After I finished handsewing my quilt, my mind tumbled over various pieces of research of my husband’s Pomona family history in preparation for our California trip.
Excitedly, I told him I thought the setting of his uncle’s painting was of his great uncle who owned the Currier Ranch of Pomona…who had quite an impressive resume!
- 1860s – Moving from Maine to California, then Idaho where he attained a fortune in silver mining, he bought land in Pomona, California.
- 1870 – Currier Ranch (which grew to 2500 acres) established – horses, cattle, orchards (walnuts, citrus, raisin grapes, deciduous fruit)
- 1870 – Served on the Board of Trustees for the First Baptist Church
- 1881 – Married a local widow who road a wagon train from Texas to California in her youth
- 1883 to 1884 – Served as sheriff
- 1895 – Established the Currier Block in Los Angeles, gorgeous Georgian Revival architecture
- 1897 – Stockholder and president of Hotel Palomares
- 1899 to 1902 – Served as state senator for Los Angeles area
- 1918 – Sold land that became Diamond Bar Ranch
- 1920 – Donated land for Pomona YMCA, that was lot for Hotel Palomares that burned down
- Principle stockholder in a motor line
- Director of the First National Bank Pomona
- Director of the San Antonio Canyon Water Company, invested in wells
- President of the Odd Fellows Hall Association Pomona
- Donated money to Redlands University
- 1921 – Buried in Spadra Cemetery
Since I discovered a book full of Great Uncle Alvan T. Currier’s life, I was able to glean more details than what most of us ever know of our ancestry.
Taking a picture of the painting, I kept it on my cell phone to look for those mountains, even though the Currier Ranch no longer exists as it once did.
Our goal was to visit each of those places while in California.
DISCOVERY
On Thanksgiving evening, we drove from Rancho Bernardo to Pomona in the dark of the night, which meant I had to wait until the next day to seek the mountains from the painting.
Arriving at the Pomona Double Tree Hilton near lots of highways, we spent our one night in Pomona at the easternmost end of the former Currier Ranch…owned by my husband’s Great Uncle Alvan T. Currier in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
As I approached a table with my breakfast the next morning, I gasped when I saw the view through the picture window!
That’s Elephant Hill…the volcanic mountain pictured in my Virginia living room!
Different angle, but the smooth tops, the finger-like protusions that ripple down to the base of the hills, were all the same.
Elatedly I showed my husband who was astounded! I told him he needed to drive me to a high spot further east, to try to grab a snap from a different angle that matches the painting. Wouldn’t that be cool!
From our hotel, this was the clearest and westernmost angle I could obtain.
CURRIER ROAD
Before that, we drove to the original site of the Currier Ranch, now the City of Industry, a short distance away.
After driving on Brea Canyon Road, we turned onto Currier Road…
…which eventually becomes Business Parkway.
On this short street, we stopped at the intersection of Currier Road and Reyes Drive to take snaps and imagine ranch land with orange groves and horses…
Meanwhile, this was the view west towards Lemon Avenue…
While we were sandwiched between two railroad lines, one of them was near those trees in the distance, beyond which the town of Diamond Bar begins.
In 1918, Great Uncle Alvan T. Currier sold some acreage from the eastern part of his ranch which became the Diamond Bar Ranch.
Later, the ranch was developed into the gorgeous town/community of Diamond Bar, near which our hotel sits.
To see Elephant Hill, drive down this road (Currier Road) to South Brea Canyon Road (turn left) then drive to Valley Boulevard. (which is a variation of what we did next)
Tall and lanky like Great Uncle Alvan T. Currier (and more direct ancestors we’ve found old photographs of), my husband captured a shot of his family heritage.
SITE OF THE CURRIER MANSION – OLD RANCH ROAD
Next we drove to Old Ranch Road, the only other marking of the golden days of the Currier Ranch, which is en route to Elephant Hill.
At the end of Old Ranch Road and Ferrero Parkway, we again stopped to look around and seep in the Currier Ranch days as best we could while surrounded by the very modern City of Industry.
In 1927, the Currier Mansion was described as beautiful and substantial, well built and well furnished, and surrounded by palm trees, commanding an excellent view of Mount San Antonio (aka Mount Baldy).
Would this be the exact spot of the house…might those be original palm trees?
Panning east of the property, I caught a peek at Elephant Hill…can you imagine the view of Mount San Antonio further beyond, back in the day?
Yielding rights for the railroad to come through his property, Alvin’s home eventually suffered from that decision.
My husband remembers the railroad line when visiting this area as a child with his father.
His dad knew the foreman of the ranch, who lived near here. The only other memory my husband has of that day is that the foreman recognized and heartily greeted his dad as they walked up on the front porch.
RAILROAD
Continuing our research, we drove towards Elephant Hill, to see how many angle views we could obtain.
Impeded by the train whose company brought industry to the area.
