Seasons Greetings from YOUR Museum of History, Art and Culture of the San Fernando Valley

From all of us at YOUR Museum of History, Art and Culture of the San Fernando Valley, we wish you and your family:

We know it has been a tough year for nearly everyone.

The Museum has been temporarily closed since Mid-March. We are fortunate to prepare for an opening next year. Other organizations have not been so fortunate.

In the new year, we will continue to provide quality content and virtual programming to showcase our History of Speaker Series, exploring the incredible history of topics such as Aerospace, Agriculture, Architecture, Art, Aviation, Culture, Development, Entertainment, History, Music, Pop Culture, Transportation and Water.

We will continue our Artist Speaker Series, highlighting valley-based artists to provide an in-depth, personal look into each artist. What initiated their interest in art? How did they select or evolve into specific genre of art?  Also, an opportunity for each artist to display, explain current pieces of work and an offer art for purchase.

 

Here's to a promising and more fulfilling 2021!

The Museum SFV intends to open in the new year in our new home at The Rancho Cordiellera del Norte, across the street from our previous home.  Much thanks to Elisabeth Waldo and the Dentzel family for offering The Museum SFV the opportunity to be housed on these special, culturally-significant grounds.  There are many surprises in store!

                                                      (The Theatre, a portion of the grounds)

Thank you,
 

The Museum SFV Board of Directors and Advisors

Giving Tuesday 2020 - please consider donating to YOUR Museum of the SFV

Today is Giving Tuesday. 

In this COVID-19 world, everyone is affected in some way.

We understand the challenges faced at home, at work, within our families and in our communities.

Cultural organizations have not fared well during this time.

The Museum of the SFV has been closed since mid-March. Most of our programs have been placed on hold. Internally, we are working hard to prepare for the day when we will re-open.

More people and financial support is needed.

Knowing the challenges of cultural organizations nationwide, statewide and throughout the City of Los Angeles, please see if you can donate a little bit to our organization. 100% of the proceeds benefits and supports programs, exhibits and events.

 

Thank you.

75th Anniversary of D-Day; November 11th - 4:00 pm-6:00pm FREE Zoom presentation; please join us for this special event

 

Franky Ortega is a local educator, The Museum SFV board member, and parachutist with the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team will relive his amazing experience in June 2019. The team is based in an original Army Air Force hangar in Frederick, Oklahoma and owns a C-47 and C-49. RSVP HERE.

On November 11th, in a salute to all veterans and especially to those that fought bravely in World War II, Franky Ortega will present his experience in participating in the 75th Anniversary of D-Day flying across the English Channel in the lead aircraft of the greatest armada of vintage aircraft since WWII. 

The presentation will center on preparations leading up to the Normandy jumps and will speak of the mission to honor, remember, and serve the memories of both past and current members of the armed forces as well as experience in being a part of the WWII ADT; from packing a parachute, doing a night jump, and working with the motor pool by learning how to drive a 1943 Dodge Ambulance truck among other vehicles.

The images and videos are amazing and will bring tears to your eyes in reliving this historic event.

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

4:00 pm to 5:30 pm presentation; then Q&A which may run until 6:00 pm

FREE event*   

(*suggested $10/person donation to support quality Museum SFV programming)        

PLEASE RSVP for Free via Eventbrite.

For more information, please call 818-347-9665 or email at TheMuseumSFV@gmail.com and let us know how many will be attending the online presentation.

Thank you.

11-7-20 History of Birmingham General Hospital; World War II and the SFV; Noon -2:00pm - Free Zoom Presentation; The Museum SFV

Please join The Museum and salute veterans from various conflicts, especially World War II this Saturday, November 7th on a Zoom presentation.

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm 

Free event*

(suggested donation appreciated to support The Museum SFV events, exhibits and programs).

Franky Ortega, History teacher, a National Board-Certified Teacher at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, returns as the presenter. 

What was the valley like during WWII? 

