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Sunday, February 26, 2012

PALM ISLAND POSTCARD COMPLETES SET

MY VALLEY    MY MUSEUM      MY STORY

After I published images of The Museum's collection of vintage Busch Gardens post card, we received this card of Palm Island. The donor, Jim O., said, "I've had this card around forever, and when I saw your blog's feature on Busch Gardens, I knew where it belongs."

DAVID COSCIA BOOK ON THE PACIFIC ELECTRIC AND THE GROWTH OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY - FRONT PAGE REVIEW IN TODAY'S DAILY NEWS

MY VALLEY          MY MUSEUM           MY STORY

In honor of today's front page review of David Coscia's new book, The Pacific Electric and the Growth of the San Fernando Valley in the Los Angeles Daily News, here are four new images just received in The Museum's archives.

Pacific Electric Railroad images - Gift to the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gary Fredburg 2012  (click on images to enlarge)   Image number 4608

 Dated March 23, 1947 -  Image number 4611


 Dated June 19, 1955 - Image number 4609

Dated June 19, 1955  -   Image number 4610

2012 Community Resource Directory - Northridge - Porter Ranch - Chatsworth - Grandada Hills

        MY VALLEY    MY MUSEUM    MY STORY       

With the North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander, and the North Valley Community Connection newspaper, The Museum of the San Fernando Valley has provided a useful area-wide  2012 community resource guide. The Museum provided editorial and photo content for the work. Nancy Cartwright (perhaps better known as the voice of Bart Simpson) has an inspirational community message as the honorary mayor of Northridge.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

SPECIAL THANKS TO DIANA LIPARI

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY      2012

Just a small public note of thanks to Ms. Diana Lipari for the exceptional work done to present the video tapes of The Museum's NARRATING LIVES Oral Histories of the San Fernando Valley. Diana is another very important volunteer who is helping to preserve and share Valley history.
Thanks Diana, for the handsome presentation cases and labels for the histories.
You're special!

from The Museum Community      February 2012

Monday, February 20, 2012

BUSCH GARDENS WAS A HOLIDAY DESTINATION IN THE NORTH SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY   2012

In the mid 1960s, Anheuser-Busch opened its famous Busch Gardens in northern Van Nuys. The gardens were an outgrowth of the Busch family's personal gardens in Pasadena. For many years, after the closing of the gardens in 1979, exotic birds visited homes in the north and west San Fernando Valley. 

 
Busch Bavarian Pavilion - 3000 tons of feather rock was used to form the lagoon. Postcards - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gary Fredburg 2012.  (click on image to enlarge)

 Budweiser Pavilion where visitors were allowed to taste sample of beer.

World famous Clydesdale Horses originally from Scotland. Each horse weighed about 2,000 pounds and about 6 feet tall.
 Flamingo Island used for the display, care and breeding of beautiful pink birds.

 Monorail feature of Busch Gardens.

 Trained parrots were a major feature of the Busch Gardens' experience.



THE MUSEUM’S MAILING ADDRESS
The Museum of the San Fernando Valley
21031 Ventura Blvd., Suite 419
Woodland Hills, CA 91364

MUSEUM’S TELEPHONE         1 (818) 347-9665

MUSEUM’S BLOG

MUSEUM’S WEBSITE

Monday, February 13, 2012

WHO HAS INFORMATION ABOUT DOLORES FERNANDEZ THE DANCER?

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY     2012


I found your info. while looking up Dolores Fernandez the dancer from Hollywood.  Do you know her or who she was?
from:  Kathryn (an interested artist and lover of music and dance)

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

ARDISHER RADPOUR HORSEMAN AND BUSINESSMAN

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY     2012

While working in my art studio the other day, I found this great picture of Ardisher Radpour when he was "Tommy Trojan" at the University of Southern California. A remarkable horseman, Ardisher is a polo player, actor, sportsman, Persian historian, and San Fernando Valley-based businessman. He is a graduate of Chatsworth High School, Moorpark College, the University of Southern California. He also holds a masters degree in business from California State University Northridge. Ardisher makes his home in Porter Ranch.

Ardisher Radpour - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - (click on image to enlarge)

JOHNNY DOWNS WAS A VALLEY FIXTURE IN THE 1940s

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY    2012

Johnny Downs - detail from vintage postcard - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gary Fredburg 2012 - (click on image to enlarge it.)

