Glendora, California

Growing up under the Spanish mission system, much of Glendora's vibrant history is founded on the sweat of the farmers, ranchers, and entrepreneurs who tempered the land and made it what it is today. Author David Landers captures the history of Glendora and the surrounding area through over 200 vintage images, from its early hacendados days to its glory as one of the nation's largest citrus producers. Easterner Henry Dalton came to the Glendora area in 1843, and, capitalizing on the revolutionary troubles that California was embroiled in with Mexico, created a community of ranches, farms, vineyards, and tanneries. The 1870s brought many new settlers, including some of the future leaders of the city that would be called Glendora: Cullen, Bender, La Fetra, and Warren. Chicago industrialist George Whitcomb bought over 200 acres, and the city of Glendora was finally established. Pictured here are some the earliest photographs of the region, including images of the Santa Fe Railroad that established the citrus industry in Glendora, the Glendora Fruit Association and the families that diligently worked for it, the packing houses, buildings, and early residents.