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.
Join us as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of one of the most heroic moments in Southern California’s coastal history. On June 14, 1925, a sudden squall capsized a fishing… Read More »
Join Robin Lee as she leads a class on wine glass decorating. She will be teaching us how to use freshly pressed flowers and resin to make a beautiful piece… Read More »
You are invited to a unique and profound way to enhance your experience of being in the garden and part of the garden through Immersive Guided Imagery. Your session will begin… Read More »
Are you inspired by the beauty of Sherman Gardens? Come and learn to draw it! In this new class local art instructor, Brenda Benveniste, will give you the basic tools and… Read More »
Are you looking for a beautiful flower you don’t have to water? Celebrate spring at Sherman and become inspired by our beautiful fuchsia collection. Join Debra Mauzy-Melitz from the Coastal… Read More »
Rooted in Love: A Sound Journey Honoring Mothers What better way to celebrate a mother in your life than with the gift of relaxation in our garden! Treat a special… Read More »
