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The Chatsworth Historical Society

50+ Years of History – 1963 to 2020

The Chatsworth Historical Society 50+ Years of History - 1963-2020

The First 10 years -- It all started in 1963 about saving the

Pioneer Church…

•In February of that year, the Pioneer Church was declared a Historical Monument by Los

Angeles, based on paperwork submitted by Katharine Johnson, a member of one of

Chatsworth’s pioneer families. This step postponed the pending demolition and provided

the time needed to create an organization that would be responsible for the Church.

• As the story goes… on April 17, 1963, according to the minutes of the first meeting, Virginia

Watson, Katharine and Kelly Johnson, Art Honey, Evie Bowers, Keith Watts, and Charles

and Eileen Janess all gathered at Katharine Johnson’s house. The Historical Society was

established that evening as a community organization to save the church and eventually

use a portion of it as a museum to contain historical memorabilia. Charles Janess was

elected President, Arthur Honey was Treasurer and Sheila Watts became Secretary.

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• A few months later Lila Schepler stepped in as president replacing Charles Janess due to

illness. She led the group through the challenges of finding a home for the church at

Oakwood Memorial Park.

•In January of 1965, the Church was moved from its site on Topanga Blvd to Oakwood

Cemetery.

•It took another 6 years to raise funds for plumbing and electric, and to paint the church. In

1971 a “Concluding Stone Ceremony” was held to celebrate the placing of the cornerstone

for the church.

•In 1976 the Oakwood Cemetery completes electric hookups and a road to the church, and

there is a rededication ceremony as the restoration project is complete.

•In 1981 the church was leased to an Episcopal Church, and the church continues holding

services to this day.

The First 10 years -- It all started in 1963 about saving the

Pioneer Church…

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The 2nd 10 years – Saving the Homestead Acre

•In 1955, Minnie Hill Palmer sells off her farmland, and

retains her house and 1.3 acres of land surrounding it.

•In 1970, the golf course that surrounded her property

closed. The Pro Shop building was offered to Minnie

and it was moved on to her property.

•In 1972, The LA Dept. of Recreation and Parks

purchased Chatsworth Park South, and Minnie retained

a Life Tenancy agreement for the 1911 cottage and 1.3

acres.

•In 1978, after Minnie had moved to a retirement home,

the Historical Society, with Minnie’s approval, worked

out an agreement with the Department of Recreation

and Parks and became the conservator of the property.

The Golf Pro Shop building eventually became the

Chatsworth Museum.

• It was not until 1998 that the

Caretaker’s trailer was removed

from the property by Recreation

and Parks and the Acre finally

looked as it does today.

Hill Palmer Cottage in 1979

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The 3rd 10 years – Maintaining and Improving the Homestead Acre

• Cleaning and new furnishings were needed for Minnie’s house which had been empty since

she moved into a nursing home.

•Lawns and Gardens are taken care of by volunteers, members bring their own mowers to

mow the lawns.

• New member Candy Craig volunteers to be “keeper of the Homestead Gardens”, her

husband Dean, “kills all the weeds and cuts down the grass”.

•1982 - First Rose Garden established.

•1986 – A riding lawnmower is purchased for volunteer Dean Craig to use.

•Fundraisers include: Yard sales and Bake sales, hosting weddings and funerals at the

Pioneer Church, used book sales at Topanga Plaza, weddings at the Acre.

•1984 – First Garden/Rose Festival

•1991 – First Pioneer Day

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The 3rd 10 years – Celebrating Chatsworth’s Centennial Birthday in 1988

•A Centennial Committee is formed to celebrate

Chatsworth’s 100th Birthday (chaired by Bea

Berman).

• A quilt is made representing Chatsworth’s History

(spearheaded by Ruth Grant, Zena Thorpe and

nine other local needlewomen).

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The 3rd 10 years – Celebrating Chatsworth’s Centennial Birthday in 1988

•A new Chatsworth song is

written and performed at

the celebration, presented

by the Natural High Group

led by Lester Smith Jr.,

composer.

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•The event is held

at the Chatsworth

Park South

recreation center.

•The Mistress of

Ceremonies is

Catherine

Mulholland, and

Mayor Tom

Bradley is in

attendance.

