The Highland Area Historical Society
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The
May 2013 newsletter is now available to download on the
Highland Area Historical Society Newsletter
page.
Or click
on image to open the newsletter PDF file directly.
Enjoy the writing by
Nancy Alexander!
Sustaining Sponsors
Up coming meetings and events
Meeting
dates for 2013:
Jan.
24
March
28
May
23
Sept. 26
Dec. 5
Meetings
are held at the
Highland Senior Center,
3102 E. Highland Avenue
and are free and open to the public.
Next Meeting
Highland Area Historical Society meeting
Thursday, May 23rd, 2013 7:00pm at the
Highland Senior Center
3102 Highland Ave. at the entrance to Patton.
PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION -
Bob Smith, author of “Redefining the Inland Valley”, will be the guest speaker at the Highland Area Historical Society meeting.
Bob will provide a slide show and talk about his book that includes driving tours of the Inland area. Autographed copies of his book will be available for purchase.
Bob Smith’s “Redefining the Inland Valley” is an update of the book of the same title published 10 years ago. The second edition comprises many changes, references and new illustrations in the driving tours section.
Read Bob’s Bio: http://bsartist.weebly.com/
Redefining the Inland Valley (Second edition)
Redefining the Inland Valley (Second edition)
Author: Bob Smith
www.bsartist.weebly.com
Paperback: 200 Pages
Publisher: Landmark Graphics (2010)
Language: English
Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.8 x 0.7 inches
Contents and Detailed Driving Tours of Inland Valley cities.
Chino 9
Fontana 12
Ontario 15
Pomona, Claremont, La Verne, San Dimas 19
Rancho Cucamonga, Alta Loma, Etiwanda, Cucamonga 31
Riverside 36
San Bernardino, Del Rosa 40
Redlands 45
Upland 48
Chronology and time-line 53
Alphabetical History 65
Annotated Bibliography 73
Inland Valley Museums 191
Redefining the Inland Valley: Questions answered in the Text
Why are there two roads named Arrow? (Arrow Route and Arrow Highway) p. 48.Why is our valley divided into three counties? (LA, San Bernardino, Riv.) pp. 8, 9, 87
How can I be living in Alta Loma and Rancho Cucamonga at the same time? P. 31
Why did Ignacio Palomares move north and build on Arrow Highway ? pp. 20, 48.
What is the significance of Baseline Road and Meridian Street? P. 74
Where and when was the speed of light first measured in the Inland Valley ? p. 123
Where can I see and touch the SR 71 Blackbird ? March Air Museum, Riverside p. 193
Where can I see real prize winning race cars ? National Hot-rod Museum, Pomona, 192
Where can I see examples of historic planes at the “Planes of Fame” Air Museum? P.11
Where can I see a model of the mule car used to haul passengers to Upland ? pp. 16, 127
Where can we experience life on a farm of 150 years ago ? pp.36, 116, 192, 38, 193.
Where can I see the “parent” tree of all the navel oranges in the valley ? Riverside p.37.
Where can I tour a 19th century farm-house, barn and orchards ? Riverside pp. 38, 193
Where is A. B. Miller’s first Fontana Farms development, “Camp One” ? pp. 12, 123.
Where is the Madonna of the Trail and what are the four trails that meet there? p. 121.
How many Madonna of the trail statues are there, from California to Maryland ? P. 121.
Where can I see a statue of a Civil War soldier and list of local men who served ? p. 41,
Where can I see a statue of a WWI doughboy and a list of local men who served ? p. 24.
Where can I see a statue of the goddess Pomona, as pictured on the cover ? p.138.
Where can I see a statue of Juan Bautista de Anza and all his followers ? Riverside p. 68.
Where can I see a statue of Jedediah Smith ? San Dimas p. 159.
Where can I tour a Spanish adobe with authentic furnishings ? Pomona pp. 19, 192
Where can I see examples of Victorian architecture ? pp. 10, 27, 28, 38, 45, 46.
Where can I see examples of Art Deco style architecture ? pp. 10, 22, 25, 26.
Does the Mission Inn have anything to do with the California Missions ? p. 124.
Where can I see real examples of Abraham Lincoln’s signature ? Redlands p. 47
Entertainment > Local Events
Now and Then: Hardscrabble Street
 |
| 1924 Cram School District Map
Use Ctrl + & - to zoom after opening. |
By Nancy Alexander
The great thing about this map is that it shows the names of property owners within the school district and the locations of that property. This is exciting in and of itself, but something leaped out at both Charles and I , and that was a street name. Now, you know that street names are of particular interest to me, so the name Hardscrabble Road really popped out. In addition, New Street was an unfamiliar road.
