "Pleas- ant Hour Club," that was organized at the home of Mrs. Stearns on Jan. 14, 1898, which in a measure was a branch of the Library Club at that time. In 1901 it became affiliated with the State Federation of Clubs, but in 1910, by unanimous vote, the name of Pleasant Hour Club was changed to that of the Woman's Club of Highland.
Mrs. Cora B. Linville, whose husband, the late H. H. Linville, had the first citrus nursery in Highland, poetically referred to the club as "an orange tree club set in a federated grove," consequently the club colors became orange and green, and it adopted a club song, composed by Miss Mary F. Parker, in keeping with the theme. This club tree has
246
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
been thrifty since it took root in the rich soil of Highland, owns its club home, finely furnished, with plans well laid for a more pretentious building. Officers for the year 1921 are: President, Mrs. W. F. Grow ; first vice president, Mrs. John Cleghorn ; second vice president, Miss Maud Evans; recording secretary, Mrs. G. T. Henslee; corresponding secretary, Mrs. R. S. Roddick; treasurer, Mrs. F. A. Brown. The club has a membership of 140. Past presidents of the club are: 1898, Mrs. Frances Travilli Paine; 1899, Mrs. M. H. Evans; 1900, Mrs. W. F. Grow; 1901, Mrs. F. C. LaFollette ; 1902, Mrs. W. F. Grow ; 1903, Miss Mary E. Parker; 1906, Mrs. Helen W. Wood; 1907, Miss Helena Louise Frazier ; 1909, Mrs. T. A. Ewing; 1911, Mrs. Frances Allen ; 1913, Mrs. Josephine True; 1914, Mrs. E. E. Corwin; 1915, Mrs. Proctor Coy; 1916; Mrs. A. R. Wilcox ; 1917, Mrs. Cora B. Linville ; 1919, Mrs. David Roddick.
In a little hill enclosed valley-a strip of Government land-there may be found a remnant of a once large band of native Indians. To the needs of this fast disappearing tribe, Highland delights in being a sort of Guardian Angel. In years past, Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Yocum, led in this most worthy cause, and when Mrs. Yocum died, they mourned a true friend gone. In recent years Mrs. E. E. Barnes, a student of Indian lore, and an acceptable writer of Indian stories, a resident of Highland, has taken the lead, with Mrs. Cora B. Linville, also closely associated in the work.
The Young People's Community Club, an organization embracing the younger citizens, is one of the forces, and a recognized factor-be the question one of cleaner streets or cleaner morals. Howard Roddick is president and Gertrude Hidden, secretary of the club.
The Congregational Church of Highland has a most interesting history. It was organized on April 21, 1884, and called the Church of Christ ; at the time of its organization there were nine initial members: A. M. Aplin, Mrs. A. M. Aplin, S. H. Barrett, Mrs. D. F. Barrett, Miss C. C. Barrett, Mrs. C. J. Hartzell, G. W. Beattie, Mrs. T. T. Cook and Mrs. S. P. Fessenden. Of these only one was originally a Congrega- tionalist, but all recognized the adaptability of the Congregational polity to the Christian work of the community, and called for an ecclesiastical church council for advice, under the guidance of General Missionary of Southern California Rev. James T. Ford. Those in the council were : Rev. J. D. Foster and W. A. Brouse of First Congregational Church, San Bernardino; Rev. J. G. Hale and M. H. Craft, Lugonia Terrace ; Rev. J. L. Smith, pastor of Riverside; Rev. J. T. Ford was moderator and W. A. Brouse, scribe of the council.
After reviewing the proceedings of the church, its constitution and confessions of faith, it was voted to recognize it as a Congregational church. The first officers of the church were: Deacon, S. H. Barrett; clerk, G. W. Beattie ; directors, A. M. Aplin, B. Fowler, G. W. Beattie. The acting pastors of the church have been: 1884, Rev. J. D. Hale ; 1886, Rev. J. D. Foster ; 1889, Rev. A. W. Thompson ; 1892, Rev. S. A. Norton ; 1894, Rev. M. S. Phillips; 1895, Rev. E. Russell King; 1896, Rev. S. G. Lamb ; 1904, Rev. H. E. Banham.
The first church was built on Base Line in 1886. The church was moved to Palm Avenue in 1898, and in 1905 a new building, beautiful and modern and free of debt, replaced the old. The present pastor is Rev. Charles H. Davis. Officers of the church are: Treasurer, David Roddick ; clerk, James Miller ; Sunday school, G. T. Hensley ; primary, Ella Parmalee. Trustees: M. M. Randall, J. N. Yarnell, Frank L. Cram, R. S. Thompson, D. G. Aplin. Others on church committees :
247
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
Thomas A. Ewing, Mrs. Antonia Robinson, Bruce Zimmerman, Will Roddick, Mrs. J. H. Evans, Mrs. Thomas Ewing, Miss Ruth Lamb, Mrs. D. D. Yarnell, Mrs. J. D. Boley, Mrs. Charles La Follette.
