PIERCE COLLEGE AND THE VALLEY'S AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY    2012

Look closely at this vintage postcard, and envision what the hills surrounding Pierce College look like today. All are covered with homes, commercial buildings and apartments.  In the blinking of an eye, the San Fernando Valley's agricultural spaces have disappeared, and soon the orchards and farm lands that once epitomised life in the Valley will be gone, likely forever.

The Museum Community believes our school children deserve at least a few places in the San Fernando Valley where they can experience first hand their agricultural heritage. Protecting and defending the "farm" at Pierce College isn't just a matter of nostalgia but is a very important tie to where the Valley has been, what it is today, and where it will go in the future.

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

Caption reads:

"Fabulous San Fernando Valley - Los Angeles Pierce Junior College, located in the west end of the famous San Fernando Valley, offers courses in Agriculture, Industrial Arts, Engineering, Business, Secretarial and Liberal Arts. A Co-educational institution, established in 1947"

WOODLAND HILLS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AT THE PIERCE COLLEGE FARM CENTER

2010   THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Gary Fredburg never ceases to amaze me. He'll hear that Museum representatives plan to attend an event, such as a recent Fall Festival reception at the Pierce College Farm Center, and the next thing we know in the mail arrives another little gem about the event or the community it serves. In this case, I mentioned to Gary that I had just met some very important folks from the Woodland Hills Homeowners Association at the Farm Center, and the Woodland Motel and Coffee Shop becomes part of the Archives of The Museum. 

A telephone call to SUperior 8-9195 could get you a reservation for one of the "20 new, De Luxe, carpeted, air-conditioned units with showers, Radios and televisions. A Roof Lounge for sunbathing was available."

The Pierce College Farm Center has long been a vital San Fernando Valley institution. The Museum of the San Fernando Valley strongly encourages our members and future members to visit the Farm Center soon, Halloween time is the perfect reason to drop by -  there are a zillion great pumpkins and decorations for Fall to choose from...... and the produce is great too. 

VALLEY COLORING MAP FOR KIDS

2010 THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Coloring Map of the San Fernando Valley (click on image to enlarge)

As part of The Museum's never-ending outreach to San Fernando Valley and greater Los Angeles' school children, we've created this whimsical little map. It is designed for the creative additions of children (and even some daring adults) to help them discover a little bit about their environment. When we get a sponsor, The Museum will produce a detailed and far more accurate map of the Valley for 4th and 5th graders.
The first thing that children attending MOCA's family day colored was the pumpkin at the Pierce College Farm Center.

STRAWBERRIES AT THE PIERCE COLLEGE FARM CENTER - A SAN FERNANDO VALLEY TRADITON

2010 THE YEAR OF VALLEY HISTORY

There are just somethings, provided you're not allergic, that are required by history and tradition to do..... and, one of these is to buy three huge boxes of strawberries from the Pierce College Farm Center every May!

PIERCE COLLEGE FOUNDATION

2010 - The Year of Valley Adventures
Carosel at Los Angeles Pierce College Farm Center - Photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2010 (click on image to enlarge)

Under the direction of Dennis Washburn, the Pierce College Foundation works tirelessly to benefit that great community college and the entire San Fernando Valley. This merry-go-round on the Pierce College Farm Center has a mysterious past - some say that it may have once graced Lincoln Park in the inner city.

To me, the San Fernando Valley has always been a treasure house of amazing colors and images. I returned to live in the Valley when I was 14 and have enjoyed the richness and diversity of its many cultures since. Why not make 2010 your year to see the San Fernando Valley all over again. From the wonderful Thai Buddhist Temple to the Portal of the Folded Wings, there are wonderful things to do and see here. Join me this year by a visit to the Pierce College Farm Center in the Spring, an exploration of Walt Disney's Barn in Griffith Park, on The Museum's up coming walking tour of Van Nuys or the whole year of celebrations as Northridge marks its 100th anniversary.

PIERCE COLLEGE FARM CENTER'S GOATS LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR

Pierce College Farm Center goats - Photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley (click on image to enlarge)
While Gary Fredburg and I were meeting with Dennis Washburn about ways The Museum of the San Fernando Valley can support the historic Pierce College Farm Center, we got the feeling that we were being spied on. Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a couple of amazingly agile goats!
Unfortunately for the guy putting up holiday ornaments for the Farm Center's Christmas Tree sales, these goats found the little plastic flags perfectly delicious. Wisely the goats skipped the light bulbs.
If you or your organization would like to sponsor the goat exhibit at the Grand Old Farm of the Valley, give your Museum a call at 1 (818) 347-9665 or call the Pierce College Foundation and ask for Dennis Washburn.


A great Museum of history and culture is growing in the heart of the Creative Capital of the World - the San Fernando Valley.

MUSEUM MEETS DECEMBER 9th

2009 The Year of Valley History
Sounding the horn - Holiday decoration at Pierce College Farm Center- Photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - December 2009 (click on image to enlarge) "Yes, I planned for the clouds to look like waves of music!"
This historic Merry-Go-Round may have at one time graced Lincoln Park in Los Angeles. Plans are under consideration to put historic images of the San Fernando Valley, Pierce College and Southern California history in the panels just below the tent-roof.

The Board of Directors and Advisors of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley will meet on December 9th in the Board Room of the Valley Economic Alliance. The entire meeting will focus on The Museum's 2010 calendar and fund-raising concepts/realities.
If you would like to be a guest at the meeting, please call 1 (818) 347-9665.

IT'S TIME FOR CHRISTMAS TREES AT THE PIERCE COLLEGE FARM CENTER

2009 - The Year of Valley History
Traditional holiday village display is among the many seasonal decorations now going up at the Pierce College Farm Center. Photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - December 2009

As holiday trees begin to arrive at the Pierce College Farm Center, it's a good time for The Museum of the San Fernando Valley to express its thanks and admiration to Dennis Washburn and his terrific Foundation staff for all that they have done for the Valley this year. With all of the difficulties in this unstable economy, keeping a foundation growing isn't any easy task. But thanks to the many folks who support the foundation, the "Grand Old Farm" still remains one of the great treasures of our city.