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Friday, December 31, 2010

DISCOVERY OF PORKY JOHNSON MAY HELP WITH 2011 BLUES.

2010   THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

The grand Porky Johnson of North Hollywood knows an amazing amount of San Fernando Valley history, perhaps because he has physically rescued so much of it. I thought, considering that it is New Year's Eve, one of Porky's discoveries might be useful as a suggestion for tomorrow's condition. Jerry

COLLEGE BOYS IN THE SNOW - BIG BEAR FEB. 1965

2010   THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

In February 1965 a bunch of Pierce College fraternity boys rented a cabin for the weekend at Big Bear.


 Snow boarding was not well known in the mid '60s, but a Pierce student couldn't resist trying out his surfing techniques on this sled.
 I suspect these fellows are standing on a derelict boat, either that or they should have known how to swim.

Tri Chi fraternity brothers on a Big Bear weekend. 

Make sure that the photographs of your growing-up days in the San Fernando Valley are preserved and shared with future generations. Call your Museum today to donate or share your photo treasures.
1 (818) 347-9665
Los Angeles Pierce College fraternity boys on a weekend at Big Bear - February 1965 - Photos are a gift to the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Linda Burroughs 2010.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

COVER YOUR PLANTS TONIGHT AND PRETEND YOU'RE IN NEW YORK

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Winter has come to the San Fernando Valley. The weather person on tv says that it could get down to freezing in Woodland Hills tonight. When I took our new chocolate Labrador puppy outside to play this afternoon, the geese from Canada and the Pacific Northwest were honking up a five o'clock freeway on the 101. Sugared figs from Susan Ingham's garden, fat oranges await picking, - Our puppy's name is Molly Brown. Our lights went out last night for over an hour. We lighted our lives with candles and a portable tv somewhere hoping that the Lakers would get their act going again. Doing a sodoku (sp?) by candle light made me think about Ben Franklin - I actually solved the thing, or perhaps since I couldn't see it all that well,  it was just a belated Christmas wish. Iowa won in the last few seconds! Janne made pumpkin bread with real walnuts in it. I was forced to eat as much as possible to keep it from the fruit rats in the garden. With winter over the Rose Bowl and snow in the Sierra Madres, can Spring be far behind?  Jerry


Gary Fredburg gave this great sheet music to The Museum's Library of San Fernando Valley Entertainment Industry History -  2010.  Jack Oakie lived in Northridge, California

HAVE IT YOUR WAY IN 2011 - HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM YOUR MUSEUM

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

         As the final hours of 2010 come to a conclusion, allow me a moment to thank you so very much for helping to make The Museum of the San Fernando Valley an ever increasing reality. Your financial support and involvement have made this year our best ever.
         Grady Talbot while speaking about The Museum's board and advistors during a lunch this month at Barone's restaurant said "I've never seen a group of people work so hard to make something great happen!"
         On January 22nd, you'll get to learn all about your Museum in action at our first quarterly public forum meeting.

Portrait of the great Frank Sinatra at Barone's Restaurant in Valley Village in 2010.
Frank lived and worked for many years from his home in Toluca Lake.

May life's adventures in 2011 go your way!  And, may you find time to join us in our quest to bring a great working Museum to the residents of the greater San Fernando Valley.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

KAPPA BETA PHI GIRLS AT FRATERNITY PARTY 1965

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

One of the party themes loved by college students in the 1960s and 70s was "Return to High School Night". Sometimes gender reversal costumes were worn just to make things more zany.

 This Pierce College boy wears his Van Nuys High School "Letterman's Sweater, as he dances with a member of the Kappa Beta Phi sorority in 1965.  (refer to photo 2087) Know who these unidentified students are? Contact your Museum or indicate who they are in the "Comments" section in this posting.

 With guys from the Chi Chi Chi fraternity at Pierce College costumed as cheer leaders, and the young woman dressed as a yell king. These undergraduates wore sweaters and sweatshirts from their days at Grover Cleveland High School in the San Fernando Valley. (refer to photo 2083)


Sisters in the Kappa Beta Phi sorority take time to look at a fraternity photograph album in 1965.
(refer to photo 2081) Help us identify these women - left to right.

