BURBANK CITY HALL

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY         2012

On October 25th, 1981, someone named Rob mailed this now vintage postcard to James des Spendre on Ambrose Terrace in Los Angeles.

 

Beautiful Downtown Burbank - A View of the City Hall

Vintage Postcard - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 

from Gary Fredburg 2012  (click on image to enlarge)

THE PALOMINO WAS ONCE THE WEST'S BIGGEST COUNTRY AND WESTERN NIGHT CLUB

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY      2012

Vice President of The Museum. Gary Fredburg shows off his latest Valley treasure at the Museum's May Board meeting. 
What began as a tough guy watering hole in North Hollywood became a world famous Country and Western nigh club in the mid-1950s. The Palomino regularly featured America's most important western music stars. It closed its doors at 6407 Lankershim in the NoHo in 1995.

VALLEY COLLGE ALUMNI FRIENDS VISIT MUSEUM SPACE

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY 2012

 

Meeting friends at The Museum of the San Fernando Valley is becoming increasingly popular. It's a chance to share memories and to explore Valley history at the same time. Here Barry Ross of Manhattan Beach, Gary Fredburg Vice President of The Museum and Larry Pitsch of Bangkok, Thailand check out 1950s bowling shirts as they talk about their adventures as students at Los Angeles Valley College.

MUSEUM TAKES PART IN 6TH ANNUAL LOS ANGELES ARCHIVES BAZAAR

 DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY      2011

 Representatives from The Museum of the San Fernando Valley participated in the 6th Annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar on October 22nd. Organized by L.A. as Subject, the gathering was held at the University of Southern California's Doheny Library. The highly attended event attracts those involved in scholarly research, ordinary folks interested in history, educators and journalists. The event represents the second year of involvement by The Museum of the San Fernando Valley.  Over 80 archives were represented. 

Fred Berk of Studio City speaks with interviewer from L.A. Archives Bazaar. Gary Fredburg, representing The Museum Board sits at the table.  Photograph at USC's Doheny Library by Phyllis Hansen.  (click on image to enlarge)  Mr. Berk acts as the Librarian of The Museum and is a former Board Member. He was among the founding members of The Museum.
See short interviews of Gary Fredburg and Fred Berk on youtube by Museum Board Member Liane Schirmer by clicking the addresses below:

Gary Fredburg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJsDpBt3554

Fred Berk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kabwzxljMng

 

Leslie Fischer, curator of the LA Unified School District's Archives (left) and intern at their table in the 6th Annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar - Photograph by Phyllis Hansen member of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley's Board of Directors.  (click on image to enlarge)

Gary Fredburg, Vice President of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley in the historic Doheny Library of the University of Southern California. Photograph by Phyllis Hansen. 

 

Fred Berk and interviewer at USC's Doheny Library

One of the important missions of your Museum is to increase the awareness of the history, culture and art of the greater San Fernando Valley. Participating in community events from Glendale to Calabasas, giving talks, creating mobile exhibits and yes... even our blog and website are ways we are reaching out. Participating in the events of the L.A. Heritage Alliance and being part of the Los Angeles Archives Bazaar are examples of our hands-on involvement. 

 Los Angeles Archives Bazaar 2011 - Photography by Phyllis Hansen

MUSEUM PARTICIPATES IN NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY  2011

      Richard Hilton, Gary Fredburg, Wendy Fredburg (Gary’s wife) and Jerry Fecht worked a booth for The Museum of the San Fernando Valley and Campos de Cahuenga at the North Hollywood Park for the 28^th National Night Out.

    Citizens, law enforcement officers, area businesses, neighborhood associations, and political leaders participated in the event. 

Jerry Fecht - left (The Museum's president), Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian, and Richard Hilton (Director of The Museum's Tours and Adventures program) at National Night Out in North Hollywood Park.

The world famous Bird Lady of North Hollywood visits with The Museum's Richard Hilton on National Night Out. Richard enjoys a sno-cone, one of many treats given free to event visitors. If Richard offered one of the cockateels a bit of sno-cone isn't known

Museum Board leaders, Gary Fredburg (seated) and Richard Hilton sign up National Night Out visitors for The Museum's tours and special lectures program. They handed out Museum and Campo de Cahuenga brochures and children's coloring maps of the San Fernando Valley.

