How Magnolia and Victoria avenues got their names and their landscaping
In 1874, Samuel Cary Evans and William Sayward created the Riverside Land and Irrigating Co. by buying and combining three developments — the Riverside Colony, the Santa Ana Colony (around present-day La Sierra, not Orange County) and his former New England Colony. In all, they controlled roughly 6,000 acres in the area, and were now faced with the prospect of trying to sell the land and recoup their investment.
One way they proceeded to do this was to lay out a long, boulevard-style road going through the center of their holdings.
Instead of simply grading a small road, they planned to make a showcase boulevard that would be the main thoroughfare for the new town and for prospective buyers. The road, eventually called Magnolia Avenue, would be 132 feet wide, of which 82 feet would be used for the two roadways, and the rest for landscaping on both sides and in a central median. Originally, it started at the future Arlington Avenue and led southwest through the holdings
(it would not connect to downtown until 1913).
Crossing Magnolia Avenue at regular intervals were streets all named for U.S. presidents from George Washington to Ulysses Grant (the president at the time).
For some reason, though, the line of succession was not strictly followed. The first six streets went: Washington, Madison, Jefferson, Adams, Monroe, and Jackson, whereas the presidents in order were: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Adams, and Jackson (part of this is explained by eliminating John Adams, the second President, to eliminate repetition).
From 1875 to 1877, Magnolia Avenue was developed and landscaped.
Originally, it was to be landscaped with Magnolia trees, hence the name. However, those were expensive, required much irrigation in Southern California and did not grow fast enough. So those were planted only at the intersections of the presidential streets, and eucalyptus, palms and California peppers were planted on both sides and the median.
By the 1890s, Magnolia Avenue blossomed into a boulevard worthy of much note and pictures appeared in advertisements for Riverside.
Naturally, other people saw Magnolia Avenue and copied the concept, notably Euclid Avenue in Ontario, Brookside in Redlands and Palm in Beaumont.
In the 1890s, when Matthew Gage was expanding his holdings and developing the Arlington Heights area, he too opted for a grand boulevard to go through his land. This was laid out starting at Victoria Hill, and running roughly parallel to Magnolia Avenue, but farther south. As the Arlington Heights area was developed primarily with British investment, and Gage was a Canadian, he opted to name the boulevard Victoria Avenue after Queen Victoria, the reigning British monarch at the time.
Throughout the years, both Magnolia and Victoria avenues have kept their original configurations, with some changes.
Orange groves can still be seen along parts of Victoria Avenue. But no one living today would think of enjoying a slow automobile ride along either as a way to spend the day as people did 100 years ago.