He will discuss the history of Birmingham General Hospital, (with updated content), history of veterans in the San Fernando Valley. Several valley landmarks with historical perspective on WWII will be covered such as Lake Balboa Park, Van Nuys Airport and Jue Joe Ranch.

Please attend and learn more about this interesting part of valley history. He will also tie in the current, amazing group of veterans that comprise Wings Over Wendy's.

RSVP HERE to receive Zoom link

Free event*

(suggested donation appreciated to support The Museum SFV events, exhibits and programs).

Also, a sneak peak video at The Museum SFV's new home at Rancho Cordillera del Norte from the perspective in riding in a World War II jeep!

Please feel free to contact us about this event at:
1) email us at:    TheMuseumSFV@gmail.com
2) Call us at:      Michael Stevens at 310-890-9182

In your own way too, please reach out and thank any veteran you know. 

Please have them register for this presentation to salute America's veterans this Saturday or send them the Zoom link.

Thank you. 

Artist Speaker Series - Preston Craig; 10-24 Noon-2:00 pm; FREE; Zoom presentation; Public Art Initiative

The Museum of the San Fernando Valley and its Public Art Initiative invites you to meet the October Artist Speaker Series guest, featuring, Preston Craig.

Zoom presentation (see link below):

Saturday, October 24, 2020

Noon - 2:00 pm

Cost: Free*

(*suggested donation to support the Public Art Initiative of The Museum SFV - $10

Pay on our website, PayPal, Zelle)

Painting and drawing has allowed Preston Craig the freedom to address some of the social ills that plague our modern society and to paint what he feels, not necessarily what he sees. Having grown up in a rural setting and having had opportunities to travel and live overseas, he decided to paint what he saw in his mind’s eye while referencing what he experienced around himself.

The nature of his work is that through the use of varied imagery, classical and digital painting techniques and humor, he sometimes utilizes teddy bear images to address contemporary, social issues that are relevant and that affect the human race on a physical and spiritual level. Some paintings are a result of investigating his Native American roots (Choctaw), while others are a result of his spiritual quest and studies in Jungian symbology, Shamanic practices and Aboriginal Dreamtime myth. Through his Twisted Teddy's” series and other imagery, he hopes the viewer is inspired to be more aware of their global connections to each other and to take personal responsibility for effecting positive change in society.

He has worked with drug addicts, the homeless, victims of sexual abuse, young people who have been incarcerated, and has friends in the adult entertainment industry so he have definitely seen some of the seedier sides of life. He has seen how people can make a bad decision and get trapped in that decision. They are unable to figure out how to get out of the situation in which they find themselves. With that in mind, my artistic goal is that I aspire to achieve positive social change with my art.

Preston, who is a published artist, writer and educator originally from Louisiana, earned an M.F.A. (with honors) in Illustration from the Academy of Art in San Francisco and a B.A. in Applied Arts from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He freelances as an illustrator, digital/graphic design artist, fine artist, educator and voice over actor in the Los Angeles area. An avid artist rights advocate, he has been recognized by the Los Angeles City Council for his volunteer work and contribution to the growth of the arts in L.A. His award winning work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally. 

 Please join us for this special event and presentation. Q&A session to follow.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81941575646?pwd=LytRSG1OWmFSRm8wMTNQTEhUOTdJUT09

Meeting ID: 819 4157 5646

Passcode: 706023

Please spread the word to family, friends and colleagues.

Thank you for supporting your local museum of History, Art & Culture.

15th annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar - October 17th - 8:00 am - 8:00 pm - virtual

If you are a history buff or would like to learn more about various historical organizations, museums and societies.... well, strap yourself in for the day and join The Museum SFV and about 80 other organizations at the 15th annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar.

