Etiwanda, 1882

See that passenger train there? It's loaded with Midwesterners who saw California's beautiful weather while watching the Rose Parade.

Tracey: Although I'm not denouncing your claim as to the Midwesterners who saw California's beautiful weather, that just goes without saying. However, I am disputing, that, if in fact, the picture is Etiwanda circa 1882, your claim as them watching the Rose Parade has been squashed. First Rose Parade wasn't until 1890, supposedly as much as eight years after the picture was taken.

http://www.tournamentofroses.com/roseparade/

For Grand Marshals' list of appearances:

http://www.tournamentofroses.com/history/grandmarshalpast.asp

Sorry, Tracey, the Rose Parade didn't start until much later!

Also note the dotted line along the foothills saying "Future Foothill Freeway."

Um, it was a joke, folks. Really now. ^5 to Matt for understanding!

Nice try, Tracey -- but that train is EASTBOUND. Maybe they're moving to 'zona for lower taxes & housing prices?

One thing that strikes me about this map is the existence of a main avenue in the settlement. The Chaffeys were famous for this, having built Euclid Avenue in Ontario and having incorporated a similar broad street into their Mildura, Australia settlement. I didn't realize that they had done the same thing with Etiwanda. I assume this is Etiwanda Avenue?

Oh, and as long as we're pointing out the future attractions that are hidden in the picture above, be sure to look very closely to the right hand side of the picture. If you look very very closely, you'll see someone headed downhill really really fast, trying to pick up some speed before reaching the site of the future speedway in Fontana.

And besides, Tracey, television wasn't invented until 1927, and didn't become commercially available until the late 1930s, so how could all those people have been watching it back when...

All right, I'm just being a smart-@$$. I'll stop here.

[I hope Tracey returns to leave another comment one day despite the confused, er, reception. -- DA]

And just look at the clean air and visibility! I heard stories that a person could stand on Mt Baldy back then and if they looked far enough over the horizon could actually see the back of their own head.

Good observation, Doug. How could I have missed THAT? Nice one, Max T.

Thanks, Dave, for understanding and "getting it."

Thanks for printing this. If I had the money, I would purchase it. I lived there for three years right out of college before moving to Alta Loma in 1971. My first teaching job was at the Intermediate School.

One adventure I remember was getting the key to the gate and hiking up Etiwanda Canyon. We killed a rather large rattlesnake, brought it home, and barbequed it for dinner. It tasted like chicken.

The Frosts did not arrive in Etiwanda until about 1883. Great Grandpa Frost worked for the Chaffey Brothers and followed them from Ontario, Canada. The Scotts are also found in the family tree. The Frosts owned the Frost Brothers’ General Store and were citrus growers.

This map is very interesting. No, they did not go to the Rose Parade by train, but Grandma and Grandpa Frost did leave the horse and buggy at the depot and take the train to San Bernardino to shop. It was also a two-hour buggy ride to get to Ontario. I noticed the artistic license used to depict “Mt. Cucamonga” as more the shape of one of the Grand Tetons. Tracey, nobody is perfect, but I like your idea.

As for the Avenue, it is not as wide as Euclid is, but it was lined with palm trees. I have seen old pictures when the trees were much shorter.