Carbon Canyon Historical Artifact #58: A Rare Photo Attributed to Carbon Canyon, ca. 1910s

This is a great and very rare cabinet card photograph that looks to be taken in the early part of the 20th century and is simply labeled "Carbon Cañon."  It is interesting that the Spanish form of "cañon" with the tilde over the first "n" is used, which almost seems like a Latino or at least someone well-versed in the language wrote the inscription.  Otherwise, there is no information about the scene, the people, or why the photo was taken.

It shows a large hay wagon parked on a dirt road with a gent at the top pulling a bale to the fourth layer with the previous ones laid in a cross-hatch pattern.  Three other workers stand or sit next to the wagon and one of the workers, holding his face in his right hand, sits on a sack of an unknown product, of which there are stacks, largely covered in canvas.

These sacks rest against a plain wood fence and in the distance to the left below some hills is a large structure, probably a barn.  Behind the wagon are harnessed horses unhitched, probably, from the vehicle and other horses are further in the distance.  In front of the wagon at the lower right are two buckets.  Note the number 37 placed under the wagon on the negative.

Click on the image to see it enlarged in a separate window.

Most intriguing, potentially, is on the right.  It appears that the road has been cut partially into the low hillsides and this cut is buttressed with horizontal boards kept in place by vertical posts.  Behind the worker at the right, who leans against a front corner of the wagon, are stacks of what might be wooden forms. 

Could this be Carbon Canyon Road in construction and maybe the ranch workers were loading hay and grains to take either to Chino or towards Orange County?  The road was built through from Chino to Brea in 1914-15, so the timing appears to be reasonable given that cabinet cards were common from the 1880s to the 1920s or so. 

Unfortunately, we're not likely to get any answers to these questions, but, if this is Carbon Canyon, it is a very unusual document of the area a century or more ago.

Carbon Canyon Crier, February 1965

Thanks again to those Sleepy Hollow neighbors who've loaned a group of photos and documents relating to the history of the community and Carbon Canyon broadly.  Back in February, the January 1965 issue of the community newsletter, Carbon Canyon Crier, was highlighted on this blog.

Today, we feature the 12-page issue of February 1965's Crier.  Among the content is material on replacing stolen wooden street signs that community members designed, built and paid for.  At least one remnant of these, part of the pole, still stands in the neighborhood today.

Click on any image to see all of them enlarged in a separate window.

There was also discussion about conditions in the Canyon, which was primed for major changes.  Editor Harry Shedrick, a Sleepy Hollow resident, noted that, when he moved to the community seven years before, land sold for as low as $300 an acre; water was delivered in 3/4' main pipes, meaning that two taps couldn't be turned out at the same time; the recently opened Western Hills Golf Course was the Stoody Ranch; the Canyon Hills Swim and Saddle Club, with its Canyon Hills Inn, was still the Workmen's Circle Jewish camp; and the smell of sulfur from the water in Carbon [Canyon] Creek was still always present.

Shedrick wrote that, "stagnation in the past brought such things as the old Sleepy Hollow Cafe, narcotics, ex-convicts (and occasionally some not so 'ex'), highway accidents [Carbon Canyon Road's designation as Route 142 was made official just the previous year], brush fires, run down houses, non-productive land, and almost total lack of 'pride of ownership.'"

Well, some of that didn't change and still hasn't, although the development of the Western Hills Oaks subdivision was soon to start, bringing the first "modern" residential tract to the San Bernardino County side of the Canyon, following 1964's Olinda Village subdivision on the Brea side.  Shedrick also pointed out the capital and effort put into the new golf course as well as the Canyon Hills Swim and Saddle Club as examples of how to improve the Canyon.

He added that new homes in Sleepy Hollow and Mountain View (Canon Lane south of Carbon Canyon Road), along with more responsiveness from fire, police, transportation, and planning and health agencies at the local, county and state level were good signs.  So, too, in his estimation, was the fact that "Canyon folks are all getting along together with no splits or factions squabbling.  His conclusion was that "these are the things that make progress not a dirty word, but the essence of our future."  A half-century plus later, it is interesting to read Shedrick's commentary and think about the future of the Canyon.

News from the most recent meeting of Waterworks District No. 8, which encompassed Sleepy Hollow and surrounding areas within the San Bernardino County portion of the Canyon, is also notable to look over.  Discussion was about street signs (the county would not handle this, because the roads in Sleepy Hollow were considered private); booster pumps for improved water delivery (up to individual property owners); a proposed Community Services District for the area; and about brush clearance by the volunteer fire department in the creek, as well as lanes, roads and paths in Sleepy Hollow (this is a recurring issue, obviously).

