Election Night Parties

The historic cityhood election is coming up March 8th and the Yes on Measure A Committee has planned a  party at Indian Hills Country Club to watch the results come in. This reminded me of another election night many years ago. My Dad, Don Jarrell, was a real estate agent here in Jurupa and he got tired of people telling him they did not want to move to this area because the schools weren't good. He decided to do something about it and ran for the school board. Bill Hughes, who owned the Rubidoux Mortuary, was his treasurer. I remember that the election occurred in November 1979 and I couldn't vote because I was just shy of 18. The night of the election a number of people went up to Indian Hills Country Club to wait for the results. Since we didn't have computors like today, someone had to get on the phone and try to get through to the Registrar of Voters to get the results. I remember the room seemed dark (or maybe it was just my nerves) and the first results were posted on a piece of paper, once they managed to get through on the phone. My Dad won the election, against the incumbant, and I never forgot that night, that room, and that election.  This election party will include a few of the same people as that long ago election party. I will update this post later to include who was there both nights.

Visit Jensen-Alvarado Historic Ranch and Museum!

One of the crown jewels of the Jurupa area is the Jensen-Alvarado Historic Ranch and Museum. Owned and run by the Riverside County Regional Parks and Open-Space District, its entrance is located in a residential area, off the beaten path, at 4307 Briggs Street in Rubidoux. It is not open to the public during the week. Instead, it is overrun by elementary school students learning about local and state history. It is open to the public on Saturdays 10 am to 4 pm. If you have not been to this great piece of Jurupa history make plans to go!

The Jensen house, located on the 30 acre site, was built in 1868-1870 by Cornelius Jensen and his wife Mercedes Alvarado Jensen. Cornelius was a Danish sea captain who decided to stay in California. Mercedes was from a prominent Californio family. Together they had 10 children who lived to adulthood, many of whom stayed in the area, built homes and raised their own families. Also located on the property is the home of their son Henry Jensen. It was moved to the park from a nearby property and is now the home of the onsite caretaker.      

A staff member (usually dressed in period appropriate clothes) is on hand to answer questions and give a tour of the Jensen home. The house was the first building  built with kiln fired brick in what is now Riverside County. The rebuilt winery features a small museum with items from the Jensen family. You and your family can enjoy a picnic at the tables under big shade trees near the parking lot. There are even a few farm animals, typical of a ranch from the 1880s. There is a small entrance fee, payable to the staff member (I think $2 a person) .  You won’t have to fight off a crowd to enjoy this great property on a Saturday. Below is the link for the county parks website which has a few photos of Jensen Ranch.  Rumor has it that County Parks is working on a new website, so hopefully it will have more information than their current website about this great living history museum.

  http://www.riversidecountyparks.org/locations/nature-historic-centers/jensen-alvarado/

Jurupa Incorporation circa 1948

In January 1948 the Riverside Enterprise  reported that the West Riverside Township Chamber of Commerce held their regular meeting. At that meeting a committee was formed consisting of J.M. Dorr, Archie Parks, R.E. Wright, Charles While, Jonny Allan, B. Ramek, Carl Peterson, and Louis Maretti. The purpose of that committee? To investigate the steps needed to incorporate as a city.

This is one of those "what if?" moments in Jurupa history. What if we had become a city by, say, 1950? What would have been different in our area now if we had decided to take the bull by the horns and control our own destiny? I am going to make some wild guesses but here goes!

I think Mira Loma would have a library. Back in the day, before the internet, access to information was through local libraries. I think a city would have made sure that its entire population had resonable access to a library.   

There would be no such thing as the Jurupa Parks District because the City would have dealt with parks services. No parks district, no nasty lawsuit with the JCSD!  

I think we would have more horse trails because horses have long been an important part of this community and as things were developed I think horse trails would have been developed with them.

I think Flabob Airport would have developed into more of an economic hub as the city recognized its worth and developed the property around it with complementary uses.

Last but not least, my husband thinks that, instead of warehouses, Mira Loma would be home to the LA area NFL team and stadium. Hey, a man can dream, can't he?    

So, fellow Jurupians, what do you think would be different in our fair community if we had become a city in 1950? No city of Bell comparisons!  Just a fun excercise in "what if." Leave your comments, I would like to see them! 

Louis Robidoux's House

As you drive down Mission Boulevard through downtown Rubidoux, you may see a sign out on the street in front of Stater Bros which says that there, where that shopping center sits, is the site of Louis Robidoux's house. Is it really? Up until at least the 1920s there were still reminants of the Robidoux Rancho buildings on that property. An aerial photo that dates from 1945 or 1946 (and is on page 82 of my Rubidoux book) shows the corner of Mission and Rubidoux Boulevards. Up at the very top of the photo you can see a grove of trees and some buildings, at the site of Louis Robidoux's home and rancho buildings. A friend recently looked at a modern aerial photo overlayed with a historic photo and found that Stater Bros sits right on top of where the Robidoux home was. However, the Robidoux home faced the river where Stater's faces Mission Boulevard. So, the next time you visit Stater's in Rubidoux, while picking out some fruit or cereal, you may be standing where Senor Rubidoux slept or entertained guests!

Let it Snow!

The big snow and sleet storm sweeping across two thirds of the country made me thankful once again that I do not live in a place where snow is a common occurrence! I have no memory of it snowing here in Jurupa, but that doesn't mean it never did! When I was collecting photos for both of my books (Jurupa and Rubidoux) people shared with me several photos of a big snow storm that struck in either 1948 or 1949 (I heard both dates). I was given three photos, two from the Rubidoux area and one taken in Mira Loma. Snow absolutely covered the ground! One photo showed a group of children standing in the snow, waiting for the bus from Union Joint School to pick them up. They look so cold! All the girls are in dresses and bobby socks! I am surprised they didn't have a snow day. I am sure the snow melted in just a day or so, and that is the best kind of snow to have!