CRAIG BULLOCK
Agricultural production lasted for centuries in areas like Burbank
and the San Fernando Valley. From the times of Native Americans,
through Spanish and Mexican rule, up to the 20th century, it played a
significant role in the development of the area.
Agricultural production became more structured during the period
of Spanish rule, where vast areas of lands were cultivated and became
known as "ranchos." Agriculture was so important to the survival of
the area that the Spanish Crown mandated that the owners of these
ranchos cultivate part of their land as a condition of ownership.
The ranchos began to be dismantled after California became part of
the United States. The dismantling came in the form of land sales to
eager Americans wanting to expand west. David W. Alexander, Alexander
Bell and Jonathan Scott purchased slightly more than 9,200 acres for
38 cents an acre for what is known today as Burbank. Their
acquisition of the vast acreage, however, did not to last long.
In 1867, they sold all their property to Dr. David Burbank, a
dentist, for approximately $1 an acre. Clearing the title of the
property proved to be Dr. Burbank's first challenge, as many land
transactions at that time were made informally, sometimes just
verbally.
In 1871, the title of the property was cleared in what became
known as the "Great Partition." He built a home for he and his wife
in 1867 on what is now the back lot of Warner Bros. Studios and
quickly established himself as a leading sheep breeder. A variety of
agricultural crops were also grown for the purpose of selling.
In 1886, Dr. Burbank sold nearly all of his property -- 9,000
acres for $250,000 -- to a group of men who founded the Providencia
Land, Water and Development Company. The sale was very profitable to
Dr. Burbank, who originally paid approximately $9,200 for the
property. He used a portion of the proceeds, $25,000, to purchase an
interest in the new development company.
The Providencia Land, Water and Development Company promoted the
rural and agricultural life of Burbank. They quickly invested in
infrastructure improvements and subdivided their large land holdings
into 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-acre farms.
The land proved to be particularly fertile and well-suited for
agricultural use. New arrivals from the Midwest and East Coast, lured
by advertisements produced by Providencia Land, Water and Development
Company, streamed in and bought up the farms in hoping to create a
better life for themselves and their families.
