Redlands CA is a big town with a small town feel. This is a wonderful place to explore and visit. Both residents and visitors will find a lot of things to do.
Redlands has a wide range of restaurants that will appeal to foodies. The city has everything from traditional American eateries to upscale gastropubs.
The Smiley Library is another must-see attraction. This is one of the most beautiful buildings in town and has a unique architecture style.
The University of Redlands
The University of Redlands was founded in 1907. It is a private liberal-arts college. Its main campus is located on 160 acres near downtown Redlands,California. Its undergraduate enrollment is over 2,600 students,and its on-time graduation rate for full-time freshmen is 75%.
The university offers a number of academic programs,including a range of undergraduate majors in fields such as astronomy,environmental studies,and global business. The university also offers a Master’s program in School Counseling. More than half of the 187 professors at University of Redlands hold doctorates.
Filming is a common activity at the University. The campus has appeared in films such as Goodbye My Fancy,starring Joan Crawford,Hell Night and Joy Ride. The University also hosts many prestigious conferences and events on campus. Students are encouraged to broaden their education by participating in a wide variety of experiential learning opportunities,including study abroad,May Term,and community service.
The City of Redlands
Redlands,founded in 1881 and incorporated 1888,has the feel of a large city with a charming small town. It is a major citrus producing hub,and its streets are lined by trees and historical buildings. A popular downtown area hosts a variety of locally-owned businesses,shops and restaurants. A symphony orchestra and theater troupe are also located in the city.
San Bernardino National Forest,located nearby,offers a wide range of hiking trails and campsites. In the area,you will find a number of parks,such as Smiley Park,Ford Park,and Prospect Park.
The city is renowned for its eye-catching historic homes. These include Morey Mansion,dubbed “America’s Favorite Victorian,” and the Kimberly Crest House and Gardens,which is modeled after a French castle. The Butler Belt is another area with a high concentration of butlers,as well as the stately houses on Terracina Boulevard or Highland Avenue. Gay 90’s is also located in Redlands. It was made famous through its appearance on the TV show “Cheers”. The establishment was created by two University of Redlands alumni.
The Smiley Brothers
Alfred Homans Smiley,a twin brother of Albert Keith Smiley,built their winter home on the hills which today form Smiley Heights in Redlands. The Smileys also built Canyon Crest Park,a botanical park that became a major tourist attraction for the area. They took great pleasure in their similarity,and often played tricks or confused people by misidentifing themselves.
Their Quaker heritage imbued them with a sense of service,a reverence for nature and a belief in peaceful resolution of conflict. These values were passed on to their descendants who are now preserving the beauty of the land. The great-grandnephews of both twins,for example,founded Mohonk Consultations to discuss interdependence and how humans can live in harmony with nature. The Mountain House and the surrounding land are now a National Historic Landmark.
Electricity
By the late 1880’s orange cultivation had grown dramatically and required more power. Using the natural streams,power was being generated for irrigating and preserving the crop. The single-phase DC generation was only able to transmit electricity a certain distance. With the help of Elihu Thomson,an engineer at General Electric,Almarian Decker designed Redlands to make use of the power generated by Mill Creek. The first generators at the plant began operating on Sept 7,1893.