“Flower Garden of Los Angeles”: Some Early History of Montebello to 1930, Part Three

by Paul R. Spitzzeri

As we press on with this post covering some of the early history of Montebello through 1930, the end of the community’s first decade, during which the larger tract carried that moniker, while the townsite within it was known as Newmark, does not appear to have brought much change as the project did not appear to fulfill the ambitions and hopes of Harris Newmark, the Los Angeles merchant who acquired the ranch of Alessandro Repetto in 1885 after the latter’s death, and his fellow Jewish entrepreneur, Kaspare Cohn.

Still, Montebello persevered and the adjacent city of Whittier had something of a vested interest in reporting on its neighbor, including a column called “Rivera [Pico Rivera] and Montebello” by Cora White in the Whittier News. Also continuing to be the major driver of the community’s economy was agriculture, specifically truck farming in smaller fruits and vegetables, and nurseries. So, the News, for example, ran a 1908 ad from a Whittier business that promoted Montebello strawberries used for ice cream, ice cream sodas and sundaes.

An occasional, but major, problem reported in local newspapers during the first two decades of the 20th century concerned flooding during periods of intense rain, these often alternating with dry drought conditions. The Whittier Register of 10 January 1910, in one instance, under its “Montebello” section, reported that “New Year’s in Montebello was so full of excitement that few had time to stop and say ‘Happy New Year'” because the Río Hondo (the older channel of the San Gabriel River prior to a flood of 1867-1868 that created the current bed) “with its swollen, raging, destructive current” led to the “merciless washing of good land and the destruction of the well-constructed [San Pedro, Los Angeles and] Salt Lake [Railroad] bridge.

A $40,000 farm owned by an Oregon transplant and former judge “was more than half washed away” and concrete arches and steel sections of that rail span were obliterated leaving “three concrete pilings yet standing with the steel girders connecting them.” In 1914 and 1916, further flooding wreaked havoc along that watercourse, including where the Temple family resided at Old Mission in the Whittier Narrows near Montebello, and others in the region leading Los Angeles County supervisors to engage in flood control work that has been discussed in posts on this blog.

By the early Teens, though, another regional development boom was underway and Montebello was a beneficiary of some of this activity. The News of 23 May 1912 titled a piece “Montebello Has Building Boom,” which stated that the community “has taken a new lease on life” and, notably, added that “the spirit of the Panama canal,” completed a couple of years later, “has reached the village and the town is in the midst of one of the largest building booms of its history,” though what took place before was modest at best.

In any case, the paper continued,

As a quiet residence place the village has peacefully passed the young years of its life, away from the noise of the street cars and the distracting influences of city life. Now all these things are to be changed. Outside capital has joined with local wealth and the possibilities of Montebello have been recognized.

A building housing a bank and three stores and a citrus association, along with water unearthed by an artesian well to the west were cited as important developments. Realtors William Miller and L.T. Williams were praised for their industriousness and for being “awake to the possibilities of the future.” Lastly, remarked the News, “the ladies of the village are not to be outdone either” as the women’s club proposed to buy five acres on which to build a clubhouse. The result, overall, was that “Montebello is growing and it will not be long before an electric [streetcar] road will tap this rich field.

The 10 July edition of the paper commented that “Montebello Is [A] Busy Little City” and cited the realtors as saying “that city is more prosperous than ever before” with that bank and store structure, humming city lot sales, the women’s club project, and “a steady market for ranch property” cited as evidence. Miller and Williams launched a subdivision to “suply [sic] the demand occasioned by Los Angeles an[d] other out-of-town people.” Each Sunday, a bus line from the terminus of the Stephenson Avenue streetcar line from Boyle Heights “carries throngs of people,” while it was hoped that route could be extended into town.

The Los Angeles Express of 21 August noted that the Montebello State Bank edifice’s opening constituted “a significant event in this active town,” with locals surprised at its creation and pleasure at “a feeling of new importance at manifest.” Another important development was the paving of Whittier Boulevard, the extension of Stephenson, which was soon given the former moniker, and in the 18 months since, “the colony has grown from a gardening section to a town supporting 15 business houses.”

