Burbank has a fertile history

CRAIG BULLOCK

Agricultural production lasted for centuries in areas like Burbank

and the San Fernando Valley. From the times of Native Americans,

through Spanish and Mexican rule, up to the 20th century, it played a

significant role in the development of the area.

Agricultural production became more structured during the period

of Spanish rule, where vast areas of lands were cultivated and became

known as “ranchos.” Agriculture was so important to the survival of

the area that the Spanish Crown mandated that the owners of these

ranchos cultivate part of their land as a condition of ownership.

The ranchos began to be dismantled after California became part of

the United States. The dismantling came in the form of land sales to

eager Americans wanting to expand west. David W. Alexander, Alexander

Bell and Jonathan Scott purchased slightly more than 9,200 acres for

38 cents an acre for what is known today as Burbank. Their

acquisition of the vast acreage, however, did not to last long.

In 1867, they sold all their property to Dr. David Burbank, a

dentist, for approximately $1 an acre. Clearing the title of the

property proved to be Dr. Burbank’s first challenge, as many land

transactions at that time were made informally, sometimes just

verbally.

In 1871, the title of the property was cleared in what became

known as the “Great Partition.” He built a home for he and his wife

in 1867 on what is now the back lot of Warner Bros. Studios and

quickly established himself as a leading sheep breeder. A variety of

agricultural crops were also grown for the purpose of selling.

In 1886, Dr. Burbank sold nearly all of his property -- 9,000

acres for $250,000 -- to a group of men who founded the Providencia

Land, Water and Development Company. The sale was very profitable to

Dr. Burbank, who originally paid approximately $9,200 for the

property. He used a portion of the proceeds, $25,000, to purchase an

interest in the new development company.

The Providencia Land, Water and Development Company promoted the

rural and agricultural life of Burbank. They quickly invested in

infrastructure improvements and subdivided their large land holdings

into 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-acre farms.

The land proved to be particularly fertile and well-suited for

agricultural use. New arrivals from the Midwest and East Coast, lured

by advertisements produced by Providencia Land, Water and Development

Company, streamed in and bought up the farms in hoping to create a

better life for themselves and their families.

They quickly began planting crops of peaches, alfalfa, pumpkins,

grains, and citrus, cantaloupes and other melons. By 1876, the San

Fernando Valley, including Burbank, became one of the largest

producers of agricultural products in Los Angeles County. Harvested

crops were loaded into wagons and taken to neighboring Los Angeles

for sale.

While the soil was well suited for agricultural use, the weather

was not always cooperative. Severe droughts caused a shortage of

grass and water that resulted in the death of thousands of sheep and

cattle and the loss of many crops in 1874 and 1875, and again in

1889, which triggered the collapse of the land boom.

The drought in 1889 financially ruined the Providencia, Land,

Water and Development Company and its founders, with the exception of

Dr. Burbank, and the farmers who had staked so much into their new

lives into farming in Burbank. In five of the seven years following

the collapse, less than 10 inches of water fell each season. Farmers

struggled to save their farms.

The lack of irrigation systems and too few reservoirs made farming

particularly difficult to nearly impossible. Burbank was fortunate,

however, to have a plentiful supply of well water. Grapes were one

crop that flourished in Burbank for decades because of the fertile

soil and underground water. Burbank wineries produced some of the

region’s finest wines and grape juices (during Prohibition).

Agriculture in Burbank, as promoted by Providencia Land, Water and

Development Company and companies like them, promised a better future

for those who worked hard.

Unfortunately, hard work and determination could not overcome

stable weather conditions that are needed for long-term economically

sustainable farming. The population explosion, along with growth of

the film and aircraft industries, created an unquenchable appetite

for land that devoured the farms.

But the importance of agriculture in Burbank is not lost. The

first city seal featured a cantaloupe and the “Burbank Industry”

mural at City Hall prominently features early Burbank farmers.

* CRAIG BULLOCK is the chairman of the Burbank Heritage

Commission. Reach him at brbnkheritagecom@aol.com.