National Register of Historic Places

Mill Creek Zanja

Redlands and, San Bernardino County, California
Listed
May 11, 1977
Type
District
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77000329

About this property

The Mill Creek Zanja, also known as the Zankey, is a historic irrigation canal, or zanja, in Redlands, California. The Serrano people dug the canal in 1819 to provide water from Mill Creek for their farms east of the city. The zanja also provided water for the San Bernardino de Sena Estancia mission outpost, which was built near the canal to access its water. The canal's water became a highly desirable resource in the area; it fueled a local agricultural boom and was the subject of several legal disputes over water rights in the 1800s. The City of Redlands covered the western half of the zanja in the 1920s. The zanja was designated a California Historical Landmark in 1932, named a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1972 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. The canal now carries drainage water and storm runoff out of the city; it is the oldest irrigation canal in California which is still in use and the oldest civil engineering project in Southern California. The city, along with several other local groups, built a walk and bike trail and a greenway alongside most of the canal, named the Orange Blossom Trail.

Location

Redlands and, San Bernardino County, California
34.06421, -117.11920

Categories

AGRICULTUREENGINEERINGSOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Redlands Central Railway Company Car Barn
Industrial
3.3 mi
Dunn, Robert J., House
Industrial
3.3 mi
Auerbacher Home
Modern
3.5 mi
Kimberly Crest
Industrial
3.6 mi
Redlands Santa Fe Depot District
Listed
3.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mill Creek Zanja listed on the National Register?

Mill Creek Zanja was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 11, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Mill Creek Zanja?

Mill Creek Zanja is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Mill Creek Zanja?

The period of significance for Mill Creek Zanja is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Mill Creek Zanja?

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