Loma Linda in San Bernardino County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Zanja is Contested
and then Abandoned
Photographed by Craig Baker, September 18, 2023
1. Zanja is Contested Marker
Inscription.
Zanja is Contested. and then Abandoned. Thousands of settlers flocked to Redlands and surrounding communities. Many bought land along the Zanja and did not hesitate to take water from it. In numerous lawsuits, citrus growers along Mission Road claimed that all the water was theirs, citing its history as a man-made irrigation canal. People upstream claimed that the Zanja (pronounced "Sankey" by many in Redlands), was a free-flowing, natural stream. The Zanja was determined to be man-made, and although it was a win for the citrus growers, other sources were already starting to supersede the Zanja. First, artesian wells tapped the huge Bunker Hill aquafer. Second, the arrival of electricity allowed growers to tap deeper wells. Third, Redlands developers dammed the Bear Valley, creating Big Bear Lake, supplying ample water for many decades. Regardless of how it was delivered, water in our valley depended on annual snowfall on Mt. San Gorgonio and the other high peaks surrounding San Bernardino Valley. The Zanja changed the course of local history, bringing water to feed its farms and orchards for nearly a hundred years.
Thousands of settlers flocked to Redlands and surrounding communities. Many bought land along the Zanja and did not
hesitate to take water from it. In numerous lawsuits, citrus growers along Mission Road claimed that all the water was theirs,
citing its history as a man-made irrigation canal. People upstream claimed that the Zanja (pronounced "Sankey" by many in
Redlands), was a free-flowing, natural stream. The Zanja was determined to be man-made, and although it was a win for the
citrus growers, other sources were already starting to supersede the Zanja. First, artesian wells tapped the huge Bunker Hill
aquafer. Second, the arrival of electricity allowed growers to tap deeper wells. Third, Redlands developers dammed the
Bear Valley, creating Big Bear Lake, supplying ample water for many decades. Regardless of how it was delivered, water in
our valley depended on annual snowfall on Mt. San Gorgonio and the other high peaks surrounding San Bernardino Valley.
The Zanja changed the course of local history, bringing water to feed its farms and orchards for nearly a hundred years.
Location. 34° 3.111′ N, 117° 13.806′ W. Marker is in Loma Linda, California, in San Bernardino County. It is on Mission Road west of Earp Drive, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11098 Westin St, Loma Linda CA 92354, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles, in the Inland Empire, in the Peninsular Ranges, and specifically in the Transverse Ranges. It is also in the American Southwest. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 30, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 30, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 196 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on April 30, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