Moreover, the paper observed, “numerous attractive homes and a growing population have accompanied the development” even though Montebello lacked that streetcar line that was often discussed, though road improvements meant the absence of mass transit was at least somewhat ameliorated. Finally, it was noted that “the addition of a bank is expected to add materially to the growth and future prospects of the town.”

There were more elements to the development of the town, including the establishment of the Gibraltar olive plant in early 1913 with the Los Angeles Tribune remarking that the January opening of the facility, one of 31 the firm operated in southern California, on Whittier Boulevard, involved the planned propagation of 2.5 million trees that would, within two years, be replanted in orchards. While the olive industry at Sylmar was longer-lasting and, consequently, far better known, the presence of Gibraltar in Montebello is still of interest.

Later in 1913, the Roman Catholic Church welcomed a new Benedictine monastery, St. Benedict’s, replacing one established in 1905 and lost to a fire (the earliest site is now where the city hall stands). There was also a new chapel, El Carmel, at the massive site for manufacturing bricks by the Simons family—this enterprise has been oft-written about, including a revealing chapter in William Deverell’s Whitewashed Adobe. Coverage of the brick plant in the papers, however, did not delve into the darker aspects of the level of control on mostly Latino workers, engaged in back-breaking labor, in what was the company town of Simons, California.

Another ethnic group that had a major presence, though largely invisible when it came to the mainstream media in the region, was the Japanese. As was the case throughout greater Los Angeles, they were unable to own land because of state laws, though they established an important nice in leasing property on which to work with truck farming, meaning vegetables and smaller fruits (not the lucrative citrus, however). Some Japanese, however, were engaged in the burgeoning nursery business in Montebello, including George Zaima, whose Figueroa Nursery was highlighted here recently.

The 1 June 1913 edition of the Times ran a lengthy feature titled “Flower Garden of Los Angeles” and which began with,

From the gently rising hill slopes to the north of Montebello, one looks out to the south and westward over an extensive area of country-side beauty. Near at hand upon the slopes of the acclivity are the biggest commercial flower gardens of Los Angeles. Here many of the largest seed and cut-flower dispensers of the metropolis propagate their plants.

While no specific enterprise was named, the Howard and Smith nursery was usually mentioned as dominant in Montebello and no Japanese nursery owners were named, although a very rare mention of the group as a whole might appear. The article continued to mention several varieties of berries raised in the area, along with truck farming crops and some field crops, such as alfalfa and barley.

It was reported, somewhat breathlessly, that about 1,000 farmers were in the area and “have made their country an inspiration to life” and “happily blended the esthetic with the commercial and economic.” It was claimed that the rose grower, orange orchardist and those who dug artesian wells did so because “they have seen the soil smile back its appreciative thanks and have taken enjoyment and wealth from their labors.” Consequently, readers were assured, “the vast extent of this development is the evidence of how diligently, how unceasingly and perpetual the mental and physical energy of the farmer has been plied. These men are to be congratulated.”

The Times added that “it is a country all smiling with agricultural wealth” and “it is a country of freshness and charm.” A further bit of reverie was included as the paper commented that “with the delicate scented air pregnant with the fragrance of flowers and orange blossoms, there is also the essence of country freedom, of openness and liberty.” Compared to Glendale, Hollywood or Pasadena, Montebello also offered suburban living for Los Angeles business figures and it was asserted that “a little capital, thoughtfully spent will make the Montebello foothill section a beauty spot and a show place of which Los Angeles could be proud.”

Simons was not mentioned by name, but it was stated that “the largest brick manufacturing company west of Chicago” chose an area of 150 acres with 350 men making more than 50 million bricks in the last year. Capacity was for nearly 300,000 a day and 73,000 pounds of oil used in the drying process, with 3600 rail cars shipping the building material throughout California and Nevada. A 30-acre vitrified paving brick site was worked by two other firms, as well.

