Greenfield (Greenfield)
In 1902, the California Home Extension Association, founded by John S. Clark, purchased 4000 acre of land that had been part of Rancho Arroyo Seco, a Mexican land grant deeded to Joaquín de la Torre in 1840. The land was put up for sale at a public drawing in Los Angeles in 1905. Buyers could purchase an acre with water rights for about $37.50. A purchase of 2.5 acre came with an added benefit — a lot in town.
In addition to the acreage, Clark got the water rights to the land. He formed the Clark Colony Water Company, which became the organization for water distribution and filled the city with water from the nearby Arroyo Seco. The organized water canal system and ideal growing conditions attracted people of Danish, Swiss and other nationalities from surrounding areas to settle in this new colony. Originally, the town was going to be named "Clark City", but that was nixed by the U.S. Postal Service which informed the city there were too many "Clark Cities" in the state. Instead, the community named the town after one of its early founders and president of the Association, Edward Greenfield.
In the 1930, wells were dug to supplement water being drawn from the river, which created a year-round water supply.
The Clark Colony Water Company still holds 1916 Prior Rights guaranteeing delivery to its members a certain amount of water from the Arroyo Seco before any other agencies. The early canals are still viable and visible throughout the original land acreage.
Greenfield was recognized as a municipality by the state legislature and incorporated on January 7, 1947. Greenfield's first mayor was Tom Rogers.
Map - Greenfield (Greenfield)
Map
Country - United_States
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Indigenous peoples have inhabited the Americas for thousands of years. Beginning in 1607, British colonization led to the establishment of the Thirteen Colonies in what is now the Eastern United States. They quarreled with the British Crown over taxation and political representation, leading to the American Revolution and proceeding Revolutionary War. The United States declared independence on July 4, 1776, becoming the first nation-state founded on Enlightenment principles of unalienable natural rights, consent of the governed, and liberal democracy. The country began expanding across North America, spanning the continent by 1848. Sectional division surrounding slavery in the Southern United States led to the secession of the Confederate States of America, which fought the remaining states of the Union during the American Civil War (1861–1865). With the Union's victory and preservation, slavery was abolished nationally by the Thirteenth Amendment.
Currency / Language
| ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| USD | United States dollar | $ | 2 |
| ISO | Language |
|---|---|
| EN | English language |
| FR | French language |
| ES | Spanish language |