The Highland Methodist Episcopal Church was organized on Decem- ber 20, 1890, with Rev. J. C. Gowan, first pastor and S. L. Grow, W. T. Meyers and H. E. Parker first stewards. In 1891 a church was erected on Pacific, on a lot donated by Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Jones, and a parsonage was built in 1894. Rev. Z. T. Bancroft is the present (1921) pastor ; the trustees are, E. E. Barnes, F. A. Brown, F. C. Hambly, Jesse Watson, J. J. Henslee, Philip Nickel, G. U. Codivalloder, M. H. Evans and Lee Clark. The chorister, M. H. Evans, has served for eighteen years.
Highland is the business center of a cultured, progressive commu- nity of upwards of 2,500 people, whose entire units of activity-Chamber of Commerce, Woman's Club, churches, orange distributors, fraternal organizations, Community Club, join in one common cause, that of gain- ing the best there is to be secured.
HARLEM HOT SPRINGS, near Base Line, in the southern portion of the Highland district, serve as a popular bathing place and resort for health seekers. On the premises, which comprise twenty-two acres, are located a modern natatorium, finely appointed bath houses, a large refectory, an entertainment hall and well-kept picnic grounds for the use and recre- ation of pleasure seekers.
CHAPTER XXI
CUCAMONGA AND OTHER COMMUNITIES
Following the death of John Rains, his widow, Maria Williams Rains, asked that the Cucamonga Rancho (the earlier history of which has already been given in this history) be declared her separate property, a request which was granted after some litigation. In 1870 a part of the western lands of the rancho were purchased from Mrs. Rains by the Cucamonga Land Company, which acquired by its purchase the water rights to San Antonio Creek, and a half interest in the waters of the cinega lands. The company sold its lands in tracts of from 10 to 80 acres, conveying with each piece an altogether indefinite amount of water. With the Hellman brothers as principal stockholders, the Cucamonga Homestead Association was organized about the same time, and this organization constructed a large flume and ditch, about a mile in length, out to the northern limit of the homestead lands, but failed to provide for any distribution of water to the 10 and 20-acre tracts into which the land was subdivided. Another company organized in the early days was the Cucamonga Vineyard Company, formed by the owners of the rancho, to irrigate the old vineyard property, and on the townsite which was laid out around the old winery, a settlement has grown up. Later the works of this company were merged into those of the Cucamonga Fruit Land Company, which was organized in 1887, and the same year the Cucamonga Water Company was formed ..
The conflicting water rights of the numerous organizations, with the indefinite terms upon which water was sold to land purchasers, led to trouble from the start, yet the productiveness of the land has caused the settlers to cling desperately to it even when their rights have had to be protected by the use of firearms. The mesa and "red hills" have always yielded grapes of an especially fine quality, but in recent years there has been an inclination to turn to citrus fruits, the soil being particularly well adapted to oranges. The Cucamonga Citrus Fruit Growers' Association was formed a number of years ago and belongs to the Ontario-Cucamonga Exchange. Cucamonga has a postoffice, school and several stores, located between the stations of the Southern Pacific and the Santa Fe railways, and at the latter station the little town of North Cucamonga has sprung up.
ETIWANDA. The Chaffey brothers, of Ontario, Canada, founders of the "model colony" of Ontario, California, completed in January, 1882. the purchase of the Garcia property, a tract of 7,600 acres of land on the Cucamonga Plains, with the water rights of that property and of the Day and Young canons. In the following May they organized the Etiwanda Water Company, and subdivided their tract, agreeing to con- struct a reservoir at the head of the colony lands and to construct flumes and ditches for delivery to each 10-acre tract. Pushing the work vigor- ously, spreading broadcast their advertisements of the region, and prom- ising to install electric lights, a telephone system, a hotel and a public school, by July they were able to announce that they had sold 810 acres of their tract, one of the first fruit colony settlements of San Bernardino County. The hotel was duly opened to the public in 1883 and the school- house was completed at about the same time.
248
249
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
In the meantime, in June, 1882, the Chaffey brothers had organized the California Land Improvement Company, to which they deeded their lands, and this company constructed the flumes and installed the dis- tributing system. The Etiwanda Water Company was reorganized in 1893. The colony has made a steady growth. At first the land was largely set to grapes and great quantities of raisins were made, but of more recent years citrus fruits have found increasing favor. A good many orange and lemon orchards are now flourishing, and Etiwanda has a Citrus Association, a packing establishment and a number of successful business houses. A Congregational church was established in 1893, and for some years held its services in the schoolhouse, but at present has its own place of worship.
