A Short History of Claremont: Boom, Bust, Colleges, Oranges, and Pilgrims
By KK Streator P'18

Located at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, Claremont was originally established in 1887 by the Pacific Land Improvement Company, land developers from Boston who were expecting a population boom along the extended Santa Fe Railroad line. In advance of the crowds, a grand hotel, Hotel Claremont, was built in anticipation of crowds that would never come.

The Eastern boys had badly mistimed their investment in the California boom. By 1888, the project was abandoned and the Hotel Claremont given to Pomona College to serve as the centerpiece of a new campus. Pomona was established to be an institution in the “New England style”—and the style of the town that grew up around it and the other Claremont Colleges reflected the New England roots and styles of the original founders.

The railroad did help the local citrus industry to grow. By 1900, orange, lemon, and grapefruit groves were well established and the Claremont growers established one of the earliest citrus cooperatives. Their marketing and shipping operations served as a model for the later Sunkist cooperative and their packinghouses and an ice and pre-cooling plant crowded Claremont's railroad tracks. But after WWII, the citrus industry faded as residential and commercial real estate development became more profitable than oranges.

In 1915, the Claremont Missionary Home was established. Originally designed to house Congregational Church missionaries between assignments, it was renamed “Pilgrim Place” in 1924 and evolved into a retirement community for retired missionaries, clergy, and social activists. Every November, the community puts on the Pilgrim Festival, a family-friendly celebration of activities, food, arts, crafts, vintage finds, clothing, jewelry, and more.

Today, Claremont is a lively and unusually pedestrian-friendly town (especially for Southern California)! Downtown is full of locally owned stores, hotels, more than 50 restaurants, and has an active arts and music scene. Hiking and biking trails in the San Gabriel Mountains are just minutes away. Other visitor attractions include the Folk Music Center, the 86-acre Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden (the largest botanic garden dedicated to California’s native plant) and the Alf Museum of Paleontology at the Webb Schools (the only nationally accredited museum of paleontology at a U.S. secondary school). Of course, touring the other Claremont Colleges counts as an attraction too! Online, a video called “Welcome to Claremont” garnered a lot of attention last year for its quirky style, reminiscent of famed Hollywood director Wes Anderson. Like Claremont, it’s fun, eclectic, and makes you want to visit!