How Big Were Their Footprints?

Townsite Era


During the townsite era, big chunks of land were divided up and sold. People bought the lots with a plan to grow food and live off the land. During this time thousands of trees were planted in the valley. Artesian wells were dug and many irrigation channels dug.



Water supplies were diverted from creeks and sent to water fields and groves.

Flooding became a big problem as people built homes and farms on land that was wild before.

Fields were plowed. Settlers introduced grains and fruit trees that had never been grown here before.

Native animals probably had a harder time finding their usual food supply. Native plants were being crowded out in the townsites

Railroads, depots, citrus packing sheds and hundreds of homes were being built.

Only a few buildings remain from that time. Many others burned down, were destroyed by floods, melted, or were torn down to make newer buildings.

Settlers introduced sheep, cattle, chickens, goats, and many other domestic animals. The remaining wild animals were hunted. Some species, like the grizzly bear, were hunted to extinction.

A few Native Americans could live off the land, hunting and gathering what they needed. The large number of settlers needed farms to support them

Most Mormons were gone. Indians were being rounded up for reservations.

A few of the Indians remained on reservations. A few Mormon pioneers stayed around. New settlers pretty much "took over" the valley.

The Bottom Line:

The "monoculture" of the Lugos was gone. Many new plants and animals were introduced. The habitat of Loma Linda would never be the same again.