HERMOSA (IOAMOSA). During 1880 Adolph Petsch spent several months in traveling over the southern counties of California and on one of his trips bought an interest in the Day Canon water and made filings under the desert land act on some Government land, which he soon after sold to the Chaffey brothers. In November of the same year, while traveling along the old Cajon road, he came to a patch of trees in the chaparral, and upon investigation discovered that they were peach trees, in full foliage. He found this to be the pre-emption claim of Henry Reed, a 160-acre tract in section 35, range 7 W, township 1 N. S. B. M., between the Cucamonga Red Hills and Martin's Station, and subsequently purchased the land with all water rights from Deer and Alder canons. Thus was taken the first step toward the founding of Hermosa. In 1881, with Judge Benjamin S. Eaton (the pioneer of Pasadena), A. A. Porter, P. M. Green and Kildorf Almind, Mr. Petsch formed the Hermosa Land and Water Company, the name Hermosa ("the beautiful") being sug- gested by Judge Eaton. To the original purchase were added some 400 acres of the old Cucamonga Homestead Tract and 165 acres of railroad land, but the water rights were only applied to 480 acres by the first company. These 480 undivided interests in all the water were later on turned by the settlers into the Hermosa Water Company, which company also acquired 1,200 acres of mountain land, completely covering all sources of the water in Deer Canon. One of the early features of Her- mosa was a concrete wall fencing in 240 acres, to protect the first planta- tions against the innumerable rabbits that infested the country. Mr. Petsch says: "I got the idea of this wall from Brigham Young, during a stay at Salt Lake. As a rabbit fence the wall proved to be a complete failure, but it proved to be a first-class advertisement for the enclosed land." The success of the Hermosa settlement led, in 1883, to the estab- lishment of the Iowa Tract, which included 500 acres of the old Cuca- monga Homestead Tract. This later led to the amalgamation of the names Hermosa and Iowa into the latter appellation of Ioamosa. The Hermosa Water Company was incorporated in October, 1887, with a capital stock of $192,000. This was an incorporation of the land owners, the stock of the company being issued to the holders of the original rights. The colony has continued to prosper and is now one of the thrifty settle- ments of Western San Bernardino County. It maintains a schoolhouse and postoffice, and a number of thriving business establishments are in operation.
RIALTO. In 1887 the Semi-Tropic Land and Water Company, with a stock of $3,000,000, was formed and purchased some 28,500 acres of land and the water rights to approximately 800 inches of water from Lytle Creek. The company then constructed the Rialto Canal, an open,
250
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
cemented ditch, six miles in length, and began the construction of an elaborate distribution system. The townsites of Rialto, Fontana, San- sevaine and Bloomington were laid out and the balance of the land was subdivided, mostly into 20-acre tracts, which were sold and were largely set out to deciduous and citrus fruits. In order to carry through its irriga- tion projects the company had been forced to mortgage its holdings to the San Francisco Savings Union, and when it was unable to meet its responsibilities, the latter company, after litigation, took over more than 20,000 acres of land and a large portion of the waters of Lytle Creek. These holdings in the same year, 1896, the San Francisco Savings Union disposed of to two corporations, the Chicala Water Company, of Iowa, which acquired the water, and the Anglo-American Canaigre Company, which secured a large share of the landed interests. These two companies controlled the property from 1897 to 1901, when a new company, the Fontana Development Company, obtained the interests of both concerns and such other rights as were vested in the Savings Union.
Two other companies also operated in the vicinity, in the manage- ment and distribution of the waters of Lytle Creek-the Lytle Creek Water and Improvement Company and the Lytle Creek Water Company.
On the Santa Fe Railroad, on lands which were included in the original holdings of the Semi-Tropic Land and Water Company, is the town of Rialto. In 1887 a company of people came to this vicinity from Southern Kansas and founded what was known as the "Kansas Colony," purchasing 16,000 acres of land from the Semi-Tropic Company. The colony was unable to pay for the lands purchased and soon lost their interests, although a number of individuals were able to retain their holdings and were among the early settlers of Rialto. The townsite of Rialto was laid out during 1887-88 and a syndicate built one of the "boom" hotels of the time. In 1892 the school district was set off and the town now boasts of good educational facilities. Rialto is one of the attractive "fruit colonies" of San Bernardino County, and while the greater part of its population centers its activities in the conduct of orchards, the commu- nity boasts of good shops and other facilities of a growing and enter- prising town. It has the First Methodist Church, founded in 1887, and the First Congregational Church, organized in 1891, each having houses of worship of their own. The fraternal societies represented include Fraternal Brotherhood, Lodge No. 179, instituted June 27, 1901; and Rialto Hive No. 22, Ladies of the Maccabees, formed April 24, 1902, which is largely the outgrowth of San Bernardino Hive.
UPLAND. Formerly known as North Ontario until 1902, when the county board of supervisors in answer to a petition from the people changed its name, the town of Upland was originally the Magnolia tract, laid out by the Bedford brothers during the '80s, and also the Stowell tract. A station of the Southern California Railway was located at this point and a settlement grew up about the station, where the Bedford brothers erected the Magnolia Villa Hotel about 1887. Upland has enjoyed a prosperous growth, and now has well-graded and oiled streets, the majority with cement or gravel sidewalks ; an electric street railway, electric lights, numerous brick business blocks, a flourishing banking house, and six packing houses.
The postoffice enjoys the privileges of the presidential rank, third class, and free rural delivery is maintained, having been established in 1901. Upland has four church organizations, the Methodist. Presbyterian. Epis- copalian and Mennonite. Excellent educational facilities are given the children of the community. The city likewise supports a successful
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.