15th annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar
Saturday, October 17, 2020
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Virtual Event
Register - Free admission to the general public

This year will be a whole new adventure as the Archives Bazaar will be entirely virtual. Although the environment will be different, we still want to encapsulate the spirit of showcasing L.A. archives “All Day. All in one Place” through engaging programs, online exhibits, and virtual tours.

2020 ARCHIVES BAZAAR PROGRAM (more to come!)

Coffee with the Coordinator
Join Liza Posas, L.A. as Subject Coordinator, on Instagram live. She'll start off the day caffeinated and ready to answer your questions about the day's events, L.A. as Subject's 25-year history, the new L.A. as Subject Directory Portal, and why archives make a difference.

More than an Architectural Icon: The Collections of Central Library
Central Library, the Los Angeles Public Library's flagship location is known around the world for its unique architecture and artwork, but there's so much more! Inside the hallowed walls of this icon are deep collections that librarians have been building for nearly 150 years. Bring your questions and join us as staff from each of Central Library's eleven Subject Departments come together to reveal the treasures found in these collections. For the two weeks leading up to the Archives Bazaar, keep an eye out on the library's main social media accounts for daily video drops from each department.

The Los Angeles Preservation Network (LAPNet) Presents: An Introduction to Book Structure, Handling, Assessment, and Care for your Personal Collections
Join library preservation professionals from UCI and UCLA for a virtual discussion about book structure and handling, and how to assess and care for your book collections at home. We will discuss how to handle and store your books to extend their life, and the different types of uses, functions, and value the books in your collection may have, using examples from our own collections! Based on those uses and values, we will make some observations about what types of preservation measures you may (or may not) want to take. The presentation will end with time for audience questions about your book collections.

Basement Tapes Day
Basement Tapes Day provides the public with access to vintage audio playback devices so they can listen to the home recordings on open-reel tapes, cassettes, and micro-cassettes that have been sitting in their attics or basements for years. The annual event is staffed by volunteers from Los Angeles’ audio preservation community — archivists, engineers, collectors, restoration experts, conservators, and graduate students from UCLA’s Media Archival Studies program. Attendees can hear and publicly share their tapes, while learning about the history of recorded sound, common deterioration issues with magnetic audio formats, and how to best store and care for their collections. For more details on how to submit open reel, cassette, or microcassette home recordings email basementtapesday@gmail.com.

Home Movie Day
Organized annually by local archivists since 2003, Los Angeles Home Movie Day makes it possible for individuals to watch and reconnect with their own family films by providing access to equipment and discussing how best to care for collections at home. This year's Home Movie Day will be online for the first time as part of the Virtual Archives Bazaar, presenting a program of materials curated from a diverse array of Los Angeles cultural institutions, as well as reels collected from Angelenos and digitized in advance. 2020 organizers Brian Belak and Megan Needels will present an overview of the event and talk through the challenges of adapting an interactive event to a virtual space. Read more about HMD and how to submit your videos for free digitization here.

For more information and to register, please click HERE.

Thank you.

The History of Jue Joe Ranch Part III - The Museum SFV Virtual Speaker Series

The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, as part of its History of Speaker Series is pleased to present Part III The History of Jue Joe Ranch.

Date:  Saturday, October 10, 2020

Time:  Noon - 2:00 pm   (Learn about history during lunch!)

Cost:   Free*

(*we would appreciate a $10 donation to support interview, video editing and coordination of this program - via PayPal or website)

 
Please join Soo-Yin Jue for Part III as she will be presenting on the remaining parts of the Jue Joe Ranch, namely the Jue Joe ranch house.

Jue Joe died in 1941, but the stories and accounts that transpire in the years after are stories that could only happen in the San Fernando Valley.

From a ranch style home built in the mid-1940s designed to blend in with the surrounding areas only to conceal its private Chinese interiors to the various buildings constructed around the property.

A swimming pool, additional rooms, and a tennis court were all built around the the Jue Joe ranch house. Built in stages, both the buildings and the stories created at the ranch are sure to make you smile.

