Redlands Remembered

By 1889, the newly established town of Redlands at the southern base of the San Bernardino Range offered mild winters and spectacular views of the nearby mountains. The sunny, dry climate enticed eastern industrialists, and Redlands became a place of annual escape, a millionaire mecca by the turn of the twentieth century. Early philanthropists set the tone for an active civic culture that has lasted throughout the city's 125 years. These stories, researched and written by Joan Hedges McCall, tell how and why the town developed out of dusty, semi-arid lands into a green belt of orange groves, parks and Victorian homes. Find out where the water came from, how the navel oranges grew and who helped Redlands grow into the beloved city it is today.

Joan Hedges McCall has been a well-known educator and community volunteer in Redlands, California, for more than thirty years. She has been a member of the Redlands Heritage Auxiliary, serving as scriptwriter, school tour chair and board member. Her monthly column, "Regarding Redlands," and numerous feature articles have appeared in the Redlands Daily Facts. Joan McCall has been a history teacher and a teacher librarian. She holds a BA degree from Pomona College and an MA degree from Azusa Pacific University.