Henry Miller
Wave after wave of people have crossed the unchanging Los Banos hills during the centuries and moved to the Westside to enjoy the richness and prosperity of its plains.

The first Europeans to move into the area were sailors from the Portuguese and Spanish whaling ships who landed at Monterey Bay. Taking the sheep that sailed with them, they moved over the mountains to find grassy plains to nurture their stock.

From 1808 to 1833, the Spanish missionaries moved up the coast of California. (This timetable also marks the end of the Yokut culture.) Franciscan Priest Padre Arroyo frequently left the Mission San Juan Bautista to enjoy a dip in the pools of clear water along Los Banos Creek, about ten miles south of Pacheco Pass hence the name of Los Banos, "The Baths".

The Gold Rush days were great for the valley folk. Gold seekers needed the hides, wool, tallow and meat of the cattle and sheep that roamed the open range of the San Joaquin Valley. By 1849 mules and teams of oxen were pulling freight wagons along the west side of the San Joaquin River, bringing farm products, groceries, posts, nails, and other much needed items to the miners, settlers and homesteaders.

 

 

The rags to riches story of Henry Miller is an important part of Los Banos history. Mr. Miller arrived in San Francisco in 1850 with six dollars in his pocket; forty years later he was the largest private landowner in the US, owning over 1,400,000 acres and controlling grazing rights to ten times that much. At his death (here in LB) in 1916 he left an estate valued at over $46,000,000. History records indicate that Miller's livestock holdings once included a million head of cattle and a hundred thousand sheep.

Miller's generosity was legendary. The pioneer could go to Miller's straw-stacks and get straw for the asking, they could go to Canal Farm (Miller's headquarters - right here in Los Banos) and get a milk cow; they could kill a steer for food (so long as they returned the hide). Any drifter could get a free meal and a place to sleep from any of Miller's outposts. When the section from Los Banos to Newman was in dire straits for water, Henry Miller, at a cost of some $3,000,000, built a canal and delivered water to the people, without an extra cent of cost to them! He graveled the streets of Los Banos, had shade trees planted by sidewalks, built brick buildings, designed a city park and hosted the annual May Day picnic for the entire town. Evidently Henry Miller never forgot poverty, or the value of a kind deed.

In 1871 Miller built an extensive irrigation system, opening up the West side for production of an even greater abundance of agricultural products.

By 1907 the citizens incorporated the city. One hundred years later it is our delight to be the Grand Finale to the City's Centennial Celebration. We pay tribute to Mr. Miller and celebrate the cultural diversity that has continued from his day to ours; however we don't have Henry Miller's fortune and there are many, many more people in Los Banos today than a hundred years ago.

This time, it will be the entire town putting on a party for itself .... we need your help folks so please (and thanks), ask what you can do to help.

 

Links to other sites with information about Henry Miller

AmericanHeritage.com - THE KING OF RANCHERS

Españas - Henry Miller

A Short History Of Los Banos - Provided By Charles Sawyer

Monterey County Historical Society, Local History Pages--The California Cattle Boom, 1849-1862

HENRY MILLER- CALIFORNIA CATTLE RANCHER

Henry Miller bio

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This page last updated on: Wednesday, April 9, 2008 11:37 AM