Editing Charter Oak, California (section)

=== 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>