Grandview Drive Walking Tour: Saturday, March 22, 2025

The Redlands Area Historical Society plans to continue walking tours in Redlands Heights Saturday, March 22, 2025.   The tour begins at 10:00 a.m. at the intersection of Summit Avenue and Bow C.   Tom Atchley, past president, will lead the tour around Bow C and then proceed to Grand View Avenue and then Bow B.   The fee is $10 for Historical Society members and $15 for nonmembers.

      In the 1888 Redlands Heights subdivision #2 Judson and Brown placed Bow A, B and C streets in the subdivision.   The narrow streets curved along the hills above East Crescent Avenue with the oddest lots ever drawn by Frank Brown.  Brown allowed geography to decide the parcels but considered the sale of these building lots dubious at best since water was not available in 1888.   He was correct in his early assumption with no homes on the Bow’s until 1896.  

     Grand View Drive was created with the sale of the Kingsbury property in 1925.  The Carter Terrace subdivision created a very thin Grand View Drive looping along the northern side of Summit beginning at Elm and ending near Bow B.  The lots followed the early 1888 subdivision lines with only the thin road reducing the lot sizes.   The first homes were built on the high side of Grand View with exceptional views of the valley that equaled those of Summit. 

     Research reveals that Grand View Drive was immune to the Great Depression with construction lively even during the 1930’s.    Spanish Revival architecture dominates the street.  Architects became creative by the 1950’s drawing plans for homes on the north side of Grand View utilizing split level construction.

     “A Celebration of Redlands 125 Years of Historic Homes,” published in 2013 is for sale perfect bound.  The book is also available at Historical Society meetings monthly at the Contemporary Club and in the Heritage Room of the A. K. Smiley Public Library. 

     Walking tours do not require reservations. For further information contact (909) 307-4661.