Editing Charter Oak, California (section)

== History of Charter Oak ==

=== Early inhabitants and Rancho era (Pre-1880s) ===
The area that became Charter Oak was originally inhabited by the [[Tongva]] (Gabrielino) people, who had lived in the [[San Gabriel Valley]] for thousands of years before European contact.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gabrielino/Tongva Nation |url=https://gabrielinotribe.org/history/ |publisher=Gabrielino/Tongva Nation |access-date=April 1, 2025}}</ref> During the [[Spanish California|Spanish]] and [[Mexican California|Mexican]] periods, this region was part of expansive land grants known as ''ranchos'', notably [[Rancho La Puente]] (granted to [[John A. Rowland]] and [[Workman–Temple family|William Workman]] in 1842) and [[Rancho Azusa de Dalton]] (acquired by Englishman [[Henry Dalton]] in 1844). Following the [[Mexican-American War]] and the incorporation of California into the United States, these large ranchos were gradually subdivided, paving the way for American settlers and agriculture in the late 19th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://homesteadmuseum.blog/2019/05/13/la-la-landscapes-the-rancho-los-alisos-of-judge-charles-silent-glendora/|title=La La Landscapes: The Rancho Los Alisos of Judge Charles Silent, Glendora|date=May 13, 2019|publisher=Homestead Museum|access-date=April 1, 2025}}</ref>

=== Origin of "Charter Oak" name and early settlement ===
Following the Mexican–American War and California's transition to American rule, the area attracted settlers due to its fertile land and water availability. The community of Charter Oak emerged during the 1850s, primarily focusing on agriculture, particularly citrus cultivation. The area was named after a large oak tree which stood prominently and became a local landmark.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sgvtribune.com/2013/07/10/charter-oak-district-in-covina-celebrates-its-125th-anniversary/|title=Charter Oak district in Covina celebrates its 125th anniversary|publisher=San Gabriel Valley Tribune|date=July 10, 2013|access-date=March 25, 2025}}</ref>

There are two versions of how Charter Oak received its name. According to the historically documented account, American soldiers camped in the area during the [[Mexican–American War]] associated the large oak tree with Connecticut's famous [[Charter Oak]], where colonists once hid their charter from English authorities, hence giving the tree its name.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sgvtribune.com/2013/07/10/charter-oak-district-in-covina-celebrates-its-125th-anniversary/|title=Charter Oak district in Covina celebrates its 125th anniversary|publisher=San Gabriel Valley Tribune|date=July 10, 2013|access-date=March 25, 2025}}</ref> A local legend provides an extended version of the story involving a [[Californio]] rancher, Don Antonio, who purportedly buried gold beneath the oak tree to hide it from American troops, hiding and watching from the tree above as they passed by. According to the story, he fled after the troops left, leaving his gold behind - an alluring forgotten treasure that later prompted many to dig near the tree. This folklore remains cherished part of the community’s oral tradition.

=== Railroad bypass and Glendora's rise (1880s) ===
The establishment of railroads significantly influenced local growth. In 1887, [[George Dexter Whitcomb]], the founder of nearby [[Glendora, California|Glendora]], successfully lobbied for the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]] (originally the [[Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley Railroad]]) to run north of the [[South Hills (California)|South Hills]], diverting the railway away from its originally planned route through Charter Oak. This strategic decision led to rapid economic and residential growth in Glendora, while Charter Oak, lacking a direct railway connection, remained largely agricultural.<ref>{{cite book|last=Glendora Historic Preservation Committee|title=Glendora's Historic Core: A Walking Tour|year=2020|publisher=City of Glendora|location=Glendora, California|pages=6–7|url=https://www.glendorahistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Glendora-WalkingTour.pdf|access-date=April 1, 2025}}</ref>

=== Charter Oak School and community growth ===
In 1894, residents established the Charter Oak School District to provide local education for the area's growing population. Initially operating from a single-room tent, the school soon expanded into a permanent wooden structure and later into a larger, mission-style building in 1922. This institution became a defining element of the Charter Oak community identity.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cousd.net/domain/13|title=History of Charter Oak Unified School District|publisher=Charter Oak Unified School District|access-date=April 1, 2025}}</ref>

=== Postwar suburbanization and annexations ===
Following [[World War II]], Charter Oak transitioned rapidly from a rural, agricultural community into a suburban neighborhood, as citrus orchards gave way to residential subdivisions. Portions of Charter Oak were annexed by neighboring cities [[Covina, California|Covina]] (areas south of Arrow Highway) and Glendora (areas north of Arrow Highway), significantly reducing the size of the unincorporated area.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/neighborhood/charter-oak/|title=Charter Oak Profile|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 1, 2025}}</ref>