“Descendant of the 2nd emperor of the Song Dynasty (Zhao Gunagyi), Jue Joe was born and raised in a chicken coop, in 1860. He grew up dirt poor and vowed that his descendants would never suffer as he had. So at the age of 14 he sailed alone to California, working as a cabin boy, and jumped ship in San Francisco. He sailed with 16 lbs of rice and landed with 1/4 lb left. So he went to the Chinese Six Companies for help. They sent him to St. Helena and Marysville to work the vineyards. Then he found work on the Southern Pacific Railroad. In the Mojave Desert he met Otto Brant who was hoboing his way to L.A. They became friends and together hoboed to that destination. According to San Tong, Jue Joe learned business from Otto Brant and what land and water would mean to future settlers of the L.A. Basin. “ – written by Auntie Soo-Yin.

In 1913, California passed a law that forbid aliens (Non-Americans) from purchasing land in the state. The openly racist ALIEN LAND ACT was aimed at a growing and prosperous Asian population whose success threatened white hegemony in the Golden State.

But Chinese born Jue Joe was friends with the very powerful Otto Brant. The fascinating story of how Otto Brant helped his Asian friend purchase land, in spite of the restrictive law.

Free to all Museum members and guests.

A $10 suggested donation would be appreciated to support YOUR Museum with the cost of video editing and organizing this programming. You can go to our website at www.TheMuseumSFV.org to make a donation on Zelle (michel.stevens@themuseumsfv.org), or via credit card or using your PayPal account.

Presentation and Q&A session to follow.

Please RSVP on EVENTBRITE HERE.  You can also

ZOOM LINK HERE:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81049482568?pwd=bUZDcUxPOXMycXYxY1ZJSUo4VU94UT09

Meeting ID: 810 4948 2568

Passcode: 875195

Thank you.

 

Part II The History of Jue Joe Ranch - Otto Brant; Free Zoom event; The Museum SFV History of Speaker Series

The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, as part of its History of Speaker Series is pleased to present Part II The History of Jue Joe Ranch.

Date:  Saturday, September 26, 2020

Time:  Noon - 2:00 pm   (Learn about history during lunch!)

Cost:   Free * 

(*we would appreciate a $10 donation to support interview, video editing and coordination of this program - via PayPal or website)

Part II will be highlighting the relationship between Jue Joe and Otto Brant.

Excerpt from Jack Jue's blog...

One of the fascinating stories in the Jue Joe saga is his friendship with Otto Brant. We have followed Jue Joe's story up to Los Angeles where he is employed as a house boy on a wheat ranch in Chatsworth in 1893. 

In that same year, Otto Brant and his friend O.P. Clark founded the Title Insurance and Trust Company in Los Angeles which is destined to become the largest Title insurance company in the United States. How does a poor Chinaman who is a houseboy on a wheat ranch, meet up with and become fast friends with a wealthy Title insurance president? I do not have the answers, but I do have Otto Brant's life story which makes their association even more difficult to understand. Family oral history has Otto and Jue Joe becoming friends when they are both poor and both on the way to Los Angeles. If we follow Otto Brant's life story during the same years as Jue Joe this becomes very difficult to believe. There is ample documentation in real estate deeds and family oral history that Otto and Jue Joe were associates and friends but why or how that friendship developed is something I do not understand.

“Descendant of the 2nd emperor of the Song Dynasty (Zhao Gunagyi), Jue Joe was born and raised in a chicken coop, in 1860. He grew up dirt poor and vowed that his descendants would never suffer as he had. So at the age of 14 he sailed alone to California, working as a cabin boy, and jumped ship in San Francisco. He sailed with 16 lbs of rice and landed with 1/4 lb left. So he went to the Chinese Six Companies for help. They sent him to St. Helena and Marysville to work the vineyards. Then he found work on the Southern Pacific Railroad. In the Mojave Desert he met Otto Brant who was hoboing his way to L.A. They became friends and together hoboed to that destination. According to San Tong, Jue Joe learned business from Otto Brant and what land and water would mean to future settlers of the L.A. Basin. “ – written by Auntie Soo-Yin.

