Redlands and the Citrus Industry

Silent film actress Colleen Moore and the San Bernardino Mountains
Cover of The California Citrograph, October 1923, Vol. 8, Iss. 12

The citrus industry has quite a history in Southern California, and Redlands is one of the cities in which groves were tended for many years. As a citrus town, active packing houses packaged and shipped fruit, smudge pots were lit when the temperatures dropped to protect citrus trees from freezing, and growers prepared to bring their best fruit to the annual Orange Show in San Bernardino, California, to compete for awards.

In the Armacost Library, industry specific publications bring to life the history of citrus in Redlands. The California Citrograph, aimed at citrus growers, published on topics such as propagation, pest control, packinghouse technology, and highlighted people and cities in the industry. After a scan of the covers from the first decade (1915-1925), two were of interest, showcasing the San Bernardino mountains in the background, and a silent film actress in the foreground. For example, here is a close up of silent era film actress Virginia Valli, preparing orange juice, with the Redlands citrus district behind her.

The California Citrograph, June 1923, Vol. 8, Iss. 8.

The California Citrograph also covered the annual Orange Show held in San Bernardino, California, which the Redlands Chamber of Commerce and Redlands area citrus growers attended regularly.

In fact, the Redlands Chamber of Commerce won 2nd prize for a motion exhibit in both 1921 and 1922:

Interested in discovering more local gems like these? Come check out The California Citrograph in the bound periodicals section of the Library. Or, pick up an issue of Citrus Leaves, published beginning in 1921 by Redlands based Mutual Orange Distributors (MOD), a cooperative association of local citrus shippers.