CAL POLY – ELEPHANT HILL
Finding a place to pull over three miles north of Currier Road, we arrived at the Cal Poly Spadra Farm.
Here we caught some snaps of the volcano, about a mile away, similar to historic photos of the citrus industry of the late 19th and early 20th century, where the flat area suddenly rises to Elephant Hill.
DIAMOND BAR
Then we drove to one of the Diamond Bar neighborhoods, once part of the Currier Ranch, hoping to capture a different angle of Elephant Hill that oriented to the viewe in Uncle Warren’s painting.
SAN JOSE CREEK – ELEPHANT HILL
Although we found a trail, we had an important research appointment at the Spadra Cemetery, where Alvan T. Currier is buried.
Outside the gate to the cemetery is the remnant of the once flowing San Jose Creek, which abundantly flowed through the Currier Ranch.
Since the ranch was nestled between communities, descriptions vary, stating its location as the San Jose Valley, Spadra, Walnut, or Pomona.
POMONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Once open to the public, Spadra Cemetery was recently gated by the Pomona Historical Society to keep out vandals.
When I called the Pomona Historical Society from Virginia, I explained my husband’s relation to Alvan T. Currier and all the family history, with inside scoop not on the internet.
Impressed with that information, they kindly worked with us.
One of the docents from the Pomona Historical Society said she could meet us at the Spadra Cemetery for a tour.
SPADRA CEMETERY – ELEPHANT HILL
When she arrived, this kindred spirit opened the gates and took us across the infamous railroad tracks at the base of Elephant Hill.
Underneath that grove of trees is the cemetery.
Arriving at the burial site, the guide explained that vandals destroyed many of the tombstones, which led to the gate.
The Currier tombstone, which used to stand, was one of the most damaged pieces.
Once etched on the opposite side with Alvan T. Currier’s name, it was so destroyed by vandalism, that its now lain down.
On the other side, which is now the revealed top of the grave marker, is the name of Aunt Sue Currier, whom Alvan married in 1881.
In the 1860s, Sue traveled from Texas to California in a wagon train with her parents, when she was young.
Later she married James Ruebottom of Spadra, with whom she had two children.
During the tragic years of 1874 to 1875, she lost all three of them.
Although Alvan and Sue Currier never had children of their own, she adopted every child she fell in love with and opened their home to them, for which she was nicknamed by many far and wide as Aunt Sue.
Since the docent knew we already knew the basic information, she spent most of her time answering our numerous questions beyond the basics.
After that, she shared the stories of the other people at the cemetery, who were neighbors of Great Uncle Alvan T. Currier.
REVEALING THE PAINTING
When my husband walked around to take pictures, I showed the docent the picture on my phone of the painting of Elephant Hill, done by Uncle Warren.
In amazement, she looked at this painting hanging in our Virginia home.
She agreed, that the two mountains looked to be one and the same.
POMONA FAMILY HOME
Next, my husband drove me to Pomona, to his dad’s boyhood home, four miles east of the Spadra Cemetery.
Shortly after Uncle Alvan T. Currier passed away at the age of 81, his nephew George moved his wife, two sons, and daughter from Maine to Pomona.
Since George was a lawyer, his task was to help settle the Currier estate, which was divided into parcels for various nieces and nephew of Alvan T Currier and his wife.
A large portion was also donated to Redlands University, who named their gymnasium after their benefactor.
While they lived here for the rest of their lives, another son was born…my husband’s father.
PILGRIM CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
From there we drove a little over half a mile to Pilgrim Congregational Church on North Garey Avenue, where Grandpa George attended with his family.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
Across the street is Purpose Church, once named Spadra First Baptist Church, where Great Uncle Alvan T. Currier served on the Board of Trustees.
In 1881, pastor Dr. J.B. Tombes officiated at the wedding of Alvan T. Currier to Susan Glenn Rubottom.
POMONA YMCA
Driving two blocks down the street, to the corner of North Garey Avenue and East Monterey Avenue, we saw the former YMCA.
Established in 1922 in the Georgian Revival/Neoclassical style, the YMCA was built on land donated by Great Uncle Alvan T. Currier.
HOTEL PALOMARES
Previously built on this site was the stunning Hotel Palomares, which had been built in the late 19th century, during an era of the beautiful Pomona citrus groves set against stunning mountain views.
Built with numerous Queen Anne turrets and breezy porches, Hotel Palomares reminds me of Hotel del Coronado which we recently visited.
Both were built around the same time.
Great Uncle Alvan T. Currier was stockholder and president of the Palomares Hotel Company.
Hotel Palomares was quite the scene in 1904, surrounded by what we would call today, antique cars.
Sadly, the hotel burned down in 1911.
Today the YMCA is being converted into an office, shopping, eatery locale.
POMONA COLLEGE
From there we drove to Pomona College in nearby Claremont.
My husband’s Uncle Warren, who moved from Maine with his dad to live in Pomona, entered Pomona College as an art student in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
In our research we found a photograph from the Pomona College student yearbook, Metate, of Warren working as the art editor of the yearbook.
