Cyrus Grandison Baldwin was the first president of Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., from 1890-1897. He graduated from Oberlin College, and from that institution he brought to the newly established Congregational college in California high academic standards and principles. He had some knowledge of the growing use of electric power, both in Europe and the eastern United States, and he began to think of lighting the Pomona Valley and the region as far away as San Bernardino by using the water power of the San Antonio Canyon in the San Bernardino Mountains. His enthusiasm was contagious and a group of men in Pomona, some of whom had joined in founding the new college, united with him to establish a company to convert the power of the water into electricity and to bring it to the homes and offices of the new Anglo-Saxon community which was replacing the Spanish ranchos of earlier California. From their efforts the San Antonio Light and Power Company was born in 1891. The company planned to bore a tunnel through the Hogsback at the upper level, thereby establishing a steep flume which would give a drop of nearly 400 feet to the power house below. The power would then be distributed by high voltage transmission to the valley. This practice was new at the time, and Baldwin and his associates were proposing to establish the first hydroelectric installation for high voltage power in California.
From the description of Cyrus Grandison Baldwin papers, 1891-1955. (Claremont Colleges Library). WorldCat record id: 666587202
In 1890, Reverend Cyrus Grandison Baldwin, of the Congregational Church, was the first official president of Pomona College. Baldwin graduated from Oberlin College in 1873 and completed his seminary degree from Andover Theological Seminary to study for the ministry. After completing his seminary work he was hired at Ripon College as a professor of Latin until he was elected president of Pomona College in 1890.
From the description of Cyrus Grandison Baldwin papers, 1890-1899. (Claremont Colleges Library). WorldCat record id: 761392405