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The 3rd 10 years – Celebrating Chatsworth’s Centennial Birthday in 1988

•Bea Berman, LA County

Supervisor Michael Antonovich

and Ca. State Assembly member

Cathie Wright at the Time

Capsule dedication at the

Chatsworth Homestead Acre, to

be opened in 2088.

•Porter Hudshon and Lillian

Schepler were in charge of

gathering items to be placed

inside.

•Included are essays from school

children, 1988 newspapers and

other items that portray life in

Chatsworth in 1988.

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The 3rd 10 years – Celebrating Chatsworth’s Centennial Birthday in 1988

CHS Adventures – Fundraising

•Saving the Church and getting it back in

shape took lots of fundraising and over the

first 20 years a variety of methods were

used. The most successful at that time were

the Spring and Fall Yard Sales run by Ioline

Cleveland and the annual Book Sale at

Topanga Plaza run by Lillian Schepler.

•Once the Historical Society acquired the

Acre, then Candy Craig began the idea of a

Rose Festival in the Spring of 1982 but it was

only about roses. Eventually that event

evolved by 1993 to the Garden Festival we

have now, replacing the Yard sales.

A happy crew ready to sell you one of the many items

donated for the Yard Sale.

• In 1993 you could also become a

member of the Chatsworth Museum

Council and receive a medallion worthy of

framing. The $100 membership funds were

specified for improving the museum.

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CHS Adventures – Fundraising

•Pioneer Day evolved based on the 100 year

celebration of the Homestead Acre in 1986

demonstrating spinning, quilting and more.

•Following the 1986 event, Weddings were

held at the Acre and could also be held at the

Pioneer Church, both supervised by the

Chatsworth Historical Society. However the

volunteers were soon burned out by from

what was a very busy schedule every

weekend.

•In 1991 they tried the Pioneer Day idea and it

became an annual event. The Chili Cook-off

was added to it in 1995.

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CHS Adventures – Parades

1965 - A community

group at heart, it

didn’t take long for

the CHS to

participate in the

Chatsworth Parade

letting everyone know

their accomplishment

of saving the Pioneer

Church.

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In 1966 this float

says ”Pioneering

with Books” the

book was made

with chicken wire

stuffed with

tissue paper.

Art Honey is

standing, Minnie

Hill Palmer is

seated.

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CHS Adventures – Parades

In 1968 Minnie

Hill Palmer was

an honored

guest in the

Parade.

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CHS Adventures – Parades

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CHS Adventures – Parades

In 1982, The Docent

program was in full

swing and participated

on this float.

Includes: Tricia Plucknett,

Marion Hyland, Betty and

Jim Summers

Note that people are wearing

Santa hats. Previous

Chatsworth Parades were

held in July, and then were

held in December….

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CHS Adventures – Parades

In 1982, The

Docent

program was in

full swing and

participated on

this float.

Although you

can’t see her

face, the lady in

green is Virginia

Watson

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CHS Adventures – Parades

In 1986, this

float

celebrated

100 years of

the Acre

Featured on

the float are

Candy Craig,

Paul Gossett

and Matt

Mitchell

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CHS Adventures – Parades

1987 - Riding in

the buggy are

Millie Goff,

Marion Hyland,

Betty Summers

and Ramon

Avila

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CHS Adventures – Parades

1989 - Included docents Betty Summers and Sheila Watts

In 1990, Bea

Berman made

arrangements for

the Wells Fargo

Wagon to represent

the CHS with Lila

and Bill Schepler

riding inside

celebrating their

50th wedding

Anniversary at the

parade.

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CHS Adventures – Parades

1998

2000

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CHS Adventures – Parades

Zena and John Thorpe on a bicycle built for two…

Keith Watts and John Thorpe

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CHS Adventures – Parades

2001 - To the right Bea

Berman and Elaine

Campbell

showing the historic

flat iron

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CHS Adventures – Parades

2005 – Military Uniforms on Display.

Virginia Watson, Betty Summers,

Elaine Campbell, Ray and Ann Vincent

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CHS Adventures – Parades

2006 - Gary Bercow,

Jelena Csanyi, Linda

van der Valk, and a

variety of

Grandchildren

With Roy Rogers poster

showing Roy and Dale

riding in the parade.