Johnny Downs nearly became a "has been" actor by the age of 14. As a little boy in the Our Gang Comedies, he played a character named for himself, "Johnny,"  1923 - 1926. Being friends with Valley-based performers such as Bing Crosby and Jack Oakie, help Johnny to find work, especially as a character in the popular "college movies" of the 1940s. His successful role in Republic Pictures' "Melody and Moonlight" released just prior to World War II, almost relaunched his career.

MONTE HALE WORKED TO MAKE THE AUTRY CENTER A REALITY

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY   2012

Monte Hale was one of the many young country and western singers who migrated to the San Fernando Valley to be "discovered" in the 1940s.  His good looks and warm personality won him a job doing "cowboy movies" at Republic Pictures. In 1946, Monte was a star in the successful film, "Home on the Range."  He was among those insightful people who helped found the Autry National Center in Griffith Park.  Monte Hale died in Studio City in 2009. 

Detail from vintage postcard - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gary Fredburg 2012. (click on image to enlarge it.)

Join us! North Hollywood "NoHo" Historic Walking Tour

When: Saturday, February 11, 2012 
Time: 10am - 12:30pm
Where: Amelia Earhart Statue 
(NW corner of Tujunga and Magnolia Blvd. North Hollywood Park)
Cost: $10 per person suggested donation
Parking: Street and metered parking in area




Please join us on Saturday, February 11th from 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. for the Museum's bi-monthly walking tour of North Hollywood. Learn about real cowboys, pioneer families, movie television and recording stars, the Spanish conquest, Mexican ranchos, great steam trains, vast ranches and orchards, land barons, wars, architecture, and much more! Tour highlights include: Amelia Earhart Statue Security Trust and Savings Bank (1924) Amelia Earhart Library (1928) El Portal Theatre (1926) NoHo Arts District NoHo Fire Station #60 So. Pacific Railroad Depot (1896) Commonwealth Savings & Loan Building Weddington Family History North Hollywood Masonic Temple Lodge 542 St. Paul’s First Lutheran Church Lankershim Arts Center (1939) (S. Charles Lee, architect) Commonwealth Savings & Loan Building Air raid siren Lankershim Elementary School (Marilyn Monroe attended)

ALL ATTENDEES WILL RECEIVE THE NEW, BEAUTIFUL NORTH HOLLYWOOD TOUR BOOKLET!!!

RSVP/Pay in Advance: 
1. Call us at 818-347-9665 (Please leave name, address and phone number (walk-ups welcome too!)
2. Email at events@TheMuseumSFV.org
3. Pay in advance by going to Museum website at www.theMuseumSFV.org, go to Events or any web page, then click on DONATE button in upper right hand corner of any web page to reserve by credit card or PayPal.

Please visit us on the web at www.TheMuseumSFV.org
Thank you to sponsor Universal City/North Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

RICHARD HILTON LEADS VAN NUYS HISTORIC WALKING TOUR

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY       2012





Richard Hilton, member of The Museum's Board of Directors and Director of Museum Tours, welcomes walking tourists at the Van Nuys Constituency Center. Mr. Hilton leads walking tours regularly in Van Nuys and historic North Hollywood.





THE MUSEUM’S MAILING ADDRESS
The Museum of the San Fernando Valley
21031 Ventura Blvd., Suite 419
Woodland Hills, CA 91364

MUSEUM’S TELEPHONE         1 (818) 347-9665

MUSEUM’S BLOG

MUSEUM’S WEBSITE

WHEN TYRONE AVENUE BECAME A RIVER IN 1952

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY    2012

60 years ago, the San Fernando Valley was still drying out and cleaning up after a terrific rain storm. To make life more exciting, streets such as Tyrone Avenue had little in the way of flood control. Inevitably, people on one of Richard Hilton's Museum walking tour of historic Van Nuys will tell a Tyrone Avenue rainy day story.  These images are from the old time Valley Times newspaper.

United States Post Office Van Nuys, California  January 1952 - Sylvan Street just west of Van Nuys Boulevard - photograph taken at dawn.  (Click on images to enlarge them.)

Raging waters pour along Tyrone Avenue at Magnolia Boulevard in historic Van Nuys, January 1952. When Tyrone Avenue was flooded, students had the "perfect" excuse for a day off. Enlarge this image to see the steam coming out of one vehicle.

Sand bags hopefully protected the merchants on Van Nuys Boulevard. January 17, 1952 at the corner of Gilmore Street.
 Automobile trapped in a flash flood at Victory Boulevard in Van Nuys, January 1952.

 Bill Mulvihill at left and Bill Mathews right wade in flood waters on Van Nuys Boulevard - 21 January 1952 - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley