California History

1880-1990's

   From the 1880-1990's, even now, California was all about becoming the number one state. Everything became more important than the last topic; Education, gold, art, architecture, railroad, movies, population, segregation, politics, oligarchy, bagmen, earthquakes, and last but not least – water. Land owners were the people who looked to be in charge as well as the railroads and corporations when it all entered the 1880s. These modern times that people were coming into weren't as simple as they used to be; politics and money were now ruling the American life style; 'a generation of young miners had become aged pioneers' (Starr 135).

   If California wanted to be the all-star state of the U.S, then it needed two main ingredients; water and inhabitants. 'Great Central Valley is itself a semiarid steppe, with soil baked by the sun to such hardness that it frequently had to be broken by dynamite' (Starr 167). The legislature Drainage Act passed in 1878, allowing California to become inhabitable, and was now one step closer to a mega state. Engineers were given $100,000 for drainage, studies, and irrigation which, with the help of William Hammond, were thoughtfully planned out. It was decided that a gravity fed canal would be built, and after ten years of talk, was finally finished and was opened on May 14th, 1901. This action allowed water to flow from the Colorado River into the Salton Sink, now named Imperial Valley, creating a huge reservoir for people to draw from.

   California came to a decision that it needed three major developments. First development would be the all important railroad. Train tracks criss crossed throughout America, allowing box cars to import every day and luxury items from other states and when the refrigerated rail car came to be it was now possible to transport fresh produce without it spoiling. The railroad 'reached San Bernardino in 1885, Los Angeles in 1887, and San Diego in 1888' (Starr 146). Due to this, property values and taxes rose to compensate the cost. Private railroad cars permitted tourists to travel in relative comfort and in less time. From the influx of tourists, California; mainly Santa Barbra, San Diego, and Pasadena were the biggest destination points because of the sunny weather. The natural blue skies and clean air drew unhealthy people. Many individuals had health risks from consumption of alcohol and in a lot of cases the weather did help them. As a result, Hotels, motels, and Inns were built to accommodate and see to the tourists every need. 'A number of Southern California communities can trace their origins to tourism and to the great hotels' (Starr 148).

   Books on wealth, health, and residencies of California were sold in abundance, encouraging middle class families to settle in California so they could live a better life. Hellen Hunt Jackson wrote Ramona in 1884, portraying California as a romanticized state with a Spanish feel, 'anchoring it in a mythic time and place (Starr 148), 'this perception of Southern California as Spanish Colonial daydream of Arcadia helped establish an expanded metaphor of Mediterraneanism' (Starr 148). Magazines, articles, and books described what California was like in the 1890s; often comparing it to 'the gritty practicality of the industrialized East' (Starr 149). California was full of 'genteel tradition, prizing the arts and literature of the region' (Starr 149-150).

   The second development for California was all about achieving the region but was unsuccessful due to an Earthquake in San Francisco. The 1890s introduced artists, new Mediterranean and Spanish style buildings, football, parades, vendors, shows, farmer markets, and clubs. Southern California rarely saw snow in January and to celebrate this fact a New Year's Day parade full of 'chariots and floral floats' (Starr 152) were shown off on the streets of Pasadena in 1890. A few years later in 1902 'a collegiate football game was added to the program' (Starr 152). This yearly event was dubbed the Tournament of Roses parade. As of 1923 the Rose Bowl stadium was erected by Myron Hunt and the gridiron game of the New Year would be played there till this day. Artists poured into California wanting to paint the 'new American landscape' (Starr 152). Murals and canvasses were slathered in paint trying to convey the Land of the Sun through Impressionism and Postimpressionism art.