Make sure your photos aren't discarded in the future. Contact your Museum today to donate your snapshots to the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley for the education and enjoyment of future generations.      1 (818) 347-9666

MARDI GRAS AT PIERCE COLLEGE - THIS TIME IN 1971

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

After I published the previous posting on this blog, I received two snapshots taken at Pierce College at the 1971 Mardi Gras. Saving the Pierce College Farm Center, where these Mardi Gras rides were located,  is important to the history of the entire San Fernando Valley.

 Mardi Gras ride in 1971 at Los Angeles Pierce College. Photo gift from Linda Burroughs to the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2010.


If you have photographs of the Pierce College Farm Center or Mardi Gras at the West San Fernando Valley's favorite community college, please contact your Museum soon. Your photographs shouldn't end up at a garage sale.
Call The Museum at 1 (818) 347-9665

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

MARDI GRAS AT PIERCE COLLEGE 1967

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

You can tell a lot about what sorts of artifacts and photographs are arriving to your Museum, by the photographs posted on this blog. Since each in-coming picture gets an identification number and is scanned for our records, blog viewers often get a peek at what is being recorded. The following photographs taken from a photo album kept by pledges of the Phi Delta Psi Fraternity in the Spring of 1967, allows us to visit Mardi Gras on the Pierce College Campus, 43 years ago.


 Beta Chi Delta sorority girl at the Phi Delta Phi booth - Photo gift to the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Jerry Berns 2009.(refer to photo 2075)
 Phi Delta Psi Fraternity member Bob Moore welcomes Mardi Gras visitors to his organization's booth.
(photo number 2071)

 Student projects, such as the Pierce College Mardi Gras were strongly supported by the school's many fraternities, sororities and special interest clubs in 1967.  (photo number 2070)

 Pierce students gather to make wagers on their Mardi Gras turtle races. (photo 2068)

Student floats prepare to parade across the Pierce College campus. (photo 2074)

Monday, December 27, 2010

GREAT PIERCE COLLEGE "RUSSIAN INVASION" WATERFIGHT 1967


Phi Deta Psi pledges at Pierce College prepare for their Spring waterfight - photo gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Jerry Berns 2009 -  refer to photo 2060

      The Cold War was a very real thing to Americans in the 1960s, and college students responded to the threat with typical youthful bravado. Here LA Pierce College students, pledges in the Phi Delta Psi Fraternity, held a spring water fight with active members of the organization calling it the Russian Invasion. Today alumni of the Fraternity through their Maple Leaf Society are among The Museum's strongest supporters.

Student Ray Lupacchini wields a fire extinguisher in a 1967 Pierce College water fight  - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - refer to photograph 2063
"Siege of the Pool - Russian Invasion Water Fight" Pierce College Spring 1967.
(refer to photo number 2062 - gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Jerry Berns 2009)  Water balloon strategically aimed - photo 2057

Sunday, December 26, 2010

PIERCE COLLEGE STUDENTS BRING IN 1971 - 2010 THANKS TO THE FOUNDATION FOR PIERCE COLLEGE

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Looking for a way to say special thanks to the Foundation for Pierce College for its help in 2010, I thought it would fun to share some of the incoming Archival photographs of the Chi Chi Chi Fraternity on the Pierce campus in 1970-1971.
At our early stage in the development of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, encouragement and help from groups such as the Foundation for Pierce College is immeasurable. Dennis Washburn, the Foundation's executive director, seems always on hand to give The Museum sound advice and useful direction. Dennis knows intuitively, that as The Museum grows, so does our Valley-wide community's support for Pierce College.  Thousands of women and men in the San Fernando Valley owe their careers to the beloved "Farm" as many of its alumni still call the school in reverence. The Museum of the San Fernando Valley is also grateful.