Similarly, the monthly town hall meeting for January was recapped.  Details about street signs within Sleepy Hollow were discussed here, too, and applause given for residents who'd offered to pay for two of the stolen signs along the state highway.  It was also revealed that the dormant Carbon Canyon Women's Club was reactivated, and a descendant of the club existed until not that long ago.

There was also further discussion about the proposed Community Services District as essential to the future management of the Canyon.  The meeting's chairman, Paul Deutsch, pointed out that he'd attended meetings by consultants hired by the County to prepare development plans for the west portion of the county, including what became Chino Hills and that it was recommended that the latter become "a low-density, high-value residential area."

It was added that a civil engineering firm, Neste, Brudin and Stone of San Bernardino, "offered to produce an economic feasibility report at no cost to the proponents" of the district and it was expected to be ready in a few days.  A report followed about the proposed district boundaries, with the statement made that it covered 2,000 acres with nearly two-thirds of that earmarked for future residential development.

Another report observed that the district was needed for such public works as street lighting and sewage disposal, both obviously lacking in the Canyon then and comments concluding the meeting concerned discussions with utility companies and developers, as well as  future steps needed with the County and the Local Agency Formation Commission, if the district idea was to move forward and be implemented.

A "Personalities" feature highlighted the Chino Judicial District Constable Fred Derbyshire, a native of Quebec, Canada who lived in Ojai before moving to Chino. When he was only 20, Derbyshire, recently hired as a motorcycle traffic officer, was appointed police chief in town back in 1930.  He then worked for the County Sheriff and the California Highway Patrol, working with the latter for over a quarter century before retiring.  He then was appointed to be constable for the Judicial District, a civil position in which Derbyshire served subpoenas, acted as court bailiff, and handled other responsibilities relating to court actions.

Other contents include a description of the revived community Christmas party by the reactivated women's club in the Sleepy Hollow Community Building, the forerunner to the current buildings.  Forty children attended and Santa arrived on the volunteer fire department's truck.  Singing of Christmas carols and refreshments were also part of the program.

A couple of photos accompanied a short notice about the recently opened Canyon Hills Inn at the swim and saddle club, located at the horse ranch behind the Circle K convenience store and across from the new Stonecrest development.  It was mentioned that Fridays were designated Carbon Canyon Night with dinner and dancing to music by Dusty Ellis and His Orchestra.  Drinks were just 50 cents and a fried chicken dinner was $1.50.  Dinner was from 6:30 and 8:30 with dancing until 2 a.m.  Residents were invited to bring their "city folk cousins," colleagues from work and visitors from out-of-town.

Health information from "The Visiting Nurse," hair care tips "For Women Only," a police blotter listing area calls by the Sheriff's Department (including "a man down" at the Dixie Tavern, thefts at Canyon Hills and across from Western Hills Golf Course, and reported shooting at horses at the Summit), and local tidbits were also published.

The Carbon Canyon Crier issue is a fascinating look back over fifty years ago at a Carbon Canyon that was on the verge of a transformation from an isolated community to one gradually being absorbed in the suburbanization that was rapidly growing and continues to do so.

The Gaines and Brown Families of Carbon Canyon, Part 11: A Trio of Photos at the Flying Cow Ranch

With thanks again to Joyce Harrington for providing copies of many photographs and documents concerning the Gaines and Brown families, from whom she is descended and who lived in the Carbon Canyon area for many decades, here are a trio of photos showing Edward F. Gaines and his Flying Cow Ranch.

This is the area that is now known as Olinda Village, with the Craftsman-style ranch house situated where the Hollydale Mobile Home Estates and adjoining Hindu temple are located south of Carbon Canyon Road.

To the north of the state highway, meanwhile, were areas of the ranch devoted to grazing animals and this is where the Olinda Village subdivision was created in 1964, not long after Gaines' death and the sale of the ranch.

The first photo is of the house, examples of which have been shown before, and includes Ed and his wife Fannie seated, second and third from left, on the edge of the porch, with Ed holding a dog in his lap.  The photo was taken about 1911.

The second image is a nice closeup of Gaines with one of his prized horses, likely near the stables and barn area that burned in a tragic fire in 1939.

The third view is a fantastic one showing Gaines seated on his horse, "Addison P. Day," perhaps the same animal as in the earlier image, in front of the entrance to the Flying Cow.  In the distance are some the expansive rolling hills that marked much of the property.

More images from this collection are forthcoming, even as posts have slowed recently, so look for more in the New Year.