San Bernardino County history: Bryn Mawr – Welcome to San Bernardino County

"San Bernardino County Update", yellow arrowhead and "SBCounty.gov

The image shows a number of industrial buildings surrounded by trees and train tracks. — *Bryn Mawr circa 1950. Photo courtesy of the Loma Linda Area Parks and Historical Society.*

Between present day Loma Linda and Redlands, a community called Nahant was settled in the 1880s.

It was very small, consisting of only a few farms, but the settlers wanted to differentiate themselves from their larger neighboring communities. The town was briefly renamed Redlands Junction after a Southern Pacific Railroad depot was built there. The depot also added a post office in 1895. To avoid confusion with nearby Redlands, the name was changed again.

The community eventually chose the name Bryn Mawr, which is Welsh for “big hill.” One reason for choosing the name was to distinguish the community from Loma Linda, which is Spanish for “pretty hill.”

During the early 1900s, Bryn Mawr prospered alongside the region’s growing citrus industry. Four citrus packing houses were eventually built in the area and local amenities included a general store, blacksmith shop, pool room, service station, market and restaurants.

Bryn Mawr remained a small community over the years but gradually blended into the surrounding area after the citrus industry declined.

When Loma Linda became incorporated in 1970, portions of the historic Bryn Mawr community became part of the new city. The remaining area was eventually annexed by Loma Linda in 2008.

The information in this historical feature was originally part of a video series produced by the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk’s office.

Additional County Update News – September 10, 2026