MUSEUM COMMUNITY CELEBRATES 100th ANNIVERSARY OF VAN NUYS

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY              2011                     100th Anniversary of Van Nuys

 Gary Fredburg, Vice President of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley discusses Gaelyn Whitley Keith's book The Father of Hollywood" at the 100th Anniversary dedication of Van Nuys in February 2011.

 Richard Hilton, member of the Board of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley speaks of the importance of Van Nuys history. (click on images to enlarge)

Scott Sterling, Chairman of Narrating Lives - Oral Histories of the San Fernando Valley, and Neighborhood Council Leader Jill Barad at the 100th Anniversary of the founding of Van Nuys.

GARY FREDBURG AND THE GREAT MOVIE HORSE TRIGGER

2010 THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES
A favorite art work in the San Fernando Valley is this statue of the great old movie horse Trigger.
Gary Fredburg, newly elected Vice President of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley at the opening reception of the 75th Anniversary of Republic Pictures - August 2010

MUSEUM'S SIGNS GO UP ON LA HERITAGE DAY.

Gary Fredburg, Secretary of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, sets up display tent at LA Heritage Day. Nine members of our Museum Community participated in the event that drew over a 1000 visitors.

Thanks Gary for having the signs made.

VIEW FROM MT. HOLLYWOOD IN 1925

2010 - The Year of Valley Adventures
On the Peak of Mt. Hollywood 1925 - photo gift to The Museum by Gary Fredburg 2010 - refer to image 1403
While your Museum is still very much in our formation stage, we are careful to proceed with the archiving of incoming artifacts, such as photographs, and start an on-going process of alerting other museums, academic agencies and organizations of materials that might be of value in their mission. It is the goal of The Museum to encourage an inventory of all historic artifacts in the greater San Fernando Valley.
A shared inventory of records and artifacts will serve the presentation of exhibits, foster scholarship on San Fernando Valley topics, and help to identify lost or stolen objects. As your Museum grows, we shall take on more and more of these professional responsibilities.
Right now, with limited office space and just a few volunteers, this is hard work, and a labor of love.
This image inscribed "On the Peak of Mt. Hollywood" was among many photos and artifacts donated to The Museum by our Board Secretary Gary Fredburg. It is stamped "R. W. Whelan" It was scanned and copies sent to Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge, who is working diligently to save the land around the priceless old Hollywood sign and include the area into Griffith Park. A copy of the photograph was also sent to the Hollywood Heritage Museum.

GARY FREDBURG SERVES THE MUSEUM AS BOARD SECRETARY

2009 - The Year of Valley History

Wooden panel frieze from the U.S. Post Office in San Fernando, California. Detail from a photograph taken by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley.

Since affiliating with The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, Gary Fredburg has served his Museum with great energy and dedication. A graduate of Los Angeles Valley College and Woodbury University, Gary and his wife reside in Burbank, California. He has added hundreds of historic postcards, pamphlets and other paper treasures of Valley history to The Museum's archives. He is now preparing all-Valley meeting of historical societies to plan for a giant garage sale event to raise money and awareness for the many fine organizations working to preserve and share San Fernando Valley history.

Support your Museum today with a tax deductible contribution. The Museum will also consider in-kind gifts.
Call 1 (818) 347-9665 for information.

THANKS TO CASEY & MELISSA HALLENBECK FROM THE MUSEUM COMMUNITY

If we could give a special award for vision and personal courage, it would be to Melissa and Casey Hallenbeck for their determination to save and resurrect California's oldest historic diner in North Hollywood. Here Casey and Melissa are shown at a November 24th reception by the USC Credit Union honoring their plans.
To add some fun to the occasion, Gary Fredburg, Secretary of the Museum's Board of Directors, secured this vintage recording by Phil Everly called "Phil's Diner." The original Phil's Diner is seen in the background of the album cover. After finding the album, Gary had it autographed for Casey and Melissa by Phil Everly. The Grand Opening of Phil's Diner is scheduled for April 10th.

