Canon Crest Park REDLANDS, CAL WINTER HOMES OF ALERED H. and ALBERT K. SMILEY Reprinted from Out West Mag-azine, March, 1903 . ORANGE GROVES AND MOUNTAINS FROM CREST ROAp CANON CREST PARK. k OT often in a generation does there come upon the mar- ket such a home-place as Canon Crest Park — almost better known as Smiley Heights — which has been through the winters of nearly half a generation the abiding-place of twin brothers — A. H. and A. K. Smiley. A noble site in the beginning, developed, beautified, perfected year after year, so far as loving skill and ample means could accomplish — it is today unique and unsur- passable, even in California, land of surpassing homes. WHY IT is FOR SATE. — . The reason this beautiful domain is now offered to the public is by no means that its owners are weary of the home they have been molding to their tastes for so long, or that they prefer to live elsewhere. But the recent death of Mr. A. H. Smiley compels the sale of his part of the estate. And everyone who is familiar with the property — which has from the beginning been considered and treated as a whole — will agree with the surviving brother that it ought to be sold as a whole. where it is. To the tens of thousands of tourist visitors who have come to Redlands these many years, Canon Crest Park has been the place which must be visited whatever else was missed, and returned to again land again if the stay were prolonged. By reason of the generous public spirit! of the owners, this private estate has been open to the public almost as fully as though RESIDENCE OP' ALFRED 5 REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA MOUNT SAN BERNARDINO (TWO miles high) it had be- longed to the whole com- munity. Hying right across a lofty ridge, a mile in length, and including practically the whole of it, the view on one side is sharply down the steep declivities of the San Timoteo Canon, 350 feet below and beyond, to the wilderness rimmed with rugged ridges, rising to an elevation of 4,000 feet. On the other side the vision sweeps more deliberately along a gentle downward slope across the miles of orange groves among which the clean and beautiful city of Redlands nestles, then up to the grandest peaks of Southern California’s majestic sierras. Here, surrounded by a tropical vegetation in mid-winter, one looks out on a complete circle of mountains whose snow-capped sum- mits rise often to an elevation of 10,000 to 12,000 feet. It is a city of churches and schools, with an extensive public library housed in the finest building in the State used for such purpose, and situated in a public park of some eight acres extent imthe center of Redlands, both a gift from A. K. Smiley to the city. Through one great semicircle, the mighty mountain wall is broken in two places only — by the Cajon and San Gor- gonio passes. On the northwest is rugged San Antonio ; on the north- east the giant peaks San Bernardino and San Gorgonio, and on the MARGUERITES ON PALM KNOLL yOOKING TOWARD CAJON REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA 7 southeast San Jacinto, most majes- tic of all these superb moun- tains. At all seasons, in the wonderfully plastic and sensitive atmosphere of Southern California, but especially in the winter, when covered with snow, under the varying- effects of sunshine and cloud, these mountains are a constant study and delig-ht to every lover of nature. thb near-by city. For its superb climate, its remarkable ALONG GLEN ROAD scenery and the quiet but convincing- charm of its atmosphere — social as well as physical — Redlands has long- held hig-h place in the affections of those who seek a delig-htful winter home. (Incidentally it may be noted that its orang-es are not to be beaten.) It is natural, therefore, that it should have drawn to itself a citizenship larg-ely from those who know what the best is — who desire it — who can and will pay for it. Its delightful homes are filled, for the most part, with men and women whose standards of culture, of intellectual at- tainment, of morals and of religion, are high. Few cities in the United States are so “solid” financially, and with this goes — as is unfortunately GOLD OF OPHIR ROSES — MILLIONS OF THEM MIRROR LAKE REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA 11 too seldom the case — a princely civic pride and an unself-seek- ing harmony of effort in all movements for the up- building of the city. That it is lighted by electricity, knit together by trolley lines and other- wise provided with such things as modern cities have for health, comfort and convenience, is a matter of course. Churches and schools also may be taken for granted, while the entire absence of saloons, though not wholly exceptional in Southern California, is still worth mentioning. Of the large and well selected Public Library it may be said that it contains over seven thousand volumes, to which are added, each year, about fifteen hundred books. The value of the park and building together is some $ 60 , 000 . THE SIZE OF THE ESTATE AND WHAT IT HOIyDS. Within the boundary lines of Canon Crest Park are included more than two hundred acres of land. The commanding location and the wonderful views were of course there when it was finally chosen, after long and careful search, as the finest home-site in Southern California. But in most other respects the Park, as it stands today, has been created by years of patient and wisely- planned labor. It is not much of an ex- aggeration to say that all the world has been taxed for its choicest ornamental trees and shrubs. Here are palms from SAN TIMOTKO CANON AND