In 1913, California passed a law that forbid aliens (Non-Americans) from purchasing land in the state. The openly racist ALIEN LAND ACT was aimed at a growing and prosperous Asian population whose success threatened white hegemony in the Golden State.

But Chinese born Jue Joe was friends with the very powerful Otto Brant. The fascinating story of how Otto Brant helped his Asian friend purchase land, in spite of the restrictive law.

Franky Ortega, educator and historian of the SFV and WWII history tying in the valley will present.

Free to all Museum members and guests.

A $10 suggested donation would be appreciated to support YOUR Museum with the cost of video editing and organizing this programming. You can go to our website at www.TheMuseumSFV.org to make a donation on PayPal.

Presentation and Q&A session to follow.

Please RSVP on EVENTBRITE HERE.  You can also

ZOOM LINK HERE:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84260555591?pwd=ZUR4eGhhekNGNlhRRmtXRlB6QXk0QT09

Meeting ID: 842 6055 5591

Passcode: 570354

Thank you.

9-12-20 - Noon to 2:00 pm; FREE; Zoom; PAI Artist Speaker Series - Join Christine Douglass

The Museum of the San Fernando Valley and its Public Art Initiative invites you to meet the September Artist Speaker Series guest, featuring, Christine Douglass.

Zoom presentation (see link below):
Saturday, September 12, 2020
Noon - 2:00 pm
Cost: Free*
(*suggested donation to support the Public Art Initiative of The Museum SFV - $10
Pay on our website, PayPal, Zelle)

 

Douglass is a local San Fernando Valley artist who has always enjoyed drawing but discovered her love for oil painting as an adult. She accidentally became an artist.  In 2004, after the passing of her late husband of 35 years, she found herself in deep despair.  

By 2006, she gave herself an assignment to find joy in her life.  She was not sure how to pursue or achieve this goal, but she decided that since she had done a lot of drawing and some painting when she was very young, she would sign up for an oil painting class.

The painting featured above is called Papa and Me.  It has a special place in her heart (learn more about it during the presentation) and it won First Place in the City of Los Angeles 2017 Senior Art Exhibit. 

Years later, she has been exhibiting many of her paintings to countless juried art exhibits throughout Southern California.  Her artwork is eclectic and tends to be realistic, but lately she has been introducing artwork that simply stems from her imagination. 

Attendees will be able to speak to Christine at the end of the presentation, ask questions about her career, specific paintings as well as inquire about items for sale which include paintings, blank note cards, purses, handbags and prints on canvas.  

You can view her artwork too at www.paintingsbychristinedouglass.com.

Bring your lunch, invite family members, tell friends about it and enjoy a presentation on art and life.

The Zoom link is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84782683275?pwd=dHFBRzVPOUp5eDZUNk5HZVVLWDhGdz09  

Meeting ID: 847 8268 3275

Passcode: 330556

Watch the presentation or listen in via phone - dial
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose), then add Meeting ID and passcode.

For any other event information, please contact Michel (Michael) Stevens at TheMuseumSFV@gmail.com or dial 747-202-3084.

Please also visit our website at www.TheMuseumSFV.org

Thank you.

 

Jakob van Zyl, JPL engineer involved in numerous space exploration missions, dies

 Jakob van Zyl, an engineer who held crucial positions at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and was involved in numerous space exploration missions over decades, has died at a hospital in Pasadena at age 63.

Van Zyl, who retired in 2019 after a 33-year career, suffered a heart attack Aug. 24 and died Wednesday, said Veronica McGregor, a spokeswoman for JPL.

His roles at JPL included serving as director for astronomy and physics, director for solar system exploration and associate director on a project to formulate a vision for JPL’s future.

