Indiana Colony

About

The Indiana Colony is the name of the cooperative who originally settled in the area known today as Pasadena, California, United States, as well as their first name for the area they settled. The group was incorporated on January 31, 1874, by Indiana residents seeking warmer weather after the exceptionally cold winter of 1872–73. The settlers met in the home of Thomas Elliott, and Daniel Berry was selected to visit Southern California with a direction to find suitable land at a suitable price.

Berry visited San Diego, Anaheim, San Fernando, Rancho Santa Anita and Rancho San Pascual. After meeting Judge Benjamin Eaton and Benjamin Davis "Don Benito" Wilson, he was able to negotiate the purchase of lands in the eastern part of Rancho San Pascual near the Arroyo Seco. The recession of 1873 caused a few initial investors to withdraw from the settlement plans. Berry immediately reincorporated the company into the San Gabriel Orange Grove Association, enlisting any interested parties and salvaging the purchasing power of the settlement.