A People’s History of the Inland Empire Digital Archive

Items

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  Macias Family Interview by Leslie Rios in Beaumont (1 of 3)

  Dolores Macias retells her early life and immigration from Mexico to the US as a railroad family pioneer. Her family and she discuss growing up in the Mexican American barrio "Chancla Miada" in Banning CA, as well as the social and financial changes due to the construction of the I-10 Freeway.
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  Macias Family Interview by Leslie Rios in Beaumont (3 of 3)

  Tape three of the Macias Family Interview. The family discusses the first lawsuit won against the Riverside police department in Beaumont, as well as conflicts with the police department. The interview also discuss financial aid and community activism.
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  Ray Flores and Jim (Ernest) Velasquez (3 of 3)

  Third interview tape with Ray Flores and Jim Velasquez. The first is "Ray Flores and Jim Velasquez" and the second is at the end of "San Timoteo School House tape 2 of 2 Ray Flores". The interview discusses education in the early twentieth century and teaching in San Timoteo Canyon. Ray Flores discusses serving as an interpreter during the Vietnam War after serving in the Second World War.
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  Beaumont Ben and Amalia Rios part 2

  This is part two of the Rios and Dominguez family interview for Living On a Dime. The family discusses community life in Beaumont CA., Mexican Americans in local beauty pageants, as well as the ongoing changes and issues brought on by the construction of the freeway.
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  Hal Embshoff Banning CA

  Hal Embshoff describes his family's migration from Ohio to Banning California and the development of his horseradish family business that was founded in 1952. He also discusses the changes he faced with the development of the freeway.
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  Maurice Calderon and Caroline Avila

  Caroline Avila and Maurice Calderon describe their life in Banning California and the neighborhood barriers. They discuss changes due to the construction of the freeway as well as hardships and segregation they experienced as Hispanic Americans.
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  Penny Newman

  Penny Newman discusses the various climate struggles that the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice was confronting at the time of the interview, namely high levels of air contamination, a rising number of warehouses, cattle ranches, and new housing which was unaffordable. She also gives a tour of the new CCAEJ headquarters and explains what they plan to do with the property to make it a community space.
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  Ben and Amalia Rios Beaumont part 1

  Ben and Amalia Rios discuss community life in Beaumont, California, and growing up in the neighborhood barrio as Hispanic Americans. They retell the social life, education, and military service of Mexican American men in their neighborhood during World War II.
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  San Timoteo School House tape 2 of 2 Ray Flores

  One of four tapes discussing the San Timoteo Canyon Schoolhouse. Reyes Flores discusses how the construction of the canyon in Beaumont and the prior construction of the I-10 freeway affected Mexican communities in the Inland Empire. Flores also recounts the secularization of missions and the prior work of Indian ranchhands.
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  San Timoteo Canyon Schoolhouse Jim Velasquez Jerry Cody

  One of five tapes discussing the San Timoteo Canyon Schoolhouse. Jim Velasquez discusses the history of the first indigenous peoples of the Inland Empire from the eighteenth, seventeenth, and nineteenth centuries respectively. Velasquez follows the indigenous history of Spain, Mexico, and the United States.
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  Colton, Pascual Olivas Reunion (Part Two)

  The second part of the Colton, Pascual Olivas Reunion. Dominic Philaseda recounts experiences as a musician. Angel Olivas recounts experiences in the military, the Second World War, the Post American Legion, discrimination, and benefits for Mexican Americans following the Second World War.
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  Colton, Pascual Olivas Reunion

  Rudy Olivas discusses his experience as a musician as well as the discrimination he witnessed in Colton, California throughout his life, including a sudden shift in attitude toward Mexican Americans following the Second World War. Rudy Oliva's wife, Julia Olivas, and grandchild, Joseph Kiones, discuss their lives and their experiences with music.
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  Colton, Wilson Reunion

  Interviewees attending the Wilson High School reunion recount their memories of Colton in their youth, the impact of the I-10 freeway on Colton, and their desires for the future of Colton's growth moving forward.
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  Dolores Cortez

  Dolores Cortez is the founder of St. Mary's Folklorico. Cortez discusses the economic growth and the environmental impacts of the construction of the I-10 freeway. Cortez also discusses her work in the bilingual program as well as her life in Redlands, California.
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  Leland Richardson

  Leland "Lee" Richardson discusses his family history from arriving in Colton to settling in Redlands and the work he and his sister have dedicated to their family genealogy. Richardson also discusses his life story, working in his father's auto garage and working in Douglas Aircraft.
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  Redlands Cathie Chavez, Pat Chavez, and Rosemary Chavez

  The interview starts off with the past of the area and a background into the Chavez family and their experience within the community during its rapid growth and the importance of having involvement within the community. It then transitions into how the city of Redlands went from having vast amounts of orchid fields to having large amounts of commercial, retail, and warehouses. Which would bring in more traffic into the city drastically affecting the air quality for the residents living there. Rosemary was a long-time resident of Redlands her grandfather lived here since the 1800s and talks about the close relationship the community has with one another. The interview covers issues brought up from the development of the I- 10 leading to the expansion of Redlands and environmental issues brought out from it.
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  Redlands Robert Flores Family incl. Cathie Chavez

  The interviews discuss how the commercial industry has had a major effect on the community of Redlands. Interviewees discuss the feeling of the community toward development as they feel the rapid industrialization of Redlands has caused an increase in traffic, an increase in large industrial buildings, and many people from other cities such as Los Angeles moving into the community due to the affordable housing. While discussing these issues the Olmstead Plan and the Olmsted Brothers public projects in Redlands are mentioned. The interview is centered around the rapid industrialization of Redlands and its current issues and long-term issues that will arise because of it.
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  Raymond Karsten, Citrus Redevelopment