S. P. R. K. WINTER CARNATIONS IN FOREGROUND REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA 13 SIERRA MADRE RANGE FROM RESIDENCE OF A. K. SMILEY South America, Africa and the Islands of the Pacific, along- side of those which are native to California ; euca- lypti in many varie- ties, and the curious b o 1 1 1 e-brush from Australia ; the olean- der from Japan, and the camphor tree from China ; the Cedar of Lebanon from North Africa, and the Deodar Cedar from date palm on lawn the Himalayas ; genista and English Laurel from the shores of the Medi- terranean, and heath from the Cape of Good Hope ; the flowering peach from Persia ; the banana from India, and the rubber tree from the damp forests of tropical Africa. Here are Cherokee roses lining the road for hundreds of yards, and, in their blossoming season, one white blaze made up of millions of flowers. Here are great banks of callas — the treasured indoor-plant of the list — sending up their fragrance to the January sky from thousands of their stately, spotless cups. Here are great masses of pansies, carnations, marguerites, poppies (the “cup of gold” of the earlier Cal- ifornian), and many another old-time SAN IMOTEO CANON I TANGLEWOOD PATH AMONG THE PINES, CREST ROAD 15 REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA favorite, interspersed with scores of less familiar varieties. Everywhere shrubs and trees have been disposed with an eye to the most striking- and artistic effects of color and foliage. Everywhere the flowering plants have been so placed as to provide an increas- ing variety of bloom from one year’s end to another — a limitless wealth of color, fragrance and beauty. And some of the beauty is made to serve distinctly utilitarian purposes as well ; for there are about fifty acres of thrifty orange trees and many lemons and olives. All in all, this magnificent park is SCENE FROM ROAD without serious question the most original in conception, the most perfect in detail, the most fascinating- in the scenery which it commands, of all the beautiful places made possible by the marvelously fertile soil and balmy climate of Southern California. the water supply. The irrigation system on this property was most carefully planned and equipped. A large supply of water is brought from the Santa Ana river and Mill creek, whose sources reach back to the loftiest of the snowclad peaks. These are the two larg-est rivers in Southern California, and from them this property is entitled to a larg-e and constant supply of water. Connected with the estate, and belonging- to it, is also a very valuable pumping plant in the San Timoteo Canon. This has a capacity of twenty-five inches uniform flow, and would be an important resource in a possible season of drouth. the buildings. There are two residences with stables and outbuilding’s complete, one in the eastern portion of the park, with a choice view over the city of Red- lands, and the other on the crest of the ridge, with a broad outlook in every direction. A network of paths runs through the park in every direction, and about three miles of roadway have been constructed, at a cost of many thousands of dollars, gran- ite retaining walls and gut- ters for carrying storm waters ACROSS MIRROR LAKE 16 CANON CREST PARK ( \ safely away having- been provided wherever necessary. Something like a mile of this marvelous drive leads along the narrow crest of the Heights, with the swift plunge into San Timoteo Canon on the one hand and the broad outlook across the smiling city and its setting of orange groves at the other. Then it drops into dense woods — a forest with trees fifty to a hundred feet in height, yet barely a dozen years old. It skirts a gleaming lake, heavily bordered with flowering shrubs. It passes a grove of many varieties of palms. It winds between beds of roses and carnations and other brilliantly blossoming plants. And always the snowclad mountains loom up in the distance — a scene unmatched as a whole in America or Europe. Adjoining the Park and between it and the business section of Redlands lie the costliest and most beautiful residences in the city. Such villa sites as remain unoccupied command very high prices. The city may be quickly reached by the good trolley-line which runs right to the Park entrance. “ who’u buy ? ” Plainly, this splendid estate is not within the reach of a slender pocket- book. It is a home which a prince might envy, ready for instant occupa- tion. It is a property which could not be even partly duplicated except at the cost of years of study and effort, and large i’sums of money expended with the utmost skill and taste. It cannot be duplicated at all in the point of its chiefest charm — its incomparable location. The irrigation system and the planting have been so carefully planned that the labor of two men is amply sufficient for the proper care of trees, shrubs, flowers, lawns, and all the ornamental grounds. And once acquired, it will not be a matter of steady, unreturned outlay, since the annual income from the sale of oranges and lemons pays a fair return on its price. The title is perfect. A. K. SMILEY lor Further Information write to BOARD OF TRADE REDLANDS CALIFORNIA NOTE:--This property is now withdrawn from sale, as A. K. Smiley has purchased his late brother’s portion of the estate . iJUir JffurtJjrr partirulara, (Hmno, i£tr., MbrtBB any of tlie foUohmts s. dal. 3§. M. darlattlt Sc d 0 . Z\Z 3®tlrox Siiilirtmj tCoa Angplpn, dal. I ^ohvrt A. ISohtatt 419 Souglaa $uil&ittg &oh Angplpa. dal. Hm. IS. i^iaatH do. ■PaHaftma, dal. OUT W€QT CO., PRINTERS AND ENGRAVERS LOS ANGELES. CALIFORNIA