CALIFORNIA 1900 - on the Threshold of a New Century
Turn-of-the-century art, artifacts, and photographs from around the state
October 21, 1999 -- February 19, 2000

pt 1 | pt 2 | pt 3 | Exhibit Checklist | Bibliography & Acknowledgement

The evolution of California agriculture depended on advances in irrigation. The major need of California farmers in 1900, as it continued to be throughout the twentieth century, was an adequate water supply. At the same time, securing water for urban needs became crucial in both northern and southern California. In the early years of the century, Los Angeles began making plans for the Owens Valley-Los Angeles Aqueduct. Fred Eaton, former city engineer and mayor of Los Angeles, conceived of the project and chose the Owens River as the city's new water source. In 1905, the city's voters approved a bond issue for the Owens Valley project, and three years later construction of the 233-mile-long aqueduct began. San Francisco also had its eye on a potential water source in 1900 -- the Tuolumne River. In 1905, the city sought the federal government's permission to dam the river and convert Yosemite National Park's Hetch Hetchy Valley into a reservoir. The proposal was strongly opposed by John Muir and his fellow wilderness preservationists in the Sierra Club (founded 1892), who managed to delay the project until 1913, when they were finally defeated.

Preservationists like Muir also expressed concern about the great redwood forests that were rapidly being lost to commercial logging. Lumber milling was a major economic activity in many California counties and, as the nineteenth century drew to a close, preservationists became increasingly protective of the Golden State's magnificent trees. Largely because of their efforts, the federal government began to set aside forest reserves, many of them in California. Muir Woods in Marin County was one of these, and was declared a national monument in 1908. Other stands of old-growth redwoods became state parks, such as Big Basin Redwoods State Park, northwest of Santa Cruz, which in 1902 became the first redwood state park. The photo shown here, taken by Andrew P. Hill in May 1900, depicts a group of conservation-minded citizens beneath a tree in Big Basin. Hill, who recorded the scenery the group encountered, also suggested the formation of an organization to preserve the trees. Named the Sempervirens Club of California, it ultimately adopted the motto "Save the Redwoods."

The preservation of state parks and recreation areas at the turn of the century was indicative not only of an increasing concern for conservation, but also of the greater abundance of leisure time that people enjoyed. Technological and industrial advances created a variety of new standardized goods and services, as well as new laborsaving devices. For both factory workers and white-collar employees, the workweek was shortened, even as incomes were rising. The availability of leisure time fostered new recreations. Baseball was very popular -- the first World Series was held in 1903 -- and football was quickly gaining popularity. Basketball was also enjoyed by both men and women, and was being played in the early 1890s by students at both Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley. Bicycling was another sport popular among males and females, and contributed to looser, more comfortable styles of dress for women. Annual festivals and parades were important events in many communities. Some events even achieved national recognition. Pasadena's Tournament of Roses Parade, which began 1890, was first filmed in 1900 and shown to audiences throughout the United States.

Other less active leisure pursuits included theatrical entertainment such as musical comedies, popular dramas, and vaudeville. Moving pictures were also becoming popular. Thomas Edison began his experiments with motion photography in 1887, and at the turn of the century and for the next several years most American films were made in New York or New Jersey. By 1908, in order to put distance between themselves and lawyers protecting Edison's patents, some moviemakers relocated to California. These early California filmmakers worked in both the northern and southern parts of the state. Because westerns were one of the primary genres of early films, and because California boasted diverse natural settings and a mild climate, California, particularly Los Angeles, seemed ideally suited for movie making. By the 1920s, Hollywood and the movies had become synonymous

In 1900, as today, California played an important role in laying the groundwork for a new century. While turn-of-the-century California was in many ways a microcosm of the United States, sharing and participating in the innovations and events that shaped a new era, it also made its own unique contributions. Through its innovations, its products, and its ideals -- made possible by the state's abundant natural resources and creative people -- California helped shape the nation and the world.

-- Scott A. Shields, Curator of Fine Arts

back to Past Exhibits