Sunny Slope Water Co.

1040 EL Campo Drive,
Pasadena, California
91107-05598

(626) 287-5238 Office
(626) 795-7061 Fax

Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

History

Mission Statement

E-Mail Us

Emergency Support

A BRIEF HISTORY OF
SUNNY SLOPE WATER COMPANY

         The first water developed on land now served by Sunny Slope Water          Company occurred about the year 1821, when the San Gabriel Mission          Padres erected a stone dam on what is now La Presa Drive, just north of          Huntington Drive. Water was transported to the Mission in an adobe flume          and was used to irrigate the vineyards & run the machinery in the winery
         & flour mill.

         On May 6, 1839, Hugo Reid applied to the Mexican Republic for a grant
         to the Rancho Santa Anita. Juan B. Alvarado, Constitutional Governor
         of the Department of California, gave him the grant on April 16, 1841.
         During this period, Reid lived on the ranch and planted vineyards using
         water from the stone dam.

         In 1847, Henry Dalton bought the Rancho Santa Anita from Hugo Reid.
         The ranch then contained approximately 13,500 acres. In 1857, Dalton          conveyed the rancho to Joseph A. Rowe, who in turn sold it to William H.          Corbitt and Albert Dibblee.

         During 1861, the partners sold a western portion of   Rancho Santa Anita
         to Leonard J. Rose. This was the first division of the ranch and comprised          about 2,200 acres. He named his ranch Sunny Slope Farm. The farm was          irrigated by water from the artesian wells. By 1895, there were
         twenty-two wells in operation. They produced approximately 2,200 acre
         feet a year. It is in the same area where present wells of Sunny Slope
         Water Company are located.

         In 1887 L.J.Rose & Company, Ltd., A British Corporation, Purchased
         Sunny Slope from L.J.Rose for the princely sum of $1,035,000.00.  
         About this time the owners commenced subdividing the ranch and
         developing a water system. In 1895, they organized the Sunny Slope
         Water Company to take over their system and serve water to other          ranchers. The deed from the L.J.Rose & Company, Ltd., is recorded in
         book 1000, Page 115 of deed, Los Angeles County. By its terms, the          L.J.Rose Company granted to Sunny Slope Water Company the exclusive          right to develop water upon a certain 160 acre tract of land where the          Corporation’s wells were located. Sunny Slope agreed that it would
         deliver water to its shareholders in proportion to the number of shares
         owned in the corporation.