“JPL and NASA are richer for his many technical and managerial contributions, and for his unwavering dedication and engaging personality,” JPL Director Michael Watkins said in a statement.

His early work in Earth sciences led to roles designing and developing missions using synthetic aperture radar.

A native of Namibia, Van Zyl received a degree in electronics engineering from Stellenbosch University in South Africa and earned his master’s and doctorate in electrical engineering from Caltech, which manages JPL.

JPL said Van Zyl was passionate about encouraging young people in Namibia and South Africa to pursue science. With his wife, Kalfie, he returned again and again to his homeland to conduct science programs.

Sat. 8/29 Noon - 2:00 pm; FREE Zoom presentation; Preserving the San Fernando Valley: SurveyLA as a Springboard to Preservation Action

Preserving the San Fernando Valley: SurveyLA as a Springboard to Preservation Action

Please join The Museum of the San Fernando Valley on its ongoing "History of" speaker series, now virtual, as we continue to educate Museum members, donors and guests on the History, Art and Culture of the SFV.

Date: Saturday, August 29, 2020

Time: Noon - 2:00 pm

Cost: Free

RSVP HERE

(The Museum would appreciate a $10 donation via website, PayPal, Zelle to support our ongoing operations and to edit these presentations)

In 2017, the City of Los Angeles Office of Historic Resources completed SurveyLA, Los Angeles' first-ever citywide survey of its historic resources, in collaboration with the J. Paul Getty Trust. All of the data from the completed survey is now part of the City's comprehensive inventory of historic resources, HistoricPlacesLA. 

The survey is meant to inform the City's long-range planning and development project reviews, as well as to guide City decisions on future historic preservation protections.

However, important San Fernando Valley sites that have been identified in SurveyLA, such as Jue Joe Ranch, have been demolished or remain threatened because they lack formal historic designation. What were some of the key "discoveries" from the San Fernando Valley from SurveyLA and how can Valley leaders and residents best take the follow-up steps necessary to protect this important architectural and cultural heritage?

Join Ken Bernstein, Principal City Planner for Los Angeles City Planning's Office of Historic Resources for a visual tour of some of the Valley's most significant historic resources identified in SurveyLA -- and a discussion of how each of us can use this information to help preserve the buildings and places that we care about around the Valley.

Join Zoom Meeting below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82775052780?pwd=OHo5a3lWK1J2NzdNM2x1Y0drbmNYQT09

Meeting ID: 827 7505 2780

Passcode: 484163

Dial by your location
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
        +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
        +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

Meeting ID: 827 7505 2780
Passcode: 484163
 

For more information, please contact:
Michel (Michael) Stevens
President
The Museum of the San Fernando Valley

Tel: 818-347-9665
TheMuseumSFV@gmail.com
www.TheMuseumSFV.org

The Museum SFV Speaker Series - History of Jue Joe Ranch - Sat. August 8th - Noon - 2:00 pm; Free

The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, as part of its History of Speaker Series is pleased to present The History of Jue Joe Ranch.

Date:  Saturday, August 8, 2020

Time:  Noon - 2:00 pm   (Learn about history during lunch!)

Cost:   Free  (we would appreciate a $10 donation)

“Descendant of the 2nd emperor of the Song Dynasty (Zhao Gunagyi), Jue Joe was born and raised in a chicken coop, in 1860. He grew up dirt poor and vowed that his descendants would never suffer as he had. So at the age of 14 he sailed alone to California, working as a cabin boy, and jumped ship in San Francisco. He sailed with 16 lbs of rice and landed with 1/4 lb left. So he went to the Chinese Six Companies for help. They sent him to St. Helena and Marysville to work the vineyards. Then he found work on the Southern Pacific Railroad. In the Mojave Desert he met Otto Brant who was hoboing his way to L.A. They became friends and together hoboed to that destination. According to San Tong, Jue Joe learned business from Otto Brant and what land and water would mean to future settlers of the L.A. Basin. “ – written by Auntie Soo-Yin.