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CHS Adventures – Parades

2009 - Andre

van der Valk

and his Army

Jeep, riding

with a variety of

grandchildren

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CHS Adventures – Parades

2011 – Connie

Ager in an

antique car

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CHS Adventures – Parades

2013 – Carol &

Mike Lucas in

their antique car

Preserving History was a top priority…

Pictures, Presentations, Articles and Books

•The group had already begun collecting Chatsworth photos from pioneer families including

the Williams family and Minnie Hill Palmer.

• Bill Schepler, who grew up as a boy in Chatsworth, created a slide show called “Grizzlies to

Caterpillars” depicting the early Pioneer life and how it evolved into Caterpillar tractors

bulldozing our area to make way for tract homes.

•Virginia Watson prepared a slide presentation to give at Chatsworth Park Elementary

school.

•Sheila Watts, Katharine Johnson and Virginia wrote articles for local papers.

• Books authored by members about Chatsworth include “Chatsworth History” (Watson),

“Chatsworth Park Elementary School” (Ioline Cleveland), “Our Pioneer Mother” (Johnson

Family) and “Window into the Past” (Bill Schepler), “A Short Horse is Soon Curried” (Bob

Turner), “Quiet on the Set” by Bob Sherman.

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Presidents during the first 50 years……

Terms

Charles Janess 1963-64 1

Lila Schepler 1964-65, 72-74, 75-76, 86-87 5

Ebert Chatham 1965-66 1

Garvin Aulepp 1966-68 2

Lillian Schepler 1968-70, 76-78 4

Virginia Watson 1970-72, 78-79, 87-88, 96-97 5

Dr. Ruth Boak 1974-75 1

Jane Matthews 1979-80, 88-89 2

Sheila Watts 1980-82, 90-91, 94-96 5

Ioline Cleveland 1982-1986 4

Zena Thorpe 1991-93 2

Bea Berman 1993-94 1

John Thorpe 1997-2000 3

Linda & Andre van der Valk 2000-present 20

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Museum Archives and Collections

• Frank Schepler was the “Director of

Photography” creating slides of over 300

photos to use in slide shows.

•These photos and more are being digitized

and added to our collection.

•Collections of materials continue to be

donated for display and reference, i.e.

Twin Lakes, clothing, scrapbooks, etc.

•Oral Histories of our residents are being

recorded and preserved.

•Archiving methods for storage continue to

improve.

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And along the way – Creating/Supporting a few

Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments……

•1963 – (#14) The Pioneer Church

•1967 – (#49) Olive Trees on Lassen

•1972 – (#92) The Stagecoach Trail

•1974 – (#132) Stoney Point Outcroppings

•1974 – (#133) Minnie Hill Palmer House

•1975 – (#141) Chatsworth Reservoir Kiln Site

•1997 – (#645) Harvester Farms

•2003 – (#750) The Munch Box

•2019 – (#1177) The Apeta Momonga Mission Trail

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How can you help, or to borrow a 1973

theme from Lila Schepler,

“If it’s to BE, it HAS to be ME”

•Volunteer at our Wednesday morning meetings:

•In the Garden helping with Weeds and Roses, and maybe pruning some trees.

•Our Digital Archiving project, which includes scanning our photos and collections.

•Welcome Guests at our Open House, the 1st Sunday of each month from 1 to 4.

•Help support our two big fundraisers, the Garden Festival and Pioneer Day. We can

always use help the Saturday before setting up, Sunday morning before the events as

vendors arrive, and Sunday afternoon during tear down.

Send us an email at chatsworthhistory@gmail.com and let us know your interests!

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Sources/Acknowledgements

• Various archived materials at the Chatsworth Historical Society, most notably the “Smoke Signal”

Newsletters published over the 50+ years by the Chatsworth Historical Society.

Prepared by Ann & Ray Vincent, Chatsworth Historical Society, May 2013, for the 50th Anniversary of

the Chatsworth Historical Society - Updated 4/27/2015, 11/21/2017, 1/20/2020

The Chatsworth Historical Society 50+ Years of History - 1963-2020