THE PROSPECT PARK CARRIAGE HOUSE
Prospect Park is the birthplace of Redlands. The park was given to the
city as an 80th birthday present from its citizens and it is
the oldest and largest park in Redlands.
The land that is now Prospect Park belonged to Redlands co-founders
Edward G. Judson and Frank E. Brown in the 1880’s. The site was known as
Prospect Hill because of the magnificent view it afforded of the
"Valley of the Cupped Hand of God," as the Indians called it.
Judson and Brown would bring prospective land buyers to view the
emerging "Redlands Colony" from the vantage point of Prospect
Hill. Judson and Brown completed a building on the "heights" in
April 1882, which became the focal point of their land sales for the
Redlands Colony.
In November 1882, the building was remodeled as the Prospect House, the
first hotel in this part of the Valley. Prospect Park owes its name to
this early, no longer existing, hotel.
George W. Meade, San Francisco capitalist and California raisin king,
purchased Prospect Hill in 1893 and expended $10,000 on improvements.
Meade sold the hill to Thomas Y. England, a wealthy leather manufacturer,
in 1896 for $11,000.
England continued the improvement started by Meade with cut-stone walls
and curbs, which still line the park today, and rare trees and plants,
many of which continue to thrive.
About 1896 England constructed the Carriage House with a "Coachman’s
lodge" addition. He used the apartment in the early mornings to
supervise the planting of the shrubs and trees. England developed the land
( at that time 60 acres) into Prospect Park with the advice of twins
Alfred and Albert Smiley.
The Smiley brothers owned 200 acres just one mile west where they
created Canon Crest Park, known to the world of tourists as Smiley
Heights. Canon Crest construction began in 1889 and was completed in 1896.
Franz P. Hosp, landscape architect for the Smiley’s Canon Crest Park
and Smiley Park in downtown Redlands, designed Prospect Park’s winding
drives and chose the ornamental plantings.
Prospect Park and Canon Crest Park brought fame and famous people,
including three presidents, to Redlands. William McKinley, Theodore
Roosevelt and William Howard Taft visited the parks during their
respective presidencies in 1901, 1903 and 1909.
From the turn of the century until the Depression in the 1930’s, more
than 15,000 people annually would travel from across the country and
throughout Southern California on excursion trains to Redlands to be
"Bemused by beauty" upon visiting the two hilltop parks.
When the Depression struck, orange prices plummeted and the England
family sold Prospect Park to Fred Hill. His heirs continued to farm the
groves until the 1960’s.
Redlands’ citizens rallied to "ransom" Prospect Park when
rumors circulated in the early 1960’s that the park was headed for the
same subdivision fate that befell Smiley Heights in 1963. Hill’s heirs
patiently waited from 1963 to 1968 while thousands of Redlanders enacted a
strenuous money raising campaign to buy the park’s 40 acres for the
city.
The campaign gained momentum to achieve its goal thanks to the
generosity of Mary Kimberly Shirk, who offered to donate her adjoining
property and home, Kimberly Crest, to the people of Redlands as an added
incentive to preserving Prospect Park.
A Housing and Urban Development grant of more than $212,000 matched the
citizens’ contributions to purchase the land. The park was dedicated by
the Friends of Prospect Park on November 16, 1968, on the 80th
anniversary of the City of Redlands.
Under the direction of Jane Hillsen, then Friends president, the
Carriage House was renovated from 1993 to 1996 – in time for its 100th
anniversary celebration. The facility is available for rent to groups.
The Friends of Prospect Park invite you to join their volunteer efforts
to maintain and enhance the park, of which 31 acres are citrus orchards
that generate city revenue. The groves are managed by the city’s
Redlands Citrus Preservation Commission. The rest of the park is cared for
by the Friends, the Redlands Horticulture & Improvement Society and
the city.
According to Redlands Conservancy President Robert Clark, "We are
delighted the Prospect Park Carriage House has been preserved for its
historic value and adaptive reuse, and equally pleased with its viability
as an event site."
For more information please contact:
Kimberly Crest House & Gardens
PO Box 206
Redlands, CA 92373
909-792-2111
info@kimberlycrest.org