The first thing was to find out what “hardscrabble” means. It is pretty obvious, but here is the definition: adjective: earning a bare subsistence, as on the land; noun: barren or marginal farmland; also being or relating to a place of barren or barely arable soil.
The next question was, “are there really streets named Hardscrabble?” The answer is yes. A quick on-line search found Hardscrabble Road in New York, North and South Carolina.
The eastern terminus of Hardscrabble Street is at Church Street. Following westward on Hardscrabble, there is a curve to the north, and a continuation to the west. The street that curves north is labeled New Street and it’s terminus is Base Line. This New Street is west of Orange Street which travels south to Redlands, so it is not Boulder Ave. as it is situated today, but may have been the beginning of Boulder Avenue.
It is also noted that New Street/Boulder Avenue does not continue north above Base Line as it does today, as all the land was owned by ranchers.
Comparisons of the 1924 map and more current maps would suggest that Hardscrabble Street was in line with 5th street or Third Street, however you want to draw the line. As you know, 5th street ends about Palm Avenue, and 3rd Street takes a slight jog north, then continues east. The land in this area falls in with the meaning of hardscrabble, being very rocky soil.
A visit to the County Archives is definitely in my future to try and sort this out. But in the mean time, if you love old maps, stop by the Highland Area Historical Society’s booth on Palm Ave. and Main Street at the Citrus Harvest Festival and take a look and tell me what you think.
More on Hardscrabble and New Streets
 |
By Nancy Alexander
After reading the article, Ken took a look at a 1930 ariel map of the same area. With careful comparison to the 1924 Cram School District map, which he feels is not to scale, he came to the conclusion that New Street is now Webster.
“...that location is today’s intersection of Webster (New) and Greenspot (Hardscrabble). If you look at the photos I added, I outlined this section in black and it is clear that this intersection is what the map you have shows. This is before Boulder was constructed. The reason I am so confident is because of the location of the railroad tracks in the map. Also, Church Street location help pinpoint it for me.
This is a cool map because the street names are on it. I have edited the photo showing where Boulder is in relation to this intersection. Another cool fact is that the curve from Greenspot to Webster has made an impact on why when traveling east on Greenspot as you approach Boulder, the road makes a slight dogleg to the right then when you travel through Boulder you make another dogleg to the left. This I believe is the result of the old curve in the map. If you go to that location with a copy of the photo, not the map, you will see what I mean.
The map shows Hardscrabble staying straight west of the curve but the photo shows different.
I have seen several different maps where the road we now call Greenspot was referred to by different names, among them, East Highland Road. The name Greenspot was applied in 1931, after J.S. Edwards purchased the Greenspot Citrus Association.
“In extending the Edwards interests into Greenspot, the East Highlands Orange Company and co-operating growers recently completed a new road linking East Highlands and Greenspot. The county is expected to take this road over and improve it.” (Highland Messenger. Friday Aug. 21, 1931 Front Page, Column 1)
A 1960 road map shows 3rd street going east from Palm Avenue to Church Street, then there is a little jog to the north and it is then labeled East Highland Road. Some way past the railroad tracks to the east, East Highland Road runs into Greenspot Road, which at that junction, continued north to the Santa Ana Canyon Road, which curving northward is called Plunge Creek Road. (It’s all very confusing!)
The 1924 Cram School District map show an approximate location of the Santa Ana Canyon Road, which seems to begin at Manzanita Drive (in the Village), curving north and then meandering eastward, then taking a curve south, finally continuing in a straight line through the American Fruit Growers property.
The roads continue to shift and change with new roads being added and old roads disappearing as the area develops and changes. Come by our booth at the Citrus Harvest Festival and view these maps for yourself. March 30 at Palm Avenie and Main Street.
A Pictorial History of Highland, by Bill Calvert
| Contents | ||
| Before Highland... The Serranos | Page | 1 |
| Messina | Page | 9 |
| Highland Views | Page | 13 |
| Highland Business District | Page | 23 |
| East Highlands | Page | 57 |
| Churches | Page | 65 |
| Schools | Page | 73 |
| Trains, Street Cars & Depots | Page | 81 |
| Home Sweet Home | Page | 91 |
| Packing Houses | Page | 123 |
| Harlem Springs | Page | 149 |
| Molino | Page | 153 |
| Patton | Page | 157 |
| City Creek Road | Page | 163 |
| Fredlaba | Page | 173 |
| Highland Faces | Page | 185 |
| Annexation vs Cityhood | Page | 195 |
| More EL Rancho | Page | 204 |
| To order: Nancy Alexander at 909-862-7868 |
||
Bill Calvert has been collecting Highland photos and artifacts for 25 years. An idea began to take shape to chronicle the history of Highland from its early days, when it was known as Messina, to 1987 when Highland was incorporated as a city, through the use of photographs.