In 1913, California passed a law that forbid aliens (Non-Americans) from purchasing land in the state. The openly racist ALIEN LAND ACT was aimed at a growing and prosperous Asian population whose success threatened white hegemony in the Golden State.

But Chinese born Jue Joe was friends with the very powerful Otto Brant. The fascinating story of how Otto Brant helped his Asian friend purchase land, in spite of the restrictive law.

Franky Ortega, educator and historian of the SFV and WWII history tying in the valley will present.

Unfortunately, the Jue Joe Ranch is in the process of being demolished. It is historic but was not protected as an historic building by the City of Los Angeles. Franky has been out to the ranch and will provide an update on the latest with The Ranch.

Free to all Museum members and guests.

A $10 suggested donation would be appreciated to support YOUR Museum. You can go to our website at www.TheMuseumSFV.org to make a donation on PayPal.

Presentation and Q&A session to follow.

Please RSVP on EVENTBRITE HERE.  You can also

ZOOM LINK HERE:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85220437997?pwd=LzdVeCtaRGFFVmNMRWhlOXdmZ3podz09

Meeting ID: 852 2043 7997

Passcode: 957727

Dial-in via phone:

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

Thank you.

Please spread the word to family, friends and colleagues - you will enjoy this presentation!

Northridge Beautification Foundation - Support upcoming mural project and fundraiser

The Museum of the San Fernando fully supports the upcoming mural project of Northridge Beautification Foundation.


Please support this upcoming fundraiser. 

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

This is my last project for Northridge Beautification Foundation.  Please help me SPREAD THE WORD for all the work we've accomplished in the last 10 years! 

TAKE OUT (OR DINE ON PATIO) AT SHARKY'S ON JULY 31, AUGUST 1 & 2.  SHARKY'S in Northridge will match your contribution to benefit the fantastic Northridge Farms Horse Mural going up at 8765 Reseda Blvd. 

JUST SHOW THE FLYER (on your phone or printed out).

The mural will be an awesome addition to the history of the community.

Thank you for all the support you've given me.  We could not have had the art on the street without your contributions.

My very best!  Stay safe and healthy.

Andrea Alvarado

 Depiction of the upcoming Mural on Reseda Blvd., just north of Parthenia.

Support. Protect. Promote.

Please do your share to promote art and artists and community beautification in the valley.

Michel Stevens, The Museum SFV

Happy 65th Anniversary to Disneyland

On July 17 1955, Disneyland, officially opened to the public! 

This is the only Disney park built and stepped foot in by Walt Disney himself. 

Happy 65th anniversary to the original Magic Kingdom and the Happiest Place on Earth!

Walt Disney came up with the concept of Disneyland after visiting various amusement parks with his daughters in the 1930s and 1940s. He initially envisioned building a tourist attraction adjacent to his studios in Burbank to entertain fans who wished to visit; however, he soon realized that the proposed site was too small. 

After hiring a consultant to help him determine an appropriate site for his project, Disney bought a 160-acre (65 ha) site near Anaheim in 1953. Construction began in 1954.

Main Street, U.S.A. is patterned after a typical Midwest town of the early 20th century, and took much inspiration from Walt Disney's hometown, Marceline, Missouri.[40] Main Street, U.S.A. has a train station, town square, movie theater, city hall, firehouse with a steam-powered pump engine, emporium, shops, arcades, double-decker bus, horse-drawn streetcar, and jitneys.

Encircling Disneyland and providing a grand circle tour is the Disneyland Railroad (DRR), a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge short-line railway consisting of five oil-fired and steam-powered locomotives, in addition to three passenger trains and one passenger-carrying freight train. Originally known as the Disneyland and Santa Fe Railroad, the DRR was presented by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway until 1974. From 1955 to 1974, the Santa Fe Rail Pass was accepted in lieu of a Disneyland "D" coupon. With a 3 ft (914 mm) gauge, the most common narrow track gauge used in North America, the track runs in a continuous loop around Disneyland through each of its realms.

