Learning more about the citys history. Right now, we are in kearney park, named after one of the areas early and pioneers. Coming up next, we will visit his home and learn more about his vision for this area. We are located here in the kearney mansion museum. This home was built in 1903. T was the managers residence mr. Kearney did not intend to live here permanently. Lives here a few years until he died in 1906. Mr. Kearney was really a selfmade man. He was not born here in california. He was born in liverpool, england. When he was 12 years old, his family emigrated to america. They settled in the suburb of boston and he went through commercial college. He learned how to be a businessman. He even worked for a truck may factoring company. He started off as a clerk, worked his way up here before he knew it, he was a manager of the trunk any factoring business in boston. In 1869, he decided to come out here to california. That was a perfect time because the Transcontinental Railroad was coming through. Were erstood people the people that were by no land out here, it was the perfect opportunity to grow crops out here in this region. By mr. Rney was hired william chapman, who had bought a lot of the property out here through agricultural script. He hired mr. Cray to develop these colony farm systems out here. So he started the first colony farm hamas central colony, out here this area. So mr. Kearney, that is really where he made his money. He was a great land per motor. He entice people to come out here to the Central Valley and settle here. Most of the properties were 20acre farms. The thing that really brought people out here was a regain and. The canals that were formed here would bring to the colonies their own your negation water. Also, vineyards were planted for them and other fruit trees and so on. So it really was a great opportunity for people to settle in this region. The first crop that they realized was accessible was weak. There was a wonderful week field that was growing here. Once they realized they could bring water from the rivers to irrigate it, this will adhere was ideal. But eventually, fruit crops, reasons were a big part of what was grown out here and what we are known as today. We also have the regular grapevines out here. Today we still have this. Fruit trees, orange trees, all mens almonds. They realize this was a perfect area for that. He was especially interested in the growing of raisins and he wanted to get together a coop of raisin growers to structure the pricing, control quality of raisins, and so he started the california raisin Grower Association of the game the president and became the president. Everyone thought that is a wonderful idea. He was known as the raisin king of fresno. He was looked on as the savior of the raisin industry. However, there were problems with people not getting along, not everybody agreeing with the ideas he had. Eventually that went by the wayside. But the managerial ideas he had were later formed in another company, the sunmiadaid raisin company. So he is a really big component of that corporation that still exists today. This is the kearney state office. Even though the kearney mansion was his home, this is where the business was conducted. A lot of people would come through the back door. This was the main entrance to the office door. The rail you see out there was the original rail. Many years of people riding on the rail still shows. You can see it in the wood. People who wanted to buy property, perhaps people who worked here on the ranch, maybe the workers would pickup their paycheck, fill out forms you can see many years of people using that particular area as they came in. So, the Estate Office changed over the years, but its very similar to how it was when mr. Kearney was here. In the back of the mansion, at one time, was a full this is the kearney mansion. And this is all of the back. S was taken in 19 oh sit in 1903, at the same time the house had been constructed and there was a very large water tower. They had everything in here that anyone really could use. It really was a full working farm. In the 1940s and 1950s, it was torn down. We do have some structures remaining like the Carriage House is still here today. We have these buildings in the back. Unfortunately, we do not have these buildings in the back. But we do have this wonderful picture to refer to. Here in the Estate Office, a lot of people enjoy seeing the Different Things of what he had here in the office. Here is the safe. It was a walkin safe. You can see kearney even yurts syndicate on the top. That is, of course, were mr. Kearney would store his important papers, money, anything he needed safely stored away was in that safe. We have a filing cabinet here that was here during mr. Kearney from time the labels were added later. This shows you what was here on the ranch. All of the things that were grown. Peaches, prunes, alfalfa, grapes, of course, raisins were obviously a big crop out here. Today, when you come into kearney park, you see the big fields. Thats where the alfalfa was grown. Over in the corner, we see this wonderful broadside poster. This is in original poster. 1889. This is when mr. Kearney was selling the land here on the fruitvale estate. Once again, it was similar to his colony farm system. These were 20acre farms. Very affordable for most people. And you can see on the top, what the vision of one of those farms would look like. You see the canals. Again, we have those today all over the city to bring water to the crops. Below was a picture of the chateau. That was going to be named chateau fresno, and it was modeled after a chateau in france. This is what kearney envisioned to be out here in kearney park, and that is where he would live. Unfortunately, however, the chateau was not built. Mr. Kearney died in 1906. In april of 1906, was actually in the San Francisco earthquake at that time. He was not in the best of health. Then he suffered probably a mild heart attack at that time. He came back here to fresno to recuperate, and he was going to go to his yearly trip abroad. He would usually do that to seek investors for his fruitvale Estates Project or socialize. Unfortunately, while on board ship, he died of another heart attack. Once that happened, the chateau was no longer being built. As soon as there was word he died, the link stopped. He was not married. He did not have any children. His will left everything to the university of californiaberkeley, so they could build and make a Cultural College out here. Build and make an agriCultural College at here. They chose not to complete the chateau, and still continue to use it as a wrench. It would have been beautiful to have that, but unfortunately, it did never happen and we did not have a chateau fresno here in fresno. This is mr. Kearneys private office. This is very similar to how it looked when mr. Kearney lived here. As we walked through the house, we have pictures of what the house looked like when mr. Kearney lived here. It is very similar to how it was when mr. Kearney lived here. We have this in the wall here to show people what the structure is made out of, and that is adobe brick. Its about two feet thick, and it was very good insulation to keep the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer before we had airconditioning and heating. When they started to excavate the land out here, it really was a sandy plain. Not much out here. There was some vegetation, maybe some trees, but you can really get a sense of what it looked like when they did the groundbreaking. This picture shows chateau park thats what it was called. It was not called kearney park then. In february 1892. This is the first day really of the groundbreaking of the park. Mr. Kearney is in the front there with the long duster jacket. Right behind in the photo there is a building, and really it was the first managers residents. Kearney mansion was the second managers residents. That was the first build. That building exist today. We call it these servants quarters and is the Head Quarters for the Fresno Historical Society today. On the property, mr. Kearney did have this wonderful general stored that his employees could shop in and they would give out little coins to the employees and they could use that in the general store and exchange them for goods. Kind of kept everything in the business, obviously, but it also helps the employees who did not have to go into town so much. I guess there was another store in town that would accept the tokens as well. Instead of using paper money, they would just use the tokens to purchase what they needed. Also, there is a postcard of the original chateau in france, and im sure he visited their and there and thats where the idea of having his own chateau here in fresno. Unfortunately, the chateau did not get built. We at least have this house today to bring people in. This is how they would about agriculture, learn about mr. Kearney. We are so lucky that the curry the kearney mansion still exists today. You are watching American History tv all weekend every announcer you are watching American History tv. 48 hours of programming every weekend on cspan3. History ton cspan keep up with the latest history news. Week, American History tvs reel america brings you video. Is amunist propaganda film recorded at the pentagon. George allen uses a variety of props and film clips to