The late Kay Beattie, who wrote the Looking Back articles for the Highland Community News, was to collaborate with Bill on this project, but it became too much for her. With her encouragement, Bill pressed on with the project.
The Historical Society offered to “self-publish” this one-of-a-kind book consisting of 207 pages of photos and historical narrative.
Copies of
A Pictorial History of Highland, by Bill Calvertand A Look Back... By Kay Beattie Vol.1 are available at:
The Highland Area Chamber of Commerce
Stop by their office M-TH 9:00
a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
27255 Messina St., Highland, CA 92346
Phone (909)
864-4073
Fax (909) 864-4583
Resent Meetings And Events.
See more on our
Past Speakers and Events page.
The 17th Annual Highland Citrus Harvest Festival was be
held on
Saturday, March 30th.
The theme for our booth was
the "History of Highland Schools".
Historical
educational items and photographs were displayed in the booth.
We were honored to win a First place for best Historical Display this year!
Highland Area Historical Society meeting
Thursday, March 28th 2013 7:00pm at the
Highland Senior Center
3102 Highland Ave. at the entrance to Patton.
PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION -
The program was presented by Nancy Alexander on “An Overview of the History of Highland Schools”. It included a PowerPoint presentation on Highland schools, including Warm Springs, Cram and Arroyo Verde, and their histories.
January 27, 2013 - 30th Annual Highland Family Run
We staffed one of the water stations and cheered on the runners at the 30th Annual Highland Family Run
Highland Area Historical Society meeting
Thursday,
January 24th 2013 7:00pm at the
Highland Senior Center
3102 Highland Ave. at the entrance to Patton.
PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION
Our first meeting of 2013 was a potluck dinner and installation of the officers and board members for 2013-14.
For entertainment, a slide show was presented featuring
highlights from the City of Highlands first 25 years.
Good food and comradely was enjoyed by those in attendance .
Highland Area Historical Society meeting
Thursday, December 6th, 2012 7:00pm at the
Highland Senior Center
3102 Highland Ave. at the entrance to Patton.
The December 6th presentation was "The Harris Company," by Arcadia Publishing Author Aimmee Rodriguez
"The Harris Company," was an overview of the business from its
early beginnings to its merger with Gottschalks in the late 1990s.
Aimmee discussed the company's growth from a small store
front in San Bernardino, California to the Inland Empire's premier
department store. Harris' during the Christmas season, and memories of
what made the Harris Company a beloved business, was also addressed.
Aimmee's book was available for sale for
$20. She had a book signing afterwards.
The Highland Area Historical Society was at the
Discover Highland
Night Sat. October 27, 2012 (3-7 pm) in the Lowes parking lot.
The booth
was donated by the
Hampton Inn & Suites Highland, and we thank them very
much!
Highland Area Historical Society meeting
Thursday, Sept. 27th, 2012 7:00pm at the
Highland Senior Center
3102 Highland Ave. at the entrance to Patton.
The September 27th program was a power point presentation entitled
"Highland, The Journey to Cityhood". It included the beginnings of
incorporation and some of Highland's "Firsts". Also included were the changes
from an agricultural township to a modern city.
Highland Area Historical Society meeting
Thursday, May 24th, 2012 7:00pm
Anne Viricel posted a great recap of the May 24th meeting:
Highland city founders reminisce
Founding Highlanders Jim Rissmiller, Jody Scott, Ross Jones, and Dennis Johnson comprised the ‘Roundtable of Founders’ panel that met at the Highland Historical Society May 24.
Turbulent times preceded incorporation
By Anne Viricel
Published: Friday, May 25, 2012 4:25 PM PDT
Highland Area Historical Society meeting
Thursday, May 24th, 2012 7:00pm at the
Highland Senior Center
3102 Highland Ave. at the entrance to Patton.
May 24th meeting -
Roundtable of founders including:
Ross Jones, Dennis Johnson, Jim Rissmiller and Jody Scott.
As part of our celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Highland, we held a roundtable discussion with some of the people that made the dream of Highland Cityhood become a reality. The round table was an excellent opportunity to hear “straight from the horse’s mouth” about the inception of the idea for cityhood, the reasons people felt so strongly for and against the idea and the preparations put in place to make the new City succeed.
Highland Citrus Harvest Festival
Saturday, March 31, 2012 from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm.
The City celebrated its 16th Annual Citrus Harvest Festival. The Historic District
was filled with crafters, delicious food, antique and classic cars and lots of area residents.
There was fun for everyone including live entertainment, kids games and rides, an historic home tour, shopping and much more. For further details, please contact Stater Kim at:
(909) 864-8732, extension 204.
