Aerial survey · USDA NAIP · public domainSan Bernardino Mountain Stream with Local Legend
Yucaipa, CA
Research updated May 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Public waterway with no admission fee.
Access
Limited Access
Natural creek environment with uneven terrain, rocks, and variable water levels
Equipment
Photos OK
First Commercial Three-Phase AC Power Station in the US (1893) · Early California Irrigation History · Hydroelectric Heritage
Mill Creek originates in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows 17.8 miles before joining the Santa Ana River near the upper Santa Ana Canyon mouth. The waterway has a documented history of significant industrial use.
Spanish missionaries at a local mission introduced the principle of irrigation from the creek in 1819, constructing what was known as the Mill Creek Zanja — a hand-dug irrigation channel built by indigenous laborers.
The creek's most notable historical significance came in 1893, when the Mill Creek No. 1 Hydroelectric Plant near Redlands became the first commercial facility in the United States to generate and distribute power using three-phase alternating current. The 250-kilowatt plant, designed by engineer Almarian Decker, established a model for electrical transmission adopted worldwide. The subsequent Mill Creek 2 and 3 Hydroelectric Systems, owned by Southern California Edison, are among the earliest examples of high-head hydroelectric infrastructure in the country.
In some sections of the creek today, the streambed is completely dewatered — a consequence of upstream diversions and regional water management. USGS monitors flow at the Mill Creek Near Yucaipa gauging station.
Mill Creek occupies a place in the early history of electrical engineering: the 250-kilowatt Mill Creek No. 1 Hydroelectric Plant near Redlands was the first commercial power plant in the United States using three-phase alternating current when it began operating in 1893, designed by Almarian Decker. The downstream Mill Creek 2 and 3 hydroelectric systems documented by the Library of Congress' HAER program are among the earliest high-head hydroelectric installations in the country. Mormon settlers in the mid-nineteenth century built a small water-powered lumber mill in the canyon to meet demand for timber as the community grew, giving the creek its name.
Sources
The paranormal legend associated with Mill Creek in Yucaipa involves a reported incident in which a young man named Anthony Garcia was killed along the waterway. According to the account, his dogs turned on him while he was walking them, dragging him into the water. The story holds that his voice — calling out a name — can still be heard along the creek.
No news archive documentation of a fatal dog attack at this location, no police report, and no independent corroboration of this story was found during research. The account appears to be local folklore without a verifiable historical foundation. Given the absence of independent sourcing, the violent-crime detail should be treated as unverified legend rather than documented history.
Mill Creek is a 17.8-mile tributary of the Santa Ana River running through the San Bernardino Mountains near Yucaipa. The creek passes through historic hydroelectric territory — site of the first commercial three-phase AC power station in California, built in 1893. The reported local legend is poorly documented.
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