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About the Chaffey-Isle House We are very pleased to
announce that the Etiwanda
Historical Society is a sub recipient with the City of Rancho Cucamonga of a
Community Development Block Grant for the restoration and historic preservation
of the Isle House.
Property negotiation and transfer need to be completed for a
site on Etiwanda Avenue near the Chaffey
Garcia House. Plans will be prepared for the site and foundation, some
demolition of recent additions will be done, and by the end of August the house
should be in a condition to be moved to a permanent location.
This is exciting news and we are very grateful to City staff
for all their hard work and to our Mayor and City Council for their great
support.
The Etiwanda Historical Society is still seeking
tax-deductible donations of funds and/or materials and good old volunteer labor
is always welcome.
Please contact us if you'd like to be involved. |
| Chaffey-Isle House Update
(An article by Carolyn Holke in the Spring, 1998 edition of
the Etiwanda Historical Society Newsletter)
On February 17, 1998 the historic Chaffey-Isle House rolled
down Etiwanda Avenue and is being safely stored on the abandoned railroad right
of way just above the Chaffey-Garcia House! We are very thankful to our
Mayor, City Council, and the City staff for making this possible.
As most of you know, this house was built by George Chaffey
in 1883 for his mother and sister. It was first located 600 feet east of
his own home (the Chaffey-Garcia House), above Highland Avenue, west of Etiwanda
Avenue. In about 1903 it was moved to the northwest corner of Etiwanda
Avenue and Highland and was owned by the Isle family and their descendants, the
McGuires until 1997. For many years it was one of the largest citrus
ranches in the area. This house is one of the last remaining homes of the
original Etiwanda Colony Lands.
The City and the Etiwanda Historical Society have agreed to
work in cooperation to move, rehabilitate, and use this structure for historic
preservation purposes. The City purchased the house from CALTRANS and
arranged for the move and storage site. They are currently seeking land
for a permanent site.
The Etiwanda Historical Society is pursuing ways to pay for
restoration and is accepting tax deductible donations for funds and materials.
If you are interested in participating, please contact us at Etiwanda Historical Society. |
Article taken from: Historic American Buildings Survey,
Chaffey/Isle House (McGuire House.) HABS No. CA-2677 5490 Etiwanda Avenue Rancho Cucamonga
(Etiwanda) San Bernardino County, USGS Cucamonga Peak 7.5' Quadrangle Map, Universal
Transmercator Coordinates: 11.451800.3777170
One of the oldest surviving buildings from the origins of the Etiwanda Colony,
the Chaffey-Isle House is significant historically and architecturally.
The house was built in 1883 by George Chaffey Jr., one of the founders of the
Etiwanda Colony. As a result of Chaffey's engineering and leadership, the
Etiwanda Colony was the site of significant firsts in Southern California,
including the first development of hydroelectric current, the first house and
community to be lighted with electricity, the first successful mutual water
company, the first irrigation project to use underground concrete pipe, and the
first long distance telephone.
Not long after Chaffey departed for Australia in 1886, the house was
purchased by James C. Isle, who moved it on log rollers to its present location.
Isle achieved local prominence as a large-scale citrus producer and a founder of
the Etiwanda Foothill Citrus Association.
Architecturally, the house is an excellent example of an 1880s Second Empire
residence constructed on a small scale. Although somewhat deteriorated,
the building still represents its type and period, and it is one of the rare
surviving examples of a Mansard-roofed building in Southern California.
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