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| Landmark #617 | San Bernardino County | Visited: June 9, 2012 | Plaque? YES! 🙂 |
| What is it? | A private plaque on a pedestal! |
| What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: This is the site of an adobe fortification erected about 1856-57 by the “Independent” faction in a dispute with the Mormons over a land title. The fort was maintained for about a year. This also is the site of the Indian village of Jumuba, and Jedediah Smith camped here in January 1827.
OTHER TIDBITS: Jerome Benson was a non-Mormon squatter on land that was being drawn into official boundaries by Mormon settlers! He and a group of other squatters, to defend their squatted turf, fortified Mr. Benson’s barn like a fort and bought a very special cannon from a Los Angeles Fourth of July celebration! This cannon fended off pirates from Spanish California in 1818, fired against American soldiers during the Mexican-American War, stationed in the dispute between the Mormons and squatters, and finally, in a feud between two physicians in 1859! Jumping back to the Benson feud, the Mormons filed suit, and the squatters counter-sued! The judge didn’t hand down a decision until 1859, but by then, the LDS Church had called all San Bernardino Mormons back to Utah to do a much larger battle against the US military! That gave Mr. Benson and his fellow squatters all the freedom in the world to pick land of their choosing! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: 10600 Hunts Lane Colton, CA 92324 ANNOTATIONS: 2194 E Oliver Holmes Rd From Los Angeles: ~57mi (92km) — 1hrs |
| When should I go? | Whenever the mood strikes you! |
