Old Victoria. 4 x 6 Pen and Inktense pencils on 140 lb. Arches cold pressed paper. © 2015 Sheila Delgado

A few years ago my good friend Randy introduced me to Victoria Avenue in Riverside California. The avenue has a long and rich history and there are over 90 species of trees along its borders.

VICTORIA AVENUE owes its existence to the vision of Mathew Gage, a jeweler from Ireland who moved to Riverside in 1881. He developed the Gage Canal which brought precious water to the citrus groves in Arlington Heights. His vision introduced the many varieties trees and plants along Victoria Avenue.

During the spring of 1892, the grading of Victoria Avenue began and the first trees were planted. Riverside’s pioneer landscape designer, Franz Hosp, was responsible for the master plan.

On June 11, 1969, Victoria Avenue was declared Cultural Heritage Landmark #8 by the Riverside Cultural Heritage Board. In October 2000, Victoria Avenue was added to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. ~ John Pedroza

The abundant palm trees catch your eye, you can see them from miles away. What really captivated me was the hulking Eucalyptus trees that line several sections. I have wanted to paint these trees for a long time. I will paint more of them. My tree is perfectly lovely, but I missed the mark on conveying the stature of these majestic old lovelies.

Victoria Avenue, Riverside CA, photo SMD

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