Colton High “Fact of the Day” – Aug. 17

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In January 1932, Colton High built its first snowman, “Fatty.”

Colton High School opened in 1895. It is one of the oldest high schools in the Inland Empire. In this daily feature, we celebrate Colton High’s rich history.

Right now is the hottest part of the summer, with temperatures regularly breaking the mercury over 100-degrees. So, here’s a fact to help cool off a bit.

On Friday, January 15, 1932, Colton High School students experienced a rare event when snow covered the school. Students were allowed to play out in the snow for 40 minutes, where they made “Fatty,” a snowman with eyes, hair, nose, and a mouth made out of Sunkist oranges.

The snowstorm was a huge one that year that affected a large part of Southern California. In Los Angeles, the snowfall was historic. The Los Angeles Times said it was “the first official snowfall recorded in the United States Weather Bureau’s fifty-four year existence in the city.”

In the Inland Empire, this was the largest snowfall since January 13 of 1882, in which Colton woke up to 10 inches of snow.