The piece continued its romantic review by commenting that “the Montebello district is luckily blessed with inhabitants genuinely progressive” with most “co-operative and congenial.” Not only this, but it was claimed that “nearly all of the men,” if not the women, as well, “are above the throttling influences of petty prejudices and jealousies so often found in small towns.”

Part of this advancement was marked through the community’s schools, including $40,000 spent for the high school, an image of which shows a handsome Mission Revival structure, while it was mentioned it had “a foreground of sweeping clover lawns and ornamental shrubbery. Particularly praised was the principal, who was unnamed, while a female student developed a way to get gas from gasoline ad thereby a hotter flame for a chemistry experiment. This was improved by a male classmate and the apparatus used in the classroom. Also noted were the fine productions in clay modeling and painted scenery for the school’s annual play.

As for elementary schools, there were two in the district with a “corp[s] of competent teachers” instructing some 350 pupils. Under the “Schooling” heading, as well, was the Thursday Afternoon Club for women with forty members engaged in civic, literary and social programs every other month, while also working with philanthropy. A trio of churches were of the Catholic, Friends [Quaker] and Methodist denominations and that Benedictine monastery sat on 40 acres with “a beautiful mission building” and the raising of berries and other fruit. There was also an Independent Order of Odd Fellows fraternal society in town.

With respect to business and aside from the state bank, the California Vegetable Union opened a packing house to serve the large agricultural element of Montebello. The citrus groves nearby, it was noted, avoided frost damage that caused such trouble the prior winter and fruit stayed on the trees and fetched higher prices than the general market rate. Orange orchards of new fruit were valued at up to $1,500 an acre, including water delivered by pipes, while those that were established commanded some $2,500 an acre. Citrus and other fruit property in the southern portions of the community, obviously considered inferior, went for up to $1,000 an acre.

In town, with the name Newmark all but abandoned, residential lots measuring 45′ in frontage and 125′ deep, with water delivered, were sold at rates from $500 to $600, while business lots in the center of the burg commanded $45 per frontage foot. What was needed were a steam-powered laundry, a gas plant, “a small, but first-class hotel,” and a dentist. The Chamber of Commerce was poised to send information to any prospective resident and business owner in town, while the names of several dozen boosters were listed, any of whom would answer requests for information.

Also mentioned in this very informative article was the report that the Pacific Electric Railway was said to be very interested in developing “a direct air-line between Los Angeles and Whittier,” while it was said to be “considering the feasibility of constructing a line passing through the Montebello territory” both for making a shorter connection to Whittier and for “opening up and more extensively developing the large area of fine suburban residential sites.”

Otherwise, travelers could take the East 7th Street car from downtown Los Angeles, becoming the Stephenson Avenue line in Boyle Heights and then, once the end of the line was reached at the city limit, an auto bus ferried passengers hourly to Montebello. The car fare was a nickel and the bus ride 30 cents for a round trip, though a family bus ticket for 20 rides fetched $2. The bus firm also provided express and freight service and maintained a garage in town.

The piece also gave more attention to the work of Kaspare Cohn that was seen to date, stating that “the Montebello tract and townsite was originally laid out and sub-divided” by his company, which also created “a large and adequate water plant for both domestic and irrigation purposes.” The facility was still in operation, working from five wells using a 200-hp steam engine and keeping the precious fluid in a pair of reservoirs storing 6.5 million gallons.

The Montebello Land and Water Company used ditches and pipes to deliver water to agricultural and domestic customers. The El Carmel tract to the south drew water from the San Gabriel River, along which a pumping plant was situated with ten miles of pipes and ditches for conveyance. The piece recorded that some Montebello residents had wells on their properties with depths from 60 to 125 feet.

With respect to rail service, the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad still referred to its depot as Newmark, but it was understood that the name would soon be changed to Montebello. Freight business was up from the prior year, while passengers paid 45 cents for a round-trip ticket, though a $2.50 commutation ticket for all members of a family was good for 90 days and individuals could take 60 trips within a month for $3.50. Five trips were made to Los Angeles and four returning daily.

We’ll return next with part four, so please look for that.