Research & Sources

So much of this research wouldn’t have been possible without the help and contribution from many knowledgeable people, including:

Corry Banuelos
Robert Booth
Linda Faxon
Gordon McClellan
Tom Richins
Josephine Tidwell
Juan Valenzuela
Aaron Wood
Mary Bryner Winn
Richard Winn

A little bit of advice

Just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean it's right. Rely on primary sources whenever possible—they’re the most direct form of evidence. Evaluate every claim (even on this website) with a healthy degree of skepticism and keep asking questions. Stay sharp and stay curious!

That being said: The vast majority of modern books related to citrus history in Corona eventually lead back to either records provided by family members of the original companies or were published in various newspaper articles. Most of the Corona Independent articles have been scanned onto microfishe and many of those are even available online.

Bibliography

The following is our bibliography used in researching for this website. The majority of these sources can be found at the Corona Public Library Heritage Room and, for your convenience, call numbers have been included.

Alamillo, José M. Making Lemonade out of Lemons: Mexican American Labor and Leisure in a California Town 1880-1960. University of Illinois Press, 2006. p.14-31
[HR 979.497 ALA]
Allmon, Lorne L. The Pomona Public Library Label Collection. 1988
[HR 634.3 ALL]
Corona Board on Trade. Corona, California. 1908. p.7,26-29
[HR 979.497 COR]
Corona Board on Trade. Corona, California. 1910. p.10
[HR 979.497 COR]
Corona-College Heights Orange & Lemon Association. History. As of June 8, 2025.
[View Webpage]
Corona Heritage Park. Park History. As of June 8, 2025.
[View Webpage]
Corona Norco Unified School District. Step Into The Past (Corona-Norco History: Lessons & Activities). 1992. Activity 2 - Citrus Ranches, Activity 3 - School Bus Adventure: The Packing House Story, Activity 4 - Citrus Crate Label Art, Activity 6 - The Useful Lemon - Seed To Product, Activity 7 - Physical Map Update, Activity 8 - School Bus Adventure: 1913 Freeze.
[HR 979.4972 COR] or [JR 372.9 COR]
Corona Public Library Heritage Room. Corona Citrus Labels Collection Inventory. January 12, 2005.
[HR M136]
Corona Publishing Company. Corona, California. The Queen Colony. Illustrated. 1902.
[HR 979.49721 CPC]
Corkhill, William. History of Riverside County (Chapter XXII. Corona). 1912.
[HR 979.49721 COR]
Dahr, Sharmil. Corona The Awakening.
[HR 979.497 COR]
Faxon, Linda. Corona Citrus Labels 2022. August 19, 2022.
[HR M136]
Garcia, Martina. The Early Days of South Riverside.
[HR 979.497 GAR]
Giurbino, John A. Local Newspaper Items of Corona’s Pioneer Italians and Their Descendants.
[HR 979.4972 GIU]
Gould, Janet Williams. Source Book (Volume I). April 16, 1964.
[HR 979.4972 GOU]
Gould, Janet Williams. The Story of the Corona Citrus Industry. 1963.
[HR PAM 634.3 GOU]
Hildreth Brothers, Publishers. Industrial Edition: Corona Courier, Corona California. March 1909. p.2-3,10-14,17,22-24,31
[HR 979.49721 IND]
Krepsz, Julie. Corona Blossoms.
[HR 917.9497 KRE]
Lancaster, Jim and Bill Messecar. Historic Packing Houses and Other Industrial Structures in Southern California. 2006.
[View Webpage]
MacCurdy, Rahno Mabel. The History of the California Fruit Growers Exchange. 1925.
[View Document]
MacCurdy, Rahno Mabel, V. A. Lockabey. Selling the GOLD: Citrus Roots…Our Legacy. 1999. p.36-37,40-45,50
[HR 634.3 MAC]
Marsh, Diann. Corona: The Circle City (Ann Illustrated History of Corona. 1998. p.42,63-67
[HR 979.497 MAR]
Phoenix Book Company. Phoenix Book Company, Norco, California, The Genesis of Corona, California (Previously Known as South Riverside). 1973.
[HR 979.497 GEN]
Republic Publications. Corona, California: The Circle City. 1958. p.3-5,14,34,44-45
[HR 979.49722 COR]
Reynolds, Stanley, and Fred Eldridge. Corona, California Commentaries. February 1, 1986.
[HR 979.497 REY]
Sackman, Douglas Cazaux. Orange Empire: California and the Fruits of Eden. (University of California Press, 2005). p.84-114
[HR 979.4053 SAC]
Sioux City Engraving Co. South Riverside, Southern California. p.6-10,20
[HR 979.49721 SOU]
Thompson, Allison, Stephanie Stalder. Corona: The Past 100 Years. 1986. p.4-5,17-18
[HR 979.4972 THO]
Verity, Charles. History Lecture by Charles Verity. 1951.
[HR C-013]
Verity, Janice. History of Citrus in Corona. 1985.
Verity, R.H. Sons and Company Collection: 1910-1978.
[HR M064]
Verity, Roger. A history of the Corona citrus industry and crate labels. April 20, 1985.
[HR C-071]
Winn, Mary Bryner. The History of Corona: A Brief Pictorial Overview. 2008.
[HR 979.497 WIN]
Winn, Mary Bryner. Images of America: Corona. 2005.
[HR 979.497 WIN]

Heritage Room references can be looked up online at Aspen Discovery.

Final Thoughts

If we were to recommend the three strongest sources relevant to this website, they would be:

1. 1. Verity, Janice. History of Citrus in Corona. 1985.
  2. Gould, Janet Williams. The Story of the Corona Citrus Industry. 1963.
  3. Corkhill, William. History of Riverside County (Chapter XXII. Corona). 1912.

Good luck in your research adventures!

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