For most of a century, starting in the 1870s and continuing into the 1960s, the Inland Empire was a bountiful Eden with sprawling orchard lands that stretched from horizon to horizon. There were an estimated 10 million citrus trees in Southern California, and most of them were in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
The oranges are ripe, the branches are heavy-laden and the groves are heavenly scented, so it’s the perfect time of year for one of my favorite Sunday drives.
From San Bernardino I head east to Redlands on the 10 Freeway, exit south on California Street and follow it as it zigzags across Redlands Boulevard. Boom, I’m just minutes from my house, but now I’m in citrus country and it’s a hundred years ago.
I stay on California Street as it burrows through dense groves on its way to Barton Road, where I turn east, pass by the old Asistencia mission on my left, then turn south again on Terracina Boulevard, which climbs the hill toward Redlands Community Hospital. The historic Morey Mansion and many other stately homes line the road and many of them feature picturesque orchards.
Better yet, some of the homeowners have set up untended roadside stands where it’s possible to buy bags of fresh-picked oranges, lemons and avocados for three or four bucks a pop. You put your money in a cash box.
It’s an honor system, and it’s an honor, frankly, to take part in such an old-fashioned rite in our new-fangled age.
Once you get up to the hospital, you have your choice of two routes, and I like to take both. I’ll continue to the top of Terracina, then start angling south to Highland Avenue and head east through more palatial neighborhoods and groves. Highland Avenue eventually converges into Fifth Avenue, which leads into serious orchard country and the pioneer Farquhar Farms, which has a large produce stand at Fifth and Wabash avenues.
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