Researching and writing about local history for 40 years has been a labor of love. At times it has also been dotted with mind-boggling inquiries that stir up debate, even to this day.
One question that frequently comes up is the creation of that strange spectacle resting on the southern slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains. As if branded onto the mountainside above the city of San Bernardino, there is a near-perfect figure of an arrowhead pointing downward. We are still hard pressed for a clear explanation of the arrowhead today.
The arrowhead is host to a number of Indian legends, many of which were attributed to the Cahuilla.
One of them talks about a great heat monster ravaging the land by bringing famine and pestilence. The heat monster could only be appeased by the sacrifice of the chief’s only daughter, Ne-wah-na.
The sacrifice was made and at the moment of her death, great white arrows came from the heavens. One struck the monster, which was swallowed by the earth. The other arrow left its mark on the mountain. At the spot where the monster disappeared, hot bubbling water spewed up from under ground, which the people used for bathing and healing. The arrowhead forever pointed to that spot.
Scientists have studied this unique monument.
Many believe it was formed centuries ago when an earthquake struck the area causing the mountainside to shift, leaving the shape of an arrow. They have found that 18 inches under the surface of the arrowhead is granite. Because of that, only mountain sage and a few other bedrock species of a light grayish-green color can grow there.
There are also scientists who feel strongly that after the earthquake, the resulting shape was humanly enhanced.
Those Santa Anas are back again
This is the time of year when Southern California residents needn’t worry so much about smog polluting the air as much as simply standing up in their own backyard.
There are a number of stories surrounding the naming of these hurricane-like winds that rip through mountain canyons for days at a time.
One legend claims that they were named after General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, whose army kicked up a lot of dust while fighting against the Texans in their pursuit of independence from Mexico in 1836. Another suggests that it should be “Santana”, which comes from “santanta”, an American Indian term for devil winds. Of course there are those who believe that the name Santa Ana simply comes from the Southern California canyon and river that also carries that moniker.
Regardless of where these winds get their name from, the Santa Anas sure can cause a lot more than a just few bad hair days — toppled trees, strewn trash, power outages and even fan the flames of wildfires.
Curse of the National Orange Show
A legend that seemingly everyone who has lived in the Inland Empire has heard is the curse of the Orange Show.
The first National Orange Show was held in 1911, near the corner of Fourth and E streets in San Bernardino. A heavy rain drenched the grounds for several days. Since that year, much more rain has fallen during the popular citrus fair. But, in an effort to escape the anticipated downpour, the dates of the event were moved from February and then to May.
Coinciding with the frantic schedule changes came the legend.
Nothing has been documented as to when the curse came about. In fact, retelling of the curse over generations is very ambiguous. Some versions claim that long ago when white settlers started pilfering in the San Bernardino Valley, the local natives put a curse on any of the newcomers’ celebrations.
Other oral traditions refer to the National Orange Show being cursed because the event is held on sacred burial grounds.
How San Bernardino got its name
Another question that continues to stir up controversy is the naming of San Bernardino.
According to a Roman Catholic priest named Father Juan Caballeria who, in 1902, published “History of the San Bernardino Valley from Pioneers to the Padres 1810-1851,” it was Father Francisco Dumetz who first named San Bernardino.
In his book, Caballeria asserted that as Mission San Gabriel spread its landholdings eastward, a supply station was needed. The author wrote:
“A party of missionaries, soldiers, and Indian neophytes of San Gabriel Mission, under the leadership of Padre Dumetz, was sent out to select a location. On the 20th day of May 1810, they came into the San Bernardino Valley. This, according to the Roman calendar of Saints, was the feast day of San Bernardino (1380-1444) of Sienna (Italy), and they named the valley in his honor.”
Caballeria credited Dumetz with locating a supply station, with a chapel and warehouse, on what was later to be called Bunker Hill. This was in close proximity to today’s San Bernardino Valley College and Inland Center Drive.
However, the late local historian, Dr. R. Bruce Harley, researched extensively through church archives for the same evidence that Caballeria supposedly used and could not find it. What Harley did find was that only a few days prior to May 20th, Father Zalvidea (head priest at San Gabriel) was concerned that Dumetz was too sick to do almost anything, never mind riding a donkey or horse to the San Bernardino Valley.
Oh, well, if anyone can document when the arrowhead was created, why those blasting winds are called Santa Anas, how San Bernardino was named or the year the curse of the National Orange Show came about — I’d be much obliged.
Contact Nick Cataldo at Yankeenut15@gmail.com. Read more of his local history articles at Facebook.com/BackRoadsPress.
