We promote the historic legacy of the Menifee Valley.
#MenifeeHistory
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Operating as usual
This is the wedding photo of John Henry and Marie Harrison.
Marie Twinem married John Henry Harrison in 1929.
They had two children - John Richard and Barbara. John farmed in Menifee and Arvin near Bakersfield. Marie was a school teacher and was a charter member of the
Antelope-Menifee Home Department.
#menifeehistory
Did you know that several Menifee residents also had bee apiaries and sold honey?
The Harrisons, McGraths, Zeiders, Walkers, Wickerds (whose son’s bee business later became the Happie Bee Company at Wickerd Farms) and Roberts to name a few. Perhaps it was the local buckwheat, sage and wildflowers that gave honey from Menifee its wonderful flavor and color.
Charles Roberts is pictured here with his bee colony.
#menifeehistory
Historical Monument - Christensen Family
MVHA is pleased to announce the first of twelve educational videos that support the Historical Markers placed at locations of historical significance in Menifee, California.
We hope you enjoy these short video clips. We are working on the others now and will be announced when completed.
Stay tuned.
#MenifeeHistory
Christensen Family Historical MonumentOne of Menifee's Historical Monuments located in Menifee, California
D'Artagnan was a Percheron stallion purchased by the Leon Percheron Horse Company in 1906. The purpose was to buy a stallion and breed workhorses for sale. D’Artagnan came by ship from France at age three. He was taken off the ship and allowed to exercise at each port of entry. The trip took almost two weeks.
He was stabled at the home of William Brown located at Antelope and Garbani Road. The Leon Horse Company was composed of A.S. Baxter, J.A. Holland, W.H. Brown, John Rawson, E.H. Drake and George M. Simmons. About 10 years later machinery was invented that replaced the horses and the Leon Horse Co. was disbanded.
#menifeehistory
Enjoy this 1968 advertisement in the LA Times for our community of Sun City.
#menifeehistory
SAMUEL WALKER FAMILY. Samuel came from Illinois and his wife Alice Wickerd from Michigan. They married New Year's Eve in 1875 and came to Menifee about 10 years later.
Pictured, from left to right, are Samuel, Alice, John, Zona, Callie and Claude Walker.
The Walker Ranch was located on Haun Road, south of Holland. The sons never married, but the girls united the Drake and Roberts' family.
#menifeehistory
This is a family photo of David and Leona Wickerd with their 12 children. The couple were married August 1900 and came to Menifee ten years later. His brother John Wickerd arrived in 1907 with his wife and eight children. Both families had lived previously in Eagle Rock, California.
Their combined properties in Menifee extended north from Scott Road to Wickerd Road and west of Bradley Road.
Pictured, left to right, are, David, Margaret, Frank, Austin, George, Jack, Ina, Walter, Clara, Ruth, Winona, Erma, Karl and Leona. Winona was their first child born in Menifee in 1910. The children married, built houses and raised families on the same land.
The area was nicknamed Wickerdville because their property was so large and inhabited by the Wickerd families.
#menifeehistory
Visitors to the Charlie Bailey Ranch at the northwest corner of Haun and Scott Road in 1918 pose on sacks of newly harvested grain. Before the advent of the self-propelled combine, grain went into burlap bags and was hand stitched by the man riding on the harvester. Then the 100 pound sacks were loaded onto wagons for the trip back to the storage area.
#menifeehistory
In today’s 1/10/21 Press Enterprise Newspaper, MVHA applied for and was awarded a grant to make videos of the 12 Historic Monuments around the city. Stay tuned 😀
#menifeehistory
https://www.pe.com/2021/01/08/menifee-valley-historical-association-educates-about-areas-past/.
The all-volunteer group runs a museum and has historic resources available online
Harrison Family Ranch (Scott and Antelope) was visited by Larry Englehart, metal detector in 2019. We took this photo from a picture hanging on the wall at the ranch before Mrs. Harrison moved. Date unknown. Antelope Road is on left. Link to Larry’s hunt: https://youtu.be/0to7arQY6sU
This inkwell about 4 inches tall was found on the site of the 1890 Menifee School which was located on the southwest corner of Newport and Bradley Roads near the Arco gas station.
Discovered while metal detecting and donated to the Menifee Valley Historical Association by Larry Englehart in 2016.
The Kirkpatrick family was one of the first families to homestead land in Menifee in 1882 under the Homestead Act of 1862. According to family sources the Kirkpatrick home was built around 1890 and was one of the most majestic homes in the valley.
The local paper wrote at Christmas time one year that “when guests of the Kirkpatrick’s came to call, the guests were welcomed in the comfortable old fashioned home with its spacious rooms and cherry fireplace. The lovely Christmas tree stood in the corner with packages distributed to latecomers. A sumptuous holiday dinner was served, two turkeys
gracing the feast with the table decorated in red candles. In the evening, all gathered on the living
room and sang carols. The mother of the Kirkpatrick’s was the happiest of them all.’
