From Swedish Immigrant to Mount Rubidoux Master Builder: The Gunnar Kjellberg Story

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Buena Vista Bridge and mentioned a fascinating character about whom I needed to write – Gunnar Kjellberg.

In 1877, at the young age of 17, Gunnar immigrated from Sweden to the United States, settling in Galesburg, Illinois, where a Swedish enclave was already established. In Galesburg, he became acquainted with a group of people who planned to move to Riverside, California. Among them were S. H. Ferris and the Johnson brothers, O.T. and A. T., all of whom became prominent in early Riverside history. Arriving in Riverside in 1885 by the private train car of Ferris and Johnson, he took a job as a zanjero or ditch tender. He soon rose to the position of a superintendent on the irrigation systems of the Riverside Water Co.

In 1887, Kjellberg oversaw the project that brought water from the artesian wells in the San Bernardino basin to the city of Riverside. The Hotel Rubidoux Association carried this out. This association obtained a portion of the mountain and the surrounding area in exchange for this work. The plan was to subdivide lots below the mountain and construct an elaborate tourist hotel rivaling the Del Coronado in the area above Pepper (now Redwood) between Ninth and 11th streets.

In 1888, he made another significant move. The Chaffey brothers, George and William, carried out development projects in Riverside before establishing the colonies of Etiwanda and Ontario. Water played an essential role in all their developments. Following the establishment of Ontario, they were persuaded to go to Australia to develop irrigation systems. The Chaffey brothers needed someone to supervise the irrigation systems. They convinced Gunnar to move to Australia and assume the title of water master, overseeing the construction of the irrigation system designed by the brothers.

While in Riverside, Kjellberg met members of the Cornelius Jensen family, who lived across the Santa Ana River. In 1891, Gunnar made a brief return trip to Riverside. He intended to marry Francisca or Franka Jensen and take her back to Australia to live with him. On May 23, 1891, a double wedding took place at the West Riverside home of Jose Jensen when two of his sisters were married. Gunnar married Francisca, and Phillip Graser married Tomassa. The newlywed Kjellbergs soon left for Australia.

While Gunnar supervised the water system for the Chaffey brothers, Francisca gave birth to their first son, Cornelius Samuel, in 1893. Kjellberg worked in Australia until about 1895, when the family returned to Riverside. A second son, Edward, was born in Riverside in 1899.

The next major project that Gunnar Kjellberg supervised was again connected with Mount Rubidoux. In 1903, Frank Miller completed the first wing of the Mission Inn. Then, in 1906, the Huntington Park Association was incorporated to develop lots at the base of the mountain and to construct a park with a road up the mountain for Miller's guests to tour. Later in 1906, Miller built the Glenwood Mission Garage on Seventh and Market and purchased 10 touring cars. Miller had already obtained the services of Major Hiram Chittenden of the Army Corps of Engineers to design the road. Chittenden arrived in Riverside at the end of February in 1906 and soon had plans for a road up and down the mountain. Gunnar Kjellberg was hired as foreman in charge of a crew that constructed much of the road and the stone bridge over Buena Vista Drive, which gave entrance to the mountain road. Riversider Roy Haglund recounted how, as a boy, he attempted to climb the mountain one day during the construction days but was chased off by Kjellberg. The crew was blasting that day, and Mr. Kjellberg, as foreman, took his duties seriously and did not wish anyone to be hurt. A year later, in 1907, Gunnar was again in charge of the crew that erected the cross on the peak of Mount Rubidoux.

Gunnar Kjellberg went to work for the city in 1907 as superintendent of the city sewer system. He would work for the city until he retired in 1942 at the age of 82.

In 1925, a project once again brought Gunnar up the mountain. When the citizens of Riverside built the Peace Tower in honor of Frank Miller, Gunnar supervised the construction.

When Gunnar and Francisca returned from Australia, they initially lived on 88 acres of river-bottom land along the Santa Ana River that Francisca had inherited. By 1914, they lived at 278 Central (near Central and Streeter). They soon built a home at 4411 Rubidoux Ave., where they lived the rest of their lives. How fitting that Gunnar lived on a street with the same name as the mountain on which he played important roles.

Francisca died on Jan. 18, 1941, at the age of 78. She died just a few months short of their 50th wedding anniversary. Gunnar lived three more years, dying on Nov. 11, 1944. Both were buried in Olivewood Cemetery in Riverside.