It is that time of year when Valentine’s Day decorations and advertising pop-up everywhere and the old tradition of exchanging hearts begins. The heart, as a symbol, has been used for many other types of advertising. Interestingly many cities have described their cities as having “heart.” Remember, the “I Love NY” slogan? Well, as a matter of fact, at one time in Orange County, the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce also used a heart to define their city.
Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, ignited a fashion trend when she accessorized headpieces and hats with beautiful dyed ostrich feathers. Ostrich feathers quickly became a flamboyant accessory for hats, headpieces, trim on dresses or jackets, along with colorful boas. More than a century after Marie Antoinette was led to the guillotine, ostrich feathers were South Africa’s fourth most valuable export, after gold, diamonds, and wool.
Given the value of ostrich feathers and the fact that Southern California’s climate is similar to the bird’s natural habitat, enterprising southern Californians decided to compete with South African suppliers. Between 1883 and 1911
Sherman Library & Gardens’ origins can be traced to one day in April 1914. On that day, Moses Hazeltine Sherman approached Arnold Haskell, a young man working as a clerk at the reception desk of the Mission Inn in Riverside, with a job offer. Years later Haskell recalled, “The General [Sherman] came in and he said, ‘Arnold, do you want to work for me?’ I said, ‘Yes, I do.’ He said, ‘Well, the train leaves for Los Angeles at four o’clock this afternoon.’ Years later, Arnold Haskell would honor the man who hired him by naming Sherman Library & Gardens after him.
What does the Hollywood sign have to do with Sherman Library & Gardens? Quite a lot, as it turns out. The Hollywood sign started out as the Hollywoodland sign, an advertising gimmick designed to attract buyers to a new luxury housing subdivision: Hollywoodland. Dubbed “the supreme achievement in community building,” the subdivision land was owned by Moses H. Sherman, namesake of Sherman Library & Gardens. In 1922, Sherman put together the Hollywoodland syndicate (as business partnerships were often called then) which included his business partner and brother-in-law Eli P. Clark, Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler, and developers Tracy Shoults and Sydney H. Woodruff. The Hollywoodland sign cost the syndicate $23,501.32.
Design a Fourth of July-themed floral arrangement bursting with patriotic spirit. Bexbloomz, in collaboration with Sherman Library & Gardens, will supply vibrant blooms and instruct you how to design a… Read More »
Join Alexandra Ito to learn how to use painting, decoupage, and embellishment techniques to make your own unique, garden-themed birdhouse. Your birdhouse, which is 8 ½ inches tall, will make… Read More »
Temecula’s Historic Equestrian Center Chosen for LA28 Olympics Feb. #, 2025 – The Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic Games (LA28) proposed Temecula’s Galway Downs, formerly the Rancho California Track and… Read More »
Join local artist Erna Van Dyk as she teaches you how to see and paint color and simple shapes. This month Erna takes inspiration from a peony. Classes are designed for… Read More »
Join local artist Erna Van Dyk as she teaches you how to see and paint color and simple shapes. This month Erna takes inspiration from a wildflower basket. Classes are designed… Read More »
Join Horticulture Director, Kyle Cheesborough, for an in depth look into Sherman’s carnivorous bog. Learn about this unique habitat and some amazing adaptations that help carnivorous plants thrive.
