The Riverside Press-Enterprise
`Alfalfa empire' once seen in today's Jurupa Valley, Eastvale
On Sept. 3, 1909, the Riverside Daily Press published a story about the “immense alfalfa empire” that was developing on the west side, which to Riverside was the area on the other side of the Santa Ana River, otherwise known at that time as the West Riverside, Stalder and Wineville districts.
The article specifically mentioned this area of alfalfa ranches as being south of the Salt Lake Railway. Looking at a map, you can see it was actually south west of the rail tracks, which are still there today, running along Van Buren Boulevard. In today’s terms, this is referencing the area south of the 60 Freeway and west of Van Buren, including parts of today’s Jurupa Valley and Eastvale.
The article called out 16 ranches by name in that area with a total of 2,180 acres planted in alfalfa. The ranches mentioned in the article ranged in size from the largest at 400 acres to the smallest at 40 acres. Ten of the 16 were significantly over 100 acres.
It was estimated by the Daily Press that the 160acre Bost and Johnson Ranch would harvest 175 tons of alfalfa and 150 tons of barley hay in 1909. The Premier Ranch was called out as one of the largest and most perfectly developed of the ranches in this area. It was 320 acres, had two wells and pumping plants, and 16 horses and mules.
Nineteen men were employed at the ranch.
Interestingly, none of the ranches was dry farmed, but all had wells to water their alfalfa crops with water pulled from the ground with gasoline-powered pumps. Combined, these 16 ranches were able to pump 3,335 inches of water. The depth of the wells was mentioned for just two of the properties, and they were 248 and 300 feet deep, respectively. It was mentioned that the 300-footdeep well actually had water within 40 feet of the surface.
It was clear that many of the ranches had absentee owners, and were run by onsite foremen. It was noted that one ranch was owned by Pomona Trust and Savings Bank. Another was owned by the Shilling Milk Co., which seemed to be raising feed for a dairy that was located elsewhere. The Stalder Ranch was owned by two brothers who lived in Riverside. One of the smaller ranches was owned by H.F. Clark, who was an editor of the Hollywood Sentinel.
Today, this land is home primarily to houses, of course, including enclaves of larger lot properties in the Mira Loma area of Jurupa Valley. Along the east side of the 15 Freeway, animal feed is still being grown, but not alfalfa anymore. Soon it will see new residential and commercial development and the alfalfa empire of over 110 years ago no longer will be home to any significant farming acreage.
If you have an idea for a future Back in the Day column about a local historic person, place or event, contact Steve Lech and Kim Jarrell Johnson at backinthedaype@gmail. com.