One of Disneyland's signature attractions is its Disneyland Monorail System monorail service, which opened in Tomorrowland in 1959 as the first daily-operating monorail train system in the Western Hemisphere. The monorail guideway has remained almost exactly the same since 1961, aside from small alterations while Indiana Jones Adventure was being built.

Disneyland was dedicated at an "International Press Preview" event held on Sunday, July 17, 1955, which was open only to invited guests and the media. 

Trivia:
How much did it cost for adults and children to enter Disneyland on July 18, 1955?
Answer below.

Although 28,000 people attended the event, only about half of those were invitees, the rest having purchased counterfeit tickets or even sneaked into the park by climbing over the fence.

The Special Sunday events, including the dedication, were televised nationwide and anchored by three of Walt Disney's friends from Hollywood: Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings, and Ronald Reagan.

On December 5, 1985, to celebrate Disneyland's 30th year in operation, one million balloons were launched along the streets bordering Disneyland as part of the Skyfest Celebration.

The "Happiest Homecoming on Earth" was an eighteen-month-long celebration (held through 2005 and 2006) of the 50th anniversary of the Disneyland Park, also celebrating Disneyland's milestone throughout Disney parks worldwide. Attractions that had been in the park on opening day had one ride vehicle painted gold, and the park was decorated with fifty Golden Mickey Ears. The celebration started on May 5, 2005, and ended on September 30, 2006.

Disneyland aerial view in 1963.

 
Disneyland aerial view in 2004.

Mickey and Minnie in 1955.

Walt Disney with models of the Magic Kingdom and the Matterhorn.

Answer trivia: A one-day ticket to Disneyland on 7-18-55 and in 1955 cost $1 for adults and $.50-$.75 cents for children. In addition to the price of entry, each of the park's rides had a fee.

Sources: Disneyland; D23; Wikipedia

 

posted by Michel Stevens, TMSFV

History of July 4th and America - quiz - how much do you know?

Happy July 4th to all The Museum of the San Fernando Valley members, donors, Friends of The Museum and visitors.  How about a little holiday trivia?

Send us your answers and if you have these all correct, we will send you two passes to an upcoming Museum speaker or historic tour event ($20 value!)

Send answers to: themuseumsfv(at)gmail(dot)(com).

1) What historical event do Americans celebrate on the Fourth of July?

a) Official signing of the Declaration of Independence
b) George Washington's birthday
c) The first shots of the American Revolution
d) Formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence


2) How many founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence?
a) 13
b) 7
c) 32
d) 56

3) Which president first held a Fourth of July celebration at the White House?

a) George Washington
b) John Adams
c) Thomas Jefferson
d) James Madison


4) Which two U.S. presidents died on July 4th in the same year?

a) Thomas Jefferson and John Adams
b) James Monroe and Martin Van Buren
c) Millard Fillmore and Andrew Johnson
d) William Howard Taft and Warren G. Harding

5) Which U.S. president was born on Independence Day?

a) Calvin Coolidge
b) James Buchanan
c) Andrew Johnson
d) Ronald Reagan

6) What is the estimated number of people living in the 13 colonies on July 4, 1776?

a) 2.5 million
b) 9 million
c) 15 million
d) 30 million

7) Which of the following was not one of the original 13 American Colonies?

a) Vermont
b) Georgia
c) Massachusetts
d) North Carolina

Good luck!

Sources: Varied

The Daily New - Vote for your Favorite spots in the Valley

The Museum SFV members and visitors... it's that time of the year when we ask you to consider voting for YOUR Museum of the San Fernando Valley as the BEST museum in the valley.

Please vote online at:
www.DailyNews.com/Readerschoice

Deadline is August, Sunday, 30 2020.

You must vote for a minimum of five categories.

Thank you.