Rancho Cucamonga in San Bernardino County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Grapes in the Desert
— The Vintners Walk —
Photographed By Adam Margolis, March 5, 2023
1. Grapes in the Desert Marker
Inscription.
Grapes in the Desert. . The enlarged vineyard of the Cucamonga Rancho in the 1860s, covering over 150 acres, set the standard for others who come to seek a living or a fortune in viticulture. After her husband, John Rains, was murdered in 1862, faced with mounting debts and the complexity of new state laws, Dona Merced was forced to sell the Rancho including the valuable vineyard and winery. Isais W. Hellman, a German immigrant, held a mortgage on the Rancho and purchased the entire 13,045 acres in 1870. He in turn sold much of the Rancho lands to a number of investors, including a Portuguese sea captain named Joseph Garcia. Purchasing over 12,000 acres from Captain Garcia, George and William Chaffey quickly established Etiwanda in 1881 and Ontario in 1882, and were the first to harness water for irrigation from the San Bernardino Mountains above. Soon citrus and a wide range of other fruits and nuts joined grapes as the Valley's agricultural products. Yet, the old Cucamonga Rancho Vineyard and Winery remained in continuous operation until the early part of the twentieth century, looking much as it did in the 1850s. Although the area changed dramatically, the historic Rancho Winery building on the northeast corner of Vineyard Avenue and Foothill Boulevard produced and sold wine well into the 1970s.
The enlarged vineyard of the Cucamonga Rancho in the 1860s, covering over 150 acres, set the standard for others who come to seek a living or a fortune in viticulture. After her husband, John Rains, was murdered in 1862, faced with mounting debts and the complexity of new state laws, Dona Merced was forced to sell the Rancho including the valuable vineyard and winery. Isais W. Hellman, a German immigrant, held a mortgage on the Rancho and purchased the entire 13,045 acres in 1870. He in turn sold much of the Rancho lands to a number of investors, including a Portuguese sea captain named Joseph Garcia. Purchasing over 12,000 acres from Captain Garcia, George and William Chaffey quickly established Etiwanda in 1881 and Ontario in 1882, and were the first to harness water for irrigation from the San Bernardino Mountains above. Soon citrus and a wide range of other fruits and nuts joined grapes as the Valley's agricultural products. Yet, the old Cucamonga Rancho Vineyard and Winery remained in continuous operation until the early part of the twentieth century, looking much as it did in the 1850s. Although the area changed dramatically, the historic Rancho Winery building on the northeast corner of Vineyard Avenue and Foothill Boulevard produced and sold wine well into the 1970s.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists:
Location. 34° 6.366′ N, 117° 32.782′ W. Marker is in Rancho Cucamonga, California, in San Bernardino County. Marker can be reached from Foothill Boulevard, 0.1 miles west of Rochester Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located within the pathway in front of entrance to Denny's Restaurant in Masi Plaza. Best accessed via the parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11899 Foothill Boulevard, Rancho Cucamonga CA 91730, United States of America. Touch for directions.
sectionhead>More about this marker. The marker is part of the Vintners Walk, which is a pathway with a series of markers retelling the history of the area.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Photographed By Craig Baker, June 12, 2020
3. Grapes in the Desert Marker
Photographed By Craig Baker, May 4, 2020
4. Rancho Winery / Cucamonga Winery
On the northeast corner of Vineyard Ave and Foothill Blvd. This is California Historical Landmark No. 490.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 23, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 6, 2020, by Levi Gonzalez of Rancho Cucamonga, California. This page has been viewed 208 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on March 22, 2023, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. 2. submitted on May 6, 2020, by Levi Gonzalez of Rancho Cucamonga, California. 3, 4. submitted on June 12, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
