Gage

Description

Constructed from 1885 to 1889, the Gage Canal was a remarkable feat undertaken by Matthew
Gage, a jeweler from Canada. Gage secured a claim for 640 acres of land. However, to obtain
ownership rights, he faced the task of delivering water to the designated area within a three-
year time frame. Gage rose to the challenge and engineered an impressive 11.91-mile- long
canal that connected the Santa Ana River to the specified region. Later on, he further extended
the canal by an additional 8.22 miles, reaching its final destination at Riverside’s famed
California Citrus State Historic Park. This remarkable endeavor resulted in a doubling of citrus
production in Riverside, leaving a mark on the city’s agricultural landscape. Pach Gage pays
homage to the historic Gage canal as it was harvested from a massive stand of girthy cactus
that drew water from the nutrient rich canal. Based on the stands size and discussions with old
time Riverside residents who walk the canal, the stand dated back to at least 1960.
Unfortunately, the Gage Canal Water company removed the stand in 2010, and only a single
cutting was preserved by a close friend. It has since propagated and is ready to be distributed to
the cactus collecting community. The cactus maintains its deep green color even in the shade.