Anthony G. Hubbard, Redlands Pioneer

Anthony Hubbard (1846-1926) (known as A.G.), first became interested in Redlands in 1878 when investors wanted him to check out lumber possibilities in nearby mountains, using a flue to get the lumber to market. While disappointed to find no water rights were available, and thus the lumber proposition was out the window, he used some of his Arizona-made mining wealth (about $150,000 according to one biography) to purchase lands around Redlands for what he thought was great orange growing country, due to the weather and lack of pests.

Terrace Villa around 1910

He returned to Arizona and went on to enhance his fortune with the Harquahala Bonanza. When he left the mining business in 1893 he settled his family in Redlands, consisting of his wife Lura, daughter Mabel, and son Herbert, where they built their "country home". It was known as Terrace Villa, replacing a hotel named the Villa Terrace, that formerly stood on the spot. In 1901 the family added another daughter, naming her Lura. Mrs. Hubbard was 45 years old.

A.G. Hubbard, ca. 1905

Very active in the Redlands community, A.G. built a small commercial building in downtown at 25 E. State Street (still extant), and was the President and lead investor in the Redlands Central Railway Co. Founded in 1907, the corporation bought an existing street railway in Redlands, with plans to provide extended service to nearby Riverside. By 1912 the railway was sold to Southern Pacific, and incorporated into the Pacific Electric line. It has the distinction of the only extant trolley barn from the entire P.E. line, which served the Los Angeles area into the 1950's.

Terrace Villa was to be the final family home. In 1900 A.G. was listed in the census as "Broker", and from then on he was listed as a banker, owning Citizens National Bank, along with multiple orange groves. He died in 1926 and is buried at Hillside Memorial Park in Redlands, along with his wife Lura, and daughter Lura.


A short biography of Mr. Hubbard