Where Did Montrose’s Water Come From?
As I noted in two previous columns, 12 years ago when I wrote my book “Montrose” there were three questions that remained unanswered when I submitted the galleys to the publisher. In June of this year, I gave a presentation to the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley on what I called the “Mysteries of Montrose Origins.” This column summarizes my presentation of the second mystery: How did the developers provide water to the new community of Montrose?
We know that solving the “water issue” was a major selling point of their lots because when promoting their new community the developers mentioned it in almost every ad and publicity story. After the “opening day” of Montrose on Feb. 22, 1913 (when they hosted a large free barbecue near the intersection of what is now Verdugo Boulevard and Clifton Way), they put out a promotional booklet with a back cover photo of a huge fountain of water with “tremendous pressure.” Since the booklet was labeled “Opening Day” and the cars and people’s clothes seemed to match the other photos in the booklet, most historians (me included) had always assumed that this photo was taken on that day and that the fountain of water must have been near the barbecue so the developers could show potential buyers that these lots had water access.
Backing up a little: Frederick Holmes and Robert Walton owned a real estate company in downtown Los Angeles. By at least 1904, they were selling homes in the La Crescenta area. I’m speculating, but I assume that as Robert Walton drove through this area from 1904 to 1907, he wondered why there were no houses in the relatively flat lands. He would have found out there was no easy access to water and individual property owners could not afford to pipe water to their lots. So I’m guessing that Walton said something like, “If I buy these properties and bring water to them, I’ll make a fortune.”
In many historical accounts (including my own), you’ll see this phrase: “Developers Holmes and Walton.” But Holmes sold his share of the company to Robert Walton in 1908, the same year the company started buying the empty lots that would become Montrose. Again I’m guessing but perhaps Holmes thought that the project was too risky and wanted out. We know that in the same year, Walton teamed up with a speculator with a bad reputation named J. Frank Walters. Walton left the name of the company the same, Holmes and Walton, possibly to keep Walters name out of it. (Later when they were naming streets, Walton’s last name became Waltonia but the nod to Walters was in naming Florencita after his wife Florence.)
In the buildup toward opening day, there are references to a water “reservoir.” I have looked at many photos of early Montrose and wondered where this reservoir was. While I wasn’t expecting something as big as the Hollywood Reservoir, I did hope to see something recognizable as a reservoir; however, there was nothing obvious.
By chance, my brother John stumbled on the answer earlier this year when, looking for old photos of his house, he bought a photo album on eBay. Included in the album were a few photos of early Montrose. The prize photo is of Walton and Walters standing in front of that same fountain of water shown in the opening day photo. John was able to determine that the photo was taken not at the barbecue but rather higher up the slope, just west of what is now Ocean View Boulevard and north of what is now Montrose Avenue. And based on a news story, I was able to determine that the photo was taken on the Monday before the opening. This tiny well is the reservoir the developers were referring to. It looks like the diameter is no more than 20 feet and it’s impossible to know how deep it was.
I knew the developers piped in the water in from the west but I always thought it came from the San Gabriels. After the presentation, historian Fred Hoeptner showed me a photocopy of part of a map that shows “Montrose Water Works” in the Verdugo Hills. I can’t tell what this map is or when it was made or for what purpose. Assuming it’s correct, though, and with John’s new photo we now know that Walton tunneled water from the Verdugos and piped it to this reservoir in Montrose in order to provide the new landowners with water.
It looks like both ends of this water system were covered over during the construction of the 210 Freeway. If you know otherwise, please let me know.
Robert Newcombe is the author of “Montrose” in the Images of America series of Arcadia books, as well as the co-author (with Mike Lawler) of “La Crescenta” and ” La Crescenta: Then and Now.” You can reach him at r_newcombe@yahoo.com or stop him early in the morning on his daily walk through Montrose.