Summary
In January 1913, all of Southern California - indeed, much of the West - was locked in the icy grip of a record-breaking freeze that stymied local economies for years to come. In just four remarkable days, Mother Nature slammed the region with the "Great Freeze of 1913." In the San Bernardino Valley, the results were especially disastrous.
"In many ways, the Great Freeze of 1913 had a more devastating effect on the San Bernardino Valley than the Great Depression," said Redlands historian Tom Atchley. "Nearly all of the local businesses were tied to the citrus industry. Even the tourist trade was affected because so many trees were damaged, and the tourists wanted to see beautiful green groves."See the full content of this document
Extract
Great Freeze of '13 Had Ruinous Effects
By 1913, citrus growing in Southern California was well established, but it was still a relatively new industry. The first orange groves in the San Bernardino Valley were set out in 1853 by Anson Van Leuven in the old Mission District of Redlands.
Saturday, Jan. 4, 1913, sta...See the full content of this document
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