The red line on the aerial delineates access to the Kirkpatrick home.
#menifeehistory
CALLIE KIRKPATRICK'S CHILDREN. Gathered around their mother on Christmas are her nine children, Lula, Robert, Wert, Bettie, Mary, Jennie, Felix, Lloyd and Leonard standing in the back on the porch. Most of the children attended the 1890 Menifee School.
#menifeehistory
Happy Holidays to all!
Elinor Martin, Bill Zimmerman, Betty Bouris, Ina May Zeiders, Julie Zimmerman, Lesley Stevens, Katie Keyes, Mike and Shirley Vaughn
Menifee Valley Historical Association Board Members
The Antelope-Menifee Home Department, founded in 1931 served the Menifee Valley continuously until February 2012. This group, among others, lobbied the Public Utilities Commission and was successful in getting a telephone line into the southern part of the Menifee Valley in 1958.
The Antelope-Menifee Home Department's name was changed to Antelope-Menifee Women's Club in the 1980s to encourage new residents to join the club. This photograph was taken at the Wrightview Ranch in 1947. Some of the women shown here are Hazel and Norma Brown (3rd & 4th from left), Christine Wright with her baby and Rolann Sanders. Next is Nan Sanders, Alice Roberts Brown and Callie Roberts. All others are unknown.
#menifeehistory
KARAKUL FUR FARM. This new business introduced into the Menifee Valley in the late 1940s did not last long but residents were fascinated with this different breed of sheep.
The Karakul, native to central Asia, were introduced to the United States between 1908 and 1929 for pelt production. They were also a source of milk, meat, tallow and wool. When born the lamb's fleece is coal black with wavy curls. As it grows, the curls open and the color starts to change. The fleece comes in a variety of natural colors. The photograph shows the sheep coming down the lane towards Newport Road from their coralls on the property in the area now known as Audie Murphy Ranch. J.B. Ferrell was the first to homestead on this property in 1887.
The Christmas card is a close up of the ewe and her lambs.
We wish you a happy holiday and look forward to seeing you in 2021 when we can reopen the Menifee History Museum safely.
#MenifeeHistory
From the Menifee History Archives
A family photo album of portraits including the Morrell family. Possibly owned by Myra (Morrell) Kittilson is in our Archive Room. Treasures like this are the foundation in our desire to preserve Menifee history.
Would you like to donate your free time to the Museum and learn about Menifee's history?
Email us at [email protected] and let us know you are interested.
#Docent #Programs #Tours #maintenance #cleaning #cataloging etc :)
John Henry Harrison in the driver's seat, is posing for the camera with two unidentified men. Benjamin Kohlmier is seated on the running board of the Ford.
The barn to the right of the photo was built in 1900 and is still standing. The Harrison property is located at the southeast corner of Antelope and Scott Road.
#menifeehistory
HAND POWERED BALER. A crew of six men (names unknown) are operating this early hand powered baler on the Roberts Ranch that was located on Briggs, south of Scott Road.
The dried hay is hand packed into the wooden bale mold. The bale is tied with twine or wire, removed, and then carried to a nearby wagon. The hay was then carted to the barn to be unloaded into storage. This was an ingenious way to make a bale, but very labor intensive. Date of photo unknown
#menifeehistory
Here is a memory written by Rosamond (Brown) Morrison in 1992 about her early years growing up in Menifee, when life seemed a lot simpler. #MenifeeHistory
MENIFEE – The Menifee Valley Historical Association thought residents might enjoy reading this memory written by Rosamond (Brown) Morrison about her early years growing up in Menifee, when life seemed a lot simpler. From “Childhood” by Rosamond B. Morrison, written Aug. 10, 1992, “When I was...
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AmazonSmile runs year round. All you have to do to get started is visit https://smile.amazon.com/ and choose Menifee Valley Historical Association. Once you’ve signed up you can start shopping!
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We hope you will consider making Menifee Valley Historical Association your chosen charitable organization!
THE ROBERTS HOUSE
In 1890 Charles Roberts bought this house known as the Emmalita Villa. At the age of 43, he married Callie Walker in 1915 and they lived there.
Charles farmed with seven horses. He grew grain, raised cattle, goats, pigs, chickens and turkeys. He planted a large orchard and vineyard. There was a wonderful spring that supplied water for the house and irrigation for the orchard. There were two other springs - one hot and one cold on the property.
Their two children (Alice Emmalita and Lerner) learned how to herd horses, cattle and goats before they were old enough to go to school. They attended the one room schoolhouse in Antelope and were driven to school everyday except when it rained - they had to walk in the adobe mud for 3 1/2 miles round trip! Their shoes dried by the wood stove until it was time to go home.
The home was located on the west side of Briggs Road just south of Scott Road. Lerner and his mother lived and farmed on the property until 1950 when it was sold. They moved nearby to Hemet and bought an apricot orchard.
The family farm was bought by the Anheuser-Busch Company, where they operated their Western States Headquarters and raised Clydesdale horses to show in parades and fairs