“Kit stepped off the train into a balmy breeze. The wind played havoc with her wide-brimmed hat while the sun seemed to shine right through any protection it might have offered. Everything, from sky to ground, seemed brighter than in New York.

“The scene was not unlike any other depot she’d visited on this trip, and yet it was somehow completely different. The crowds teemed with all manner of customers, from the obviously poorer Indians and Mexicans to the wealthy and overdressed women of society to suit-clad men and roughhewn cowboys.

“The depot itself was a strange dome-shaped creation that bore the placard, La Grande Station. The depot platform sprawled out alongside the track, making it clear that this was a highly trafficked station.”

The Founder of Newberry’s

“John Newberry was a pioneer resident . . . and founder of one of the first grocery firms in Southern California. He started around 1898 and organized the grocery business of J.R. Newberry & Co., starting with one store and reaching a total of sixty before liquidating the enterprises 13 years later.

“He came to Los Angeles in 1881, originally entering the cattle business. Later he moved to Riverside, where he helped organize its first bank before returning to Los Angeles to launch the grocery chain.

“He was one of the organizers of the Merchants' and Manufacturers' Association and one of the first directors of the Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he was instrumental in helping bring the Santa Fe Railroad into the State.

“He and his wife, Clara Ramsay, resided at 730 South Catalina Street. ”