Antonio Gonzalez Vasquez

Mexican Americans in Redlands Antonio Gonzalez Vasquez

Redlands has long been home to a large Mexican native and immigrant population that was central to both its booming citrus industry and community life. Images of America: Mexican Americans in Redlands is a journey through this vital, vibrant, and often overlooked culture. Follow longtime residents as they tell their personal stories, share rarely seen photographs, and recall life in the self-proclaimed "City of Millionaires." Experience early Redlands through the eyes of Epimenio Guzman, a blacksmith and musician who came from Los Angeles in 1885 to pursue his trade. Imagine arriving in 1913 when a group of 12 families from Northern Mexico chose Redlands to build the first Spanish-language church in the region. Join young Mexican men and women from Redlands who, through times of war and peace, sacrificed deeply, even giving their lives at times, for the right to be both Mexican and American. These and other stories within are based on the Redlands Oral History Project, a collection of conversations with and images of Mexican Americans throughout the East San Bernardino Valley.