Chi Chi Chi Fraternity's New Year's Eve party - December 31, 1970 - Photos in the Archive of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - refer to the above photo as #2050
New Year's Eve - Chi Chi Chi - refer to photo number 2044
Pierce College students - New Year's Eve - Dec. 31, 1970  - photo number 2053

Chi Chi Chi Fraternity boys relax after their formal photograph.  1971 - Pierce College
refer to photos 2055-G (above) and 2055-A

Friday, December 24, 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO FROM THE MUSEUM OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY


Historic - handmade postcard given to
The Museum of the San Fernando Valley
from Gary Fredburg - December 24, 2010

Monday, December 20, 2010

MAGNOLIA DRUG BURBANK 1920

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

As the year 2010 slips into the arms of Morphius, it is a great time to continue thanking the women and men who have done so much to advance The Museum Community this year. And, no one has worked harder to bring about a great Museum of culture and history for the San Fernando Valley than Burbank's Gary Fredburg. Just a short review of the postings on this blog will reveal how many very special artifacts Gary has donated over the years since we began our work. So, here's a little photograph from Porky Johnson's historical collection to honor Gary.

Magnolia Drug Store - Burbank, California 1920 - collection of Porky Johnson 2010 (click on image to enlarge)
This photograph holds a great San Fernando Valley architectural secret. Let's see if those of you who care about the preservation and restoration of the Idle Hour Cafe in North Hollywood can discovery the mystery.

Gary Fredburg sent this internet site to explain his solution to this puzzle.
http://wesclark.com/burbank/pumpkin.html

Thursday, December 16, 2010

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY RIPE OLIVES

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES
By 1922, when the magazine Canning Age published its story on Sylmar, California, the San Fernando Valley had the largest olive grove in America.  Under the brand of San Fernando Valley Olives, Cristo Fusano sold his highly superior olives and olive oils across the world.

You can read some of the story of Cristo Fusano at:

When Mark Davis and I talked about these cans of olives that he donated to The Museum's archives, we recalled how along San Fernando Road in San Fernando and in Pacoima, there were for years stands selling California oranges, walnuts and olives. I remember my parents on Sunday automobile drives would stop in Sylmar to bring home lemons and olive oil. 
In the year 1867, a New York newspaper reporter arrived at the Mission San Fernando, in what is now called Mission Hills. He was accompanied by two highly ambitious political men, George Stoneman and Jefferson "C" Davis.  Davis, not to be confused with the president of the Confederate States, had been a Union general during the Civil War only two years earlier. The New York Times reporter wrote:
"We sat long, one delicious evening in December, under the olive trees at tat place, smoking cigarettes rolled by Stoneman, chatting about the war, and getting slightly boozed upon aguardiente furnished by General Andres Pico..."


Tuesday, December 14, 2010

BON NATALIE FROM VAN NUYS 2010

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Maybe in 2011, the world will change for the better and the Little Italy just off of Van Nuys Boulevard might add a little Sicilian cafe and a Largo Como coffee shop. Luigi's Tailoring and Giovanni's Barber Shop next door are a great start, don't you agree?

AMELIA EARHART PLANS FLIGHT AT BURBANK's UNION AIR TERMINAL - 1937

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES
           The handsome statue of Amelia Earhart that stands in North Hollywood Park rightfully points to what is now known as Bob Hope Airport. Almost inevitably when Richard Hilton or Bronwyn Ralph invite their historic walking tour visitors to the statue an aircraft will lift over the Valley and Amelia's tribute. But, the aircraft will also be crossing over the Portal of the Folded Wings, the splendid monument in Valhalla Park to the fallen aviators who set humankind into flight. 

 James Bassett Jr. the writer of this news clipping from the Sunday edition of the Los Angeles Times on March 7, 1937  could not have dreamed that the people he was describing would soon be forever part of San Fernando Valley, and indeed world, history.

   News paper clipping March 1937 - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gary Fredburg December 2010 - (click on images to enlarge)

How different the fur draped woman in the May Company advertisment from this same March 1937 newspaper depicted the ideal woman of the era.  Amerlia Earhart's life and determination would become a role model for thousands of young women who would come after her.

IMAGES OF ENCINO 1977

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Sponsored by the Encino Chamber of Commerce, this 50¢ map gives a great overview of what was going on in this Los Angeles suburb in that era. 

 1977 Street Map and Guide of Encino "Home of the Oaks" - gift to the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Marlene and Mark Davis  - December 2010 (click on images to enlarge)

 Encino bragged that it was the only area in the Valley with its own flag.

