By Steven Shaw (Photographs provided by the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society)
(Heritage House, built in 1891, is the home of the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society)
Location: 796 N "D" Street (Corner of 8th & "D")
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 875, San Bernardino, CA 92402
Phone: (909) 885-2204 (Answering machine)
E-mail: sbhistoricalsociety@mac.com
"Library News"
Application for Membership
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OPEN HOUSE: Every Saturday 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. -- FREE OF CHARGE | Includes a tour of the 1891 Heritage House with Period furnishings, the Christian R. Harris Memorial Hall, the First Jail in San Bernardino and the Historical Society Library |
| San Bernardino History and Railroad Museum
1170 W 3rd Street
San Bernardino, CA 92410
Open Saturdays 10 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.
FREE OF CHARGE
|  |
HISTORICAL SOCIETY PROGRAMS - All programs are held on the first Thursday of each month unless otherwise noted at 7:00 P.M. inside the Christian R. Harris Memorial Hall which is located next to the Heritage House at the corner of 8th and D Streets in San Bernardino. They are open to the public free of charge, so bring a friend!All programs are held on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 P.M. The events will be held inside the Christian R. Harris Memorial Hall, next to the Heritage house at the corner of 8th and "D" Streets in San Bernardino. The program will be open to the public free of charge. Donations will be accepted.
HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY
In 1888, a group of men formed a San Bernardino Chapter of the "Society of California Pioneers". To be a member, one had to have come to California before 1850. The list of members was impressive. It included names like John Brown, both Sr. and Jr., Nicholas Earp (father of Wyatt Earp and his brothers), W.F. Holcomb, and many others who built this valley.
In 1901, they built a log cabin for the upcoming visit of President McKinley. He was unable to visit the cabin, but was moved to eulogize the Pioneers for their efforts. They built 3 more log cabins in the following ten years for various events. The last one in 1911 was set up in Pioneer Park where it remained until fire damaged it in 1973.
(Log Cabin in Pioneer Park))
By this time, they were allowing descendants of the original Pioneers to be members, but their numbers were dwindling. In 1977, the San Bernardino Historical Society was formed and merged with the Pioneer Society. In 1978, the group was incorporated by the state as a non-profit organization.
THE HERITAGE HOUSE
In 1978, the Heritage House was generously donated to the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society by Santa Fe Federal Savings and Loan. Its original location was at 772 North "D" Street, just south of its present location. In 1980, the newly merged Santa Fe Federal and Pacific Federal donated the property at the corner of 8th and "D" Streets.
The house was then moved to its present location. The corner of 8th and "D" Streets is the last "Carriage Corner" left in the city. Drivers of horse-drawn equipment found the gentle curve of the corner easier to navigate. The corner also has the last hitching post in the city. This Victorian house, built in 1891, was completely restored and a library and meeting hall was built behind it. Regular meetings have been held there since.
THE PIONEER FIRE MUSEUM
In 1999, the Pioneer Fire Museum merged with the Historical and Pioneer Society. They have represented the City of San Bernardino in many parades including the Tournament of Roses Parade six times with the fully restored San Bernardino Fire Department 1890 Hose Wagon.
ACTIVITIES
The Society is even more visible in the community than it used to be. It sets up displays at San Bernardino's Route 66 Rendezvous, the City of Highland's Citrus Festival, the National Orange Show, the Grand re-opening of the Santa Fe Depot, and the final ceremonies of the re-creation of the Mormon Wagon Train at Glen Helen Park.
In 2003, the Society hosted the Conference of California Historical Annual Symposium. Close to 100 out of area members stayed at the Radisson Hotel for the weekend.
Each year, the Society sends out two history-related publications called "Odyssey" and one history-related book called "Heritage Tales" to their members. One of their members, Nick Cataldo, published a photo-history called "Images of America - San Bernardino.", and recently published another book, "The Earp Clan: The Southern California Years". Another member, Steven Shaw, published "Images of America - San Bernardino Fire Department." These books are sold at bookstores nationally and are available at Amazon.com.
HISTORIC TREASURES
The Society has managed to save some of the city's historic treasures like a carved limestone water trough used by a blacksmith in 1878, and San Bernardino's First Jail Cell from 1858. They have many other small artifacts and photos important to the city's history on display in their meeting hall and restored house. In their library, they have many rare historical books written about the City of San Bernardino.
For more information or if you have anything historical and pertinent to San Bernardino that you would be willing to donate call Steve Shaw at (909) 864-6179 or contact me by e-mail at sbhistoricalsociety@mac.com.
Historical Research: Please refer to:
California Room-Feldheym Library
555 W 6th Street, San Bernardino
(909) 381-8208
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information or to answer any questions, please call us anytime:
Steve Shaw, President (909) 864-6179 (909) 856-3229 (Cell)
Allen Bone, Board Member (909) 792-3827 (909) 260-5745 (Cell)
E-mail: sbhistoricalsociety@mac.com
APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
Application for membership in the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society is available by clicking on this link