Note: Folks who join us this Saturday at 10 am at the Amelia Earhart statue in North Hollywood Park, we get to see where Phil's Diner will come to life in April.

A great Museum of history and culture is growing in the San Fernando Valley.

GARY FREDBURG WORKS TO MAKE THE MUSEUM OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY A REALITY

'57 Chevy July 2009 in the parking lot of the Los Angeles Police Museum. (click on image to enlarge)
From your Museum’s inception, our plans have been to make San Fernando Valley history accessible to all of the residents of our many communities. The Museum’s Secretary (and founding Vice President), Gary Fredburg works tirelessly to identify potential sites for our future mobile exhibits and to identify historic venues. Right now, Gary is studying structures of architectural or historical importance that might act as satellite locations for our many planned activities.
Just for the joy of it, and in anticipation of the re-opening of historic Phil’s Diner in North Hollywood, Gary is searching for pristine copies of Phil Everly’s vinyl L.P., “Phil’s Diner”. The Museum of the San Fernando Valley plans to have an exhibit in the NoHo about the history of Phil’s Diner in conjunction with its re-opening. In the process, Gary Fredburg is also collecting information about the life and career of the great recording artist Phil Everly.
In addition to this work, Gary also searches for San Fernando Valley memorabilia to add to The Museum’s archives. Last week he gave your Museum:
California Earthquake 71 soft back pictorial book
Church in San Fernando 1949 (historic postcard)
Sepulveda Methodist Church 1962 (North Hills) (postcard)
Long Building - Mission San Fernando 1985 (postcard)

GARY FREDBURG ELECTED AS SECRETARY OF THE MUSEUM OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

Gary Fredburg 2007 Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley (click on image to enlarge)
In 2005, Gary Fredburg of Burbank, California, became a member of the Board of Directors for The Museum of the San Fernando Valley. Since that time, Gary has regularly contributed historic documents, photographs, postcards and San Fernando Valley memorabilia to our collections. He was elected Secretary of The Museum's Board in May of 2009. Prior, he was the general Vice President of The Museum.

1983 NEGATIVES OF WOODLAND HILLS

2009 - THE YEAR OF VALLEY HISTORY
My mother will disapprove from her heavenly lawnchair, because her son is violating one of her basic rules: "Never present something that is not ready." But, your Museum has a big new challenge and I think it will be fun for you to be in on it from the start, aside from my lack of skill with a scanner and photoshop.
Here are four images made from negatives just given to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley by Gary Fredburg. They represent my first efforts to make positive copies for our electronic files (the original negatives will be stored in The Museum's archives). So check in on this blog from time to time to watch my progress / or, lack thereof.
Woodland Hills from a negative donated to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley in 2009 by Gary Fredburg. (click on image to enlarge) Image 1

Image 2

Can you identify these images? I think they were all taken along Ventura Boulevard, but that's all I know.

image 3

Image 4

OUR HERO AND BOARD MEMBER GARY FREDBURG

Founding member of the Museum Community, Gary Fredburg has worked tirelessly to bring about a great Museum of history and culture for the San Fernando Valley. He not only serves on the Museum's Board, but is a key leader in the building of our collections and historical accounts.
THANKS GARY for always being there for us!


Jerry Fecht's art studio was cold when he worked on this image of Qu'an Yin, the Chinese Goddess of Mercy. Jerry thought it would be nice if the ancient spirit had a nice scarf to keep her warm.

MUSEUM COMMUNITY SUPPORTS VALLEY HISTORICAL EVENTS

Supporters of Stage Coach Event - Photo by Phyllis Hansen Oct. 2008 - (click on image to enlarge)
Your Museum Community is working hard to bring about a great Museum of history and culture for the entire San Fernando Valley. Among our goals is the building of support for historical re-enactment events throughout the Valley. Here Gary Fredburg (arms crossed) and Shel Weisbach (behind lady with the dog), Museum Board Members help out at the 150th Anniversary of the Butterfield Stage at Campo de Cahuenga.