My husband says his Uncle Warren was known as big man on campus.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONALISM ART STYLE
During the Great Depression, water colors rose in popularity due to affordability and convenience.
Likewise, a regional art movement called the California School took en plein air to their unique surroundings that tell a story.
Since California weather is moderate throughout the year, even winter allowed the quick painting of outdoor scene, which encouraged the en plein air technique.
Born and raised in Pomona, Millard Sheets led the way in Southern California Regionalism.
His famous examples of this style can be seen at the following links: Gaviota Range, in 1932, Fall Color, in the 1930s, and Mountain Retreat, in 1939.
Of Millard Sheets art critic Arthur Miller said: …a host of youthful artists and students look to him as their ideal and example… –Art Digest, October 1930, p.7
After a few years teaching art at Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles, Millard Sheets took a teaching position at Scripps College in 1932, when only 25 years old.
Like Pomona College, Scripps College was part of the Claremont College system, founded to be small independent colleges that collaborate in teaching students, Oxford and Cambridge style.
Claremont says of Millard Sheets: There was an explosion of art activity in Claremont during the thirties, forties and early fifties which had a great impact throughout Southern California and, in addition, some significant effects nationally. Two forces, in particular, set this in motion…secondly, Millard himself, amazingly dynamic, enthusiastic, gifted and versatile.
UNCLE WARREN’S PAINTING
In 1939, while a student at Pomona College, Uncle Warren, who likely studied under Millard Sheets, painted this scene which reminds me of the Southern California Regionalism art style.
Before we flew to California, I shared my research with my husband, telling him that this paining tells the story of Great Uncle Alvan T. Currier, who bought 2400 acres near Elephant Hill where he established the Currier Ranch and raised horses and grew orchards.
Upon that ranch he lived in an adobe until the great house was built.
1908 CURRIER GREAT HOUSE
Our next stop, was to find the once magnificent 10,000 square foot Currier Mansion representative of a successful Pomona Valley rancher.
Built in 1908 in the Craftsman style, the two and a half story home included 21 large rooms, oak floors, carved moldings on the walls, carved fireplaces, and carved handrails for 3 staircases.
CURRIER MANSION FIGHT
After the passing of Great Uncle Alvan T. Currier in 1921, then Sue in 1928, her nieces continued to live in the home.
The mansion came into municipal ownership when Hocking’s mother sold it, without restriction, to a third party, who then sold it to railroads. The city acquired the property from the Union Pacific in the early 1980s. Even then, it remained untouched as it became the stomping grounds of rancher John Ferrero, who served as Industry’s mayor from the date of incorporation in 1957 until he died in 1996…Ferrero’s son–Councilman John P. Ferrero–now lives on the property in a mobile home and continues to graze cattle there, according to city officials… –Pioneer Family Criticizes Plan to Move House, by Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, Feb 3, 2000.
When the City of Industry decided to expand their footprint on the last 400 acres of the Currier Ranch, now surrounded by two highways, two railroads, and many industrial buildings, one of Sue Currier’s nieces formed the Coalition to Save the Currier Ranch.
On Feb 10, 2000, the Coalition to Save the Currier Ranch sued the city, which was dismissed by a judge on June 18, 2001.
At their own cost in 2004, the City of Industry dismantled the Currier House and transported it nearly four miles to property belonging to the Pomona Historical Society.
CURRIER MANSION RESTING PLACE
Now nestled between Elephant Hill and the nearly renovated Louis Phillips Mansion, the Currier House continues to decay.
Damage from weather and earthquakes have so damaged the Currier Mansion, the tours through it become less frequent for safety reasons, and are now reduced to only the first floor, if at all.
When I told my husband about the history of the house, he was flabbergasted, like his brother, and their cousin.
When I contacted the Pomona Historical Society for a tour of the Currier House, they kindly explained it was booked for several weeks for a haunted house immersion experience, so no matter the day we came, they couldn’t even allow us to walk around the house.
As the sun set on our day of exploring the sites from Great Uncle Alvan T. Currier’s life, we sneaked a peak through the chain linked fence near Elephant Hill.
Built in 1875, this grand mansion was the home of Louis Phillips, a rancher with even more land and wealth than Currier.
While in life, they were near neighbors to each other and Elephant Hill, in death they were buried in the Spadra Cemetery at the base of Elephant Hill, and today the remnants of their homes dwell .4 miles around Elephant Hill from the cemetery.
See up close and indoor photos at this blog post.
FUTURE PLANS
Although we did not visit every location on our list, hopefully we can soon make another trip Virginia…and even tour the Currier House.
Meanwhile, my hubby is encouraging me to write a book…which includes my Great-Great Grandfather Sam, of whom Pennsylvania lore brags that he walked barefoot to California to obtain an inheritance from gold.
Of course that means more research. Stay tuned!
