February 22, 1878 - McCall's Horse Trough

Carved on the side of this historic limestone, horse-watering trough is the following:

John McCall

Feb. 22, A.D. 1878

Horse Shoe'er

*  It was originally located in front of John McCall's blacksmith shop on the east side of D Street.

*  When disastrous fires in 1878-1879 destroyed many San Bernardino buildings on D Street it was moved to the wagon shop of Joe S. Bright on Third Street near G Street.

*  When the wagon shop closed the trough was moved to the Bright's home on Eighth Street.

*  Later the trough was donated to San Bernardino's Pioneer Society and it rested in front of the Log Cabin in Pioneer Park until a fire destroyed the cabin in 1973.

*  The trough was relocated to the Native Sons of the Golden West in San Bernardino where it remained in storage for 30 years.

*  It was then moved to its current location, at the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society at 8th and D Streets.

*  A formal dedication ceremony was held on February 22nd, 2003, exactly 125 years after the trough was inscribed in 1878.

Click here for a short story about John McCall's horse Trough.