PANORAMA CITY IN POSTCARD BOOK

Panorama City 1962 - Postcard in the collection of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - Gift of Gary Fredburg 2008

When Lois received a postcard from her friend Tiny, she would hardly imagine that it would become part of the collections of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley. Mailed to Issaquah, Washington on January 21, 1962, the card shows the storefronts of a Food Giant Market and Thrifty Drug Store. "panorama City - One of the fastest growing communities in Southern California."

Thanks for supporting your Museum's History of the San Fernando Valley in Postcards project.

GARY FREDBURG'S HISTORY OF THE VALLEY IN POST CARDS PROJECT

Excerpt from Post Card Promotional Accordion - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley by Gary Fredburg 2008 (click on image to enlarge)

A History of the San Fernando Valley in Postcards is in preparation. If you enjoy the little fanciful images that post cards were meant to send, then you'll love this great project. The book project is under the direction of Gary Fredburg, Chairman of The Museum's Acquisitions Committee and Vice President of The Museum's Board of Directors.
You can share postcards for the project by contacting Gary through jerry@anchoreducation.com

Gary is seeking contributions of post cards from all eras of the greater San Fernando Valley history.

ARTIFACTS ARE ROLLING IN TO YOUR MUSEUM

1982 West San Fernando Valley Boy Scouts of America "Camporee". Cloth patch donated to the Museum of the San Fernando Valley by Gary Fredburg - 2008 (click on photo to enlarge)
The Museum Community, working to bring about a great Museum of history and culture for the San Fernando Valley, was busy while my wife Janne and I were off to do the Breast Cancer Walk in Seattle. Below is a ist of the artifacts and books recorded as acquisitions this week. Every book, artifact etc. that comes to your Museum is documents, given a inventory number, in some cases scanned and carefully stored (awaiting our Museum home.)
In preparation for our Museum Website, all new objects will be scanned at the 300 resolution level. Try clicking on the image to see the amazing clarity of the new resolutions.

Merit Badge Show - 1955 - Verdugo Hills BSA
Seidenbaum Los Angeles 220 (book)
"A Bicentennial Celebration"
Red Barn Restaurant (postcard) Panorama City 1975
The Record Sigma Alpha Epsilon - Olympics 1984
The Quarterly (Pasadena area) Summer 2008
Link - The Los Angeles River - Nov. 1984 (reprint)
LA Valley College - Campus Center - (postcard)
LA Valley College - Wooded Walkway - (postcard)
LA Valley College - Quadrangle - (postcard)
LA Valley College - Student Union - (postcard)
LA Valley College - Campus Entrance - (postcard)
LA Valley College - Library - (postcard)
Los Angeles Visitors Guide (magazine)
San Diego Old Town (map)
San Fernando Valley - Events (historical overview)
Icarian Flying Club - Year Book 1973 - 1974
Icarian Flying Club - 25th Installation of Officers
Hurst -Republic Studios 1979 (hardbound book)
Hoffman - Zanias & Pioneer Water Systems for L.A.
Mastate Acoustics (promotional pen)
Albert & Mary's Beauty Salon (promotional pen)
Barri Auto Works (2 promotional pens)
Dorothy Shreve (promotional pen)
Burbank Equipment Rentals (promotional pen)
Redfield's Discount Office Equip. (promotional pen)
Rieff L.A. : Capital of the Third World (hardback)
Western Star Sandblast Co. (promotional pen)
Pupu Inn (matchbook cover)
Tony's Liquor and Deli (promotional pen)
Tuckey Sunraycer (hard back book)
Joe's Orange Julius (promotional glass ash tray)
Dale Carnegie Courses - Nothridge (promo pencil)
Kohtz, Russ - State Farm Ins. (promotional pencil)
Mosher Tire Service - No. Hollywood (promo pencil)
Klinker, Orpha (promotional brochure)
Moorpark College Campus Directory 1991-92
West SF Valley BSA Camporee 1982 patch

GARY FREDBURG VICE PRESIDENT THE MUSEUM OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

Photo by Gerald Fecht - 2007
A special note of thanks to Gary Fredburg, vice president of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley for his continuing efforts to bring about a great Museum of history and culture for the San Fernando Valley. In addition to his responsibilities as a Museum officer, Gary adds regularly to our collections of historic documents and postcards.
Thanks Gary!