  The start of the interview is very unclear the conversation with the older individual is inaudible due to the wind. This issue is present from 00:02:00 till 00:03:48 when the video cuts to just scenery shots of the area. At 00:18:55 the video transitions to an antique and collectibles store that is going out of business the shop may have been known as “Junk-n-Stuff Antiques”. The store owner whose name isn’t mentioned explains where the location of the original highway was and she talks about how gradual its development has been. The interview shifts to a business owner of a fountain business that has been there for 25 years. He sees this new growth as something positive for the area and his business.
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  Louis and Mae Lubinsky, University of Redlands

  The interview starts off with Louis and Mae Lubinsky talking about their past history and their family's history. The interview shows the development of the area through the perspectives of Louis and Mae mainly centering around Louis since his family resided in the area throughout the majority of his life. Louis was born October 11th, 1914 in Chicago Illinois and his family moved to Los Angeles in 1915. During this time his father had established a locksmith shop in Los Angeles. Then in 1923, his family moved to Yucaipa to which his father bought an apple orchid as it was something his father was now interested in. Then a year or two later they moved to Redlands and then in 1924 or 1925 moved to San Bernardino staying there till 1932 when they moved back to Redlands. Then 1935 his father bought a property in Loma Linda. The interview then goes towards Mae who was born in 1914 in New York City till 1920 when her family moved to Rochester, New York. During World War II she worked in a factory owned by the Navy making munitions /“sight finders for bombers” in Rochester. In 1943 she came to the Loma Linda area where she met Louis who was currently in the Army. Louis started off in field artillery till his battalion shifted into a tank destroyer battalion. He then went overseas to Germany and then was transferred into a government service unit that enforce rule over the Germans at the end of the war. When the war ended in Japan his service ended as well. The interview then shifts towards the past of the area which Louis talks about how his father owned apple orchids when the prices of apples completely collapsed due to the orchids growing up in the mountains above Yucaipa were growing better and were better. His father then established a hardware store in 1923 where burrows appliance currently is near State and 5th for two years till they established a similar business in San Bernardino. He lived there till 1933 when he finished high school. Then moving to Loma Linda in 1935. The freeway then came by with the construction was near his home which he wasn’t specific about the date but in 1962 moved back to Redlands till the current time of the interview. They stayed in the business similar to his fathers till 1980. They then begin to talk about the multiple names his current location has had “Ocean to Ocean Highway”, “Highway 99”, “Colton Ave”, and then “Redlands Blvd”.
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  Eric Rush /(Rick Rush), Calimesa; Ray Abril, Colton; B roll of I-10

  Eric Rush a business owner in Calimesa is talking about the history of the area and the current issues going on in the city. One of the main problems discussed in this interview is the issue of big developers/ companies coming in and getting rid of rural areas. He talks about his background and why he owns businesses here. He talks about how close the community is here since it's a small city. He highlighted the major problems surrounding the local government's use of the eminent domain to benefit the large corporations arriving in the area and how it is destroying the community.
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  Ernest Siva in Banning Tape 2; Eric Rush

  The interview starts with Ernest Siva in a restaurant in which they are talking about how Indigenous communities are thriving economically due to the development of the I-10 Freeway. As well as many things that are in place within the local communities intended to draw people into the cultural centers and museums around the casino as well as outside populations. These family centers have the potential to educate many groups of people locals and even out of state who are visiting the Casino the I-10 made this easier. The interview then takes place in what seems to be a small store owned by Eric Rush. Eric Rush is a small business owner who is explaining how the small local community is being taken advantage of by the city government through the use of the eminent domain. As well as sharing the story of the locals affected by this and the problems emerging.
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  Cabazon, Ernest Siva Tape 1

  Ernest Siva is a historian who highlights many issues around the Native American populations in the area. He talks about the Soboba Reservation his birthplace and the Morongo Reservation where he grew up. He briefly explains how the Morongo Reservation is home to many Native American tribes such tribes being the Cahuilla and Serrano. He mentions difficulties Indigenous students faced as they weren't allowed to attend public schools. and indigenous artifacts of the local tribes have been taken by museums in the area. He mentions how there's an effort in place to restore their lost indigenous culture. One way is by teaching the native languages of the local tribes which are being done at UCR where a professor is trying to keep the language alive. Ernest mentions that the Serrano language no longer has pure speakers.
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  Bloomington Garage Virginia Geil Tape 2

  Virginia Geil highlights the importance of representing the community of Bloomington and how she and her team are the voice of the community. She and the team tell the board of supervisors the wants/ concerns/ needs/ etc of the residents of Bloomington. At the time of the interview, a ten-year plan was in the works in the city of Bloomington which intended to uplift the city and the concerns of the community yet only focusing on the needs of the truckers. She also highlights the importance of preserving material history that the youth can learn and see.
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  Bloomington Garage Virginia Geil Tape 1

  The construction of the 10 Freeway created many problems in Bloomington California creating many barriers to the preservation of the historical aspects of the city. Destroying parts of 'Old Bloomington' history and devastating what remained. Till the arrival of Virginia Geil who actively fought in preserving Bloomington's past while educating the older population on the importance of preserving and maintaining the city.
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  Yucaipa, Greg Palmer at Palmer Ranch; Mira Loma, Penny Newman Activist

  Greg Palmer gives Antonio Vasquez and a few other people a tour of Palmer Ranch in Yucaipa, which borders the I-10 freeway. Additionally, the video includes footage of Mira Loma activist Penny Newman discussing the Stringfellow Acid Pits. She says that the danger they pose to the surrounding communities is what led to her involvement in creating the Center for Community Action for Environmental Justice.