Victorian House in Loma Linda Uncovered

LOMA LINDA >> The removal of a citrus grove from a property along California Street this past month revealed a 19th century Victorian house. The Victorian home was built in the 1800s by the Curtis family and will be moved soon to the Heritage Park in Loma Linda to preserve its heritage. “The overall goal of this finding is to preserve the uniqueness of the building and make way for the development of 35 homes by Stratus Development Company," said Konrad Bolowich, assistant city manager. Stratus is cooperating with the City in moving it to the Park on Mission Road between Mountain View and California, as its age and overall viability make it worthy of rehabilitation and refurbishing. It is not a registered historical landmark. When the citrus grove that surrounded the house was removed, it shocked many residents because they did not know it even existed. The citrus trees were removed because they were past their prime, and they were not even harvested any longer. The property had been a part of the San Bernardino County unincorporated area, but was always within Loma Linda’s sphere of influence. “The property was always designated for annexation by the City if a development was proposed," Bolowich said. "The City of Loma Linda will be providing the different services to the property, water, fire, sewer and law enforcement due to the annexation and the city is now looking for the taxes to pay for those services.” Stratus has built other homes within the city and Redlands, and their building plans are in the final stages.