The May meeting of HSCV will feature a retrospective of our own memories of wartime here in CV. Just like we did for our recent New Years Flood presentation, we'll pass the microphone! Did you or someone in your family serve in WWII, Korea, or Vietnam, either overseas or stateside? Did you serve on the "homefront" as a defense factory worker, a housewife with a "Victory Garden", or as a wide-eyed kid watching the military convoys on Foothill Blvd. or spying on the anti-aircraft guns arrayed along upper Crescenta Valley. This will be an evening of memories for those that were there, and an eye-opener for those that weren't.
In the '20s, the Zwick Family lived on Honolulu, just to the west of the business district of Montrose. They had two sons, Charles and Leland. When WWII came, the two boys joined the Army Air Corps, and became flight instructors in the same unit. Sadly, in 1943, both sons died in training accidents within a month of each other at Lomita Air Strip, near Palos Verdes. Heartbroken, Mr. and Mrs. Zwick lived on in their home on Honolulu, until the old house was torn down in the early '70s. The builder, John Bluff had been close to Mrs. Zwick in her final years, and so named the office/retail building Zwick Plaza in honor of the Zwick Family. In a final tribute, Mr. Bluff, found the handprints the Zwick boys had left in cement when they were very young, and lovingly placed them in front of the fountain in the courtyard of the new building. The HSCV will dedicate a plaque to the Zwick Brothers, so that future generations will remember them. The dedication will take place right after the Montrose Memorial Day ceremony, which starts at 8:15 AM on Monday, May 26th at the Vietnam Memorial at Ocean View and Honolulu. Immediately following the ceremony, the attendees will be invited to walk the half-block to the Zwick Plaza for a very brief dedication, and unveiling of the plaque.
American Legion Post 288 was formed in 1924 by WWI veterans living in the Crescenta Valley. The American Legion Hall was built in 1925, and has served the community ever since. Join us for a tour of this CV icon. While there, we'll hear a brief history of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and get a look at some of the memoribelia they've collected over the years. We're also delighted to have our resident New Years Flood expert, Art Cobery, on hand to tell us about this famous structure. The Legion Hall was originally located over on Rosemont. When a flashflood hit at midnight on New Years of 1934, the Hall was directly in its path, and 12 people died inside its walls. The Legion Hall we know today is the same building, as the damaged structure was simply patched up and moved to its current location.
Hooray! The City of Glendale has purchased the last remaining sanitarium in the valley for reuse as a library/community center.Since 1881 when Dr. Briggs first moved to the valley, sanitariums, rest homes and hospitals have been a major industry of the Crescenta Valley. In 1923, a young nurse named Agnes Richards was convinced that she could significantly improve the treatment of mentally ill women. She bought a small stone house set in an oak grove and named it Rockhaven. As Rockhaven expanded over the years, the level of care given to the patients remained outstanding. It passed to her granddaughter Pat Traviss who ran the facility until she too retired a few years ago. The fate of this site has been up in the air, until just this year Glendale City Council stepped in and negotiated the purchase by the city.
Rockhaven Sanitarium is 3 1/2 acres of landscaped gardens containing 27 mature oak trees, with 14 buildings of varying historical architectural styles. The inside is a time capsule! The furniture is still there, and some rooms are just as they were left, right down to clothes in the closet. There are boxes and boxes of records and photographs, all being currently cataloged by the Glendale Library. The city is proposing a library and community center, but will hold several public meetings the best determine the needs and wishes of the community.
So... When do we get a look at it? When can we get a public tour? Well, not yet! The property has not been maintained for several years and some hazards need to be cleared. 
In the meantime, Glendale Assistant City Manager Bob McFall has offered to show photos of what the inside currently looks like and discuss the steps that are being taken to preserve the site and conserve the historical materials inside. We may talk about possible future uses as well. We'll also show some of the historic photos of the property that we've recently collected, and hear memories from some of the people that worked at Rockhaven.
Regular meetings are held the third Monday of each month at 7:00 PM at the La Crescenta Church of Religious Science located at the intersection of Dunsmore and Santa Carlotta.
and don't forget ...John Newcombe's long awaited DVD on the history of the Crescenta-Canada Valley has finally been released. This feature length, professionally made video documents the history of our area from statehood to the present, telling fascinating stories along the way, from the irascible Col. Pickens and his antics, to the pyromaniacal group of Caltech geniuses that eventually formed JPL. Newcombe uses previously unseen photos and rare film clips to tell the stories of murder, lust and greed, mixed with the kindness, art and charity that has made our community special.
You can buy the DVD at the Montrose Harvest Market on Sundays, or at Once Upon A Time Bookstore and Village Newsstand in Montrose. You can purchase it online at www.rancholacanada.com.
Last updated: 5-5-08