The great Velodrome of Encino - Photo c. 1977

DISCOVERIES ABOUT LA CITY COUNCILMAN WINFRED SANBORN

.2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

During a conversation yesterday with LA City Councilman Paul Krekorian and his District Director Damian Carroll, I made a passing comment about The Museum's frequent need to stop what we're doing and to respond to an immediate historical or cultural opportunity. As I was leaving the Councilman mentioned that I should see something that Damian has on the wall of his office. The photograph and two badges framed there turned out to be little gems of Los Angeles history.



 left - Damian Carroll, Jerry Fecht and Councilman Paul Krekorian
Standing in front of artifacts from the career of Damian's ancestor,  Los Angeles City Councilman Winfred J. Sanborn.

  Winfred J. Sanborn (1869 – 1947) 
Sanborn served on the Los Angeles City Council under a nine ward system (representing the 9th ward) from 1919 until the city's charter was changed in 1925. Under a new charter, the council was changed to a fifteen district system. Sanborn served the new 9th district from 1925 until 1931. When Councilman Howard E. Dorsey died in 1937, Sanborn was appointed to replace him and served until 1939. (source Wikipedia) 


 
Sanborn's motive in running for City Council in 1919 was to improve transportation from East Los Angeles to downtown, which required crossing the Los Angeles River and the adjacent railroad tracks.



    Los Angeles County badge - purpose unknown.  
Digital image courtesy of Damian Carroll
    (click on image to enlarge) 
  
    During Sanborn's first six terms, his chief accomplishment was the financing and building of six viaducts for traffic to cross the railroads and the Los Angeles River without the need to stop for trains. Sanborn was unanimously elected President of the Los Angeles City Council from 1929 to 1930.

      



Dur       
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THREE IMAGES OF OLD LOS ANGELES

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

So that Liane Schirmer won't scold me, here's a continuation of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley's commemoration of the City of Los Angeles' big 230th birthday next year. We will be putting 230 historic images on our blog - Here are images 227- 226 - 225.

                                            
                                                  The Ambassor Hotel's Crystal Plunge 
                                              (click on image to enlarge)      August 15, 1939
" Mrs Emma H. Crowder 117 McGregor Street, Lebanon Tenn."
"Hello little girl, Suday afternoon. I am home, as blue as blue can be. Gee, how I wish you were here. Grammie Bell still very sick. Connie is better. Jean is spending the day with me, and Buddy has a broken toe. Too sad about Uncle Bill. Ethelbert has a new car. My mother was over to see Sue last Sunday, She is well. Lovingly yours forever, Maude "  



      When Tony Wilkinson and I were graduate students at USC, we lived at the edge of Saint James Park just off Adams and Figueroa in Los Angeles. This very beautiful Christian Science church was historic even then.  -  Historic postcards in the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - Gift from Gerald Fecht - December 2010 

Saint James Park - near Figueroa and Adams -
at the edge of the University of Southern California.

               Jan 1, 1910
"Miss Edna Buchannan, 584 Eath 9th Street – Portland Ore. Having a fine time. Weather is fine. We see the airships. Went to a small moving picture show last night. Went to Westlake Park today and fed ducks.             Hazel"     

Monday, December 13, 2010

NOSTALGIA - JUST A PART OF OUR HISTORY

2010   THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Your Museum collects information and artifacts about everyday life in the San Fernando Valley at different eras. Do you recall FedCo Membership Department Stores?  By selling to its "members" at wholesale, such big-box stores helped undermine traditional family owned retail stores such as the respected Hughes Markets grocery stores.


 Grocery store memorabilia courtesy of Mark and Meredith Davis of Chatsworth - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - December 2010

NORTH HOLLYWOOD PLAYHOUSE - GONE or JUST LOST?

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Once the North Hollywood Playhouse operated from 11043 Magnolia Boulevard. Today only this commercial structure remains at the site. If you or someone you know, can help us identify the "Harlow Players", The Museum Community will be grateful.

 "Violent Lady" an original play by William Harlow - date unknown - program a gift to †he Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gary Fredburg - December 2010


11430 Magnolia Boulevard today.
Photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - Dec. 2010

FOREVER YOUNG RICHIE VALENS

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Thanks to Mark Davis for sharing his San Fernando High School yearbook's photo of the legendary Richie Valens with The Museum Community. The Museum of the San Fernando Valley has an on-going effort to document the incredible history of the Entertainment Industry in our area, and the great Richie Valens is an important part of our effort.