The Journal of San Diego History
SAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY
Spring 1999, Volume 45, Number 2
Richard W. Crawford, Editor

Back to the article: Inventing Agriculture in Southern California

Spr9990-18260-1z  Map of the Southern California Model Farm at the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in Balboa park. Sponsored by the Seven Southern Counties of California, the exhibit covered seventeen acres and featured a wide variety of fruit trees as well as grains and a vineyard. A model bungalow was also part of the exhibit and blue prints for the home cost $1.00. [photo # 90-18260-1]

Spr9991-18564-2649y  [Photo 91:18564-2649] The International Harvester Company had an agricultural exhibit at the 1915 Panama-California Exposition to promote their products and encourage new agriculture in the semi-arid Southwest.


Spr992552-2y
  [Photo 2552-2] View of the Model Farm, facing west. In the background can be seen the California building and Tower, to its left the back of the Sacramento Valley Building (now replaced by the Museum of Art) and to the far left (in the enlarged image) the back of the Botanical Building.

Spr9984-15263-131y  [Photo 84:15263-131] An interior view of the Exposition’s Model Bungalow showing the kitchen. Fair promoters claimed that such a house could be built for $4000.


Spr9991-18564-2693y
  [Photo 91:18564-2693] A close view of the Exposition’s Model Bungalow with maturing trees and landscaping.

 

Spr9991-18564-1440y  [Photo 91:18564-1440] Three Little Landers, ca. 1911-15, in a garden with a typical basic house and animal buildings (possibly chicken coops). These plots were usually one to two acres in size.



Spr9991-18564-1148y
  [Photo 91:18564-1148] El Centro, in Imperial County east of San Diego, was one of the agricultural towns trying to make farming in the desert with irrigation a success. In this ca. 1915 photograph, it is a prosperous looking town with brick buildings holding a department store, bank and other businesses as well as showing wide streets with automobiles and overhead electric lines.


Back to the article: Inventing Agriculture in Southern California