Highland Area Historical Society meeting
Thursday, March 22nd, 2012 7:00pm at the Highland Senior Center 3102 Highland Ave. at the entrance to Patton.
The March 22nd program was:
A Racy History of Highland
Don Harkey presented a “lively” and “spirited” program on the
history auto racing,
racers and race tracks in the Highland area. He
covered topics from the “Ashcan Derby”
to the National Orange
Show Raceways, and a lot in between.
Some of the items covered
are:
1) A bit about Don’s racing career
2) Inland Empire Speedways
Ash Can (Kan) Derby which was on 3rd St. in Highland (1945-1948)
Orange Empire Speedway (1938-1942) br> Orange Show Stadium / Speedway (1941-2011?)
Riverside International Raceway (1957-1989)
Ontario Motor Speedway (1970-1980)
3) Highland's Racing Champions (OSS)
4) Notable Highland drivers (including Swede Savage)
5) A viewing of, a short Super 8 mm film titled "Orange Show Speedway '71
Highland Area Historical Society meeting
Thursday, January 26, 2012 7:00pm at the
Highland Senior Center 3102 Highland Ave. at the entrance to Patton.
Marilyn Cram Donahue, daughter of Fred Cram and Nellie Carter Cram; widow of Robert Donahue (son of Leo Donahue) and prolific author shared her memories of Highland in the 1930's and 1940*s, concentrating on the downtown area; the two grocery stores, the drugstore, Hambly's
dry goods store, etc. and some of the social activities, including the Women's Club and the Knitting Club. She also talked about the Canteen that operated during the war years. Marilyn also shared her memories of orange ranching and what it was really like.
Pioneer recipes and some of the "snake oil" curatives, street games and songs and dances were part of the treasure trove of memories that Mrs. Donahue will shared.
The public was invited to share their memories of this time.
Marilyn has a new book coming out soon (hopefully). It takes place in a town called Messina in 1939. The story is fiction, but the setting is factual.
For those of you who read her first novel, Sutter's Sands (1971) and any of her young adult books, Straight Along a Crooked Road, The Valley in Between or any of her books, you won't want to miss this opportunity to meet the author and hear her share her personal memories of early Highland.
As Always the programs are open to the public. Light refreshments are provided after the program.
What if Highland Area Historical Society earned a donation every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause? Well, now it can!
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And if you download the GoodSearch – Highland Area Historical Society toolbar, our cause will earn money every time you shop and search online - even if you forget to go to GoodShop or GoodSearch first! Add the Highland Area Historical Society toolbar at http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/highland-area-historical-society
Announcing the publication of the first volume of Kay Beattie's A Look Back columns, (originally published in the Highland Community News), as part of a fund raising project.
Kay spent many, many hours pouring over old newspapers, visiting the Highland Library, the Smiley Library in Redlands, the San Bernardino Feldhym Library and the San Bernardino Historic Archives, as well as her father-in-law's, George W. Beattie, work, to find information for her "stories".
This body of work is an invaluable resource for the history of Highland and the surrounding area, and is deserving of being preserved in enduring and readily available format. It would be impossible to include all her columns in a single volume, so they have been divided into several.
The collection was compiled, edited and indexed by Nancy Alexander, President of the Highland Area Historical Society and City Historian.
The first volume is available now and will make great gift for anyone who is interested in Highland's rich history.
The cost is $40 and can be ordered by contacting Nancy Alexander at
Highland Community News
photo by Charles Roberts
Library addition
Alexander compiled the Beattie stories from copies of the Highland Community News, and added an index for reference purposes. Beattie wrote weekly Highland history articles for the Highland Community News for many years.
Highland Area Historical Society Blog:
http://www.blog.highlandhistory.org/
Officers and Board Members br>2013-2014
President: Nancy Alexander
909-862-7868
2012 Highland Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year
Nancy Alexander
Nancy
was honored for her work as the President of the Highland Area Historical
Society, for serving on The Highland Historic and Cultural Preservation
Board, the Street
Naming Committee, and her work in researching and chronicling Highlands
History.
Nancy pens a weekly history column in the Highland Community News dealing with Highlands History and has authored numerous books and pamphlets.
Vice President: Charles Kiel
Secretary: Pam Beachtel Bible
Treasurer: Open
Board Members: Carol Ray, Jim Smith, Kathy
Toy
Contact Information
Highland Area Historical SocietyP.O. Box P.O. Box 353
Highland, CA 92346-0353
www.HighlandHistory.org
Email Webmaster
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Tired of seeing all of the orange groves disappearing?
Support
the Inland Orange Conservancy in saving groves in our neighborhood.
To learn more go to :
http://www.inlandorange.org/
P.O.
Box 188
Mentone, CA 92359
909-794-4484 * inlandorange@hotmail.com
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