The U.S. Rabbit Experimental Station was the first and only facility in the United States set aside for the study of breeding and raising of rabbits. Started in 1928, in Fontana, California the station studied rabbits until it closed in 1965. The U.S. Rabbit Experimental Station was designated a California Historic Landmark (No.950) on June 9, 1982. A marker was placed in Fontana at the site. The station was built on land donated by A. B. Miller, the founder of Fontana. The five-acre (2.0 ha) property in Fontana developed procedures for rabbit care and breeding. The City of Fontana purchased the property and turned it into a senior citizens' facility in 1965.[1]
U.S. Rabbit Experimental Station | |
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Location | Fontana, California |
Coordinates | 34°06′05″N 117°26′40″W / 34.101411111°N 117.4445805555°W |
Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
Built | 1928 |
Designated | June 9, 1982 |
Reference no. | 950 |
Location of U.S. Rabbit Experimental Station in California |
Azariel Blanchard Miller (1878–1941) is the founder of the city of Fontana. In 1905, he brought 200 head of horse, mules, plows, scrapers and tents into the area and began transforming 17,000 acres (6,900 ha) of sand, sagebrush and rock into a citrus fruit, poultry and livestock farm. Miller called his ranch Rosena. The town was renamed Fontana in 1913. [2][3][4][5])[6]
The marker at the Josephine Knoph Senior Citizen Center of Fontana at 8384 Cypress Ave., Fontana site reads:
fontana development company.