Click on image to link to the source, Monrovia Legacy Project By Mark Harvis
Monrovia Historical Museum Board Vice President
Back before the turn of the century (no, not the one 24 years ago – the one 124 years ago), Monrovia inaugurated its first “modern” transportation system. Starting around 1888 there was a single train track running up Myrtle Ave. from the first, wooden Santa Fe Depot (Myrtle and Duarte) to the La Vista Grande Hotel at Lemon, where it turned east. Total distance traveled was about 1.5 miles.
This most-modern shuttle was called the “Mule and Gravity Rapid Transit,” an accurate, if not exactly catchy name. The Pacific Electric Magazine from May 10, 1929, gave a pithy explanation of how this four-footed shuttle worked:
“The mules that constituted the motive power on the north-bound trip and were allowed to ride on an improvised trailer on the return journey. During the course of the countless trips back and forth, on one occasion while coasting down hill the car gained more than the anticipated speed with the result that said mule power was shaken from its platform. After this experience, it was never again possible to get the mules to ride and subsequently horses replaced them, but were required to walk at all times.”
So, you ask, what happened to the displaced mules? Lore has it that “When this system was abandoned, its 'central power plant' was sold to the hillside farmer, who complained that although his mules pulled the plow fine up hill they insisted on climbing on to ride back." (Monrovia Legacy Project, https://tinyurl.com/4jtrbha8.)
Monrovia Historical Museum Board Vice President
Back before the turn of the century (no, not the one 24 years ago – the one 124 years ago), Monrovia inaugurated its first “modern” transportation system. Starting around 1888 there was a single train track running up Myrtle Ave. from the first, wooden Santa Fe Depot (Myrtle and Duarte) to the La Vista Grande Hotel at Lemon, where it turned east. Total distance traveled was about 1.5 miles.
This most-modern shuttle was called the “Mule and Gravity Rapid Transit,” an accurate, if not exactly catchy name. The Pacific Electric Magazine from May 10, 1929, gave a pithy explanation of how this four-footed shuttle worked:
“The mules that constituted the motive power on the north-bound trip and were allowed to ride on an improvised trailer on the return journey. During the course of the countless trips back and forth, on one occasion while coasting down hill the car gained more than the anticipated speed with the result that said mule power was shaken from its platform. After this experience, it was never again possible to get the mules to ride and subsequently horses replaced them, but were required to walk at all times.”
So, you ask, what happened to the displaced mules? Lore has it that “When this system was abandoned, its 'central power plant' was sold to the hillside farmer, who complained that although his mules pulled the plow fine up hill they insisted on climbing on to ride back." (Monrovia Legacy Project, https://tinyurl.com/4jtrbha8.)
You can learn about this and other facets of early life in Monrovia at the Monrovia Historical Museum, located in Recreation Park at 742 East Lemon. A miniature replica of this mule trolley is currently on display in our East Wing's icons exhibit (image). It was created for the museum by one of our board members, Mike Andrews. Come visit our 8,000-square-foot museum from 1-4 pm on Thursdays and Sundays. Admission is free and private tours are available!
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