Gage Canal

In 1873 Eliza Tibbets received 2 Brazilian Navel Orange Trees sent to her by a friend in the Dept of Agriculture in Washington. These trees thrived in the Southern California climate and produced a wonderful sweet delicious product. By 1882 there were more than a quarter of a million Citrus trees in Riverside. The development of refrigerated rail cars and innovative irrigation systems established Riverside as the wealthiest city per capita by 1895. Today nearly all of the navel orange trees grown in California decended from these two trees. In fact one of these trees still exists at the corner of Magnolia and Arlington Avenues. Thanks to Tibbets Riverside was the West Coast Capital of Naval Orange Production!

Eliza Tibbets

In order to irrigate this vast citrus empire the Gage Canal was built between 1885 and 1889 by Matthew Gage, a Canadian jeweler. He filed a claim for 640 acres under the Desert Land Act of 1877. In order to gain title, Gage had three years to bring water to the land. He built the 11.91-mile-long canal to bring water to this area from the Santa Ana River and later extended it another 8.22 miles through Citrus Park to its terminus. The canal doubled citrus production in Riverside.

The canal was built with wooden flumes constructed across arroyos and tunnels dug through knolls, and later lined with cement. Today, it remains a key source of low-priced water for citrus farmers in this are

I present you the Gage Canal

 

  I accessed the canal from Andulka Park in Riverside.

This little grade take you to the top of the hill.. 

...Overlooking the park.

As you make you way down Victoria Ave (which has its own amazing history)...

...you see Orange Groves everywhere!!!

As a side point the labels for these citrus crates were designed by some of the eras bests artists and they became more and more ornate reaching their peak between 1900 and 1930. Today these works are collectable garnering top dollar for rare origianls in prime condition.

 

 Once I visit the California Citrus Historical Park I will make a new post. This place is pretty amazing. I LOVE history and I LOVE biking. These 2 go hand in hand!!!
http://www.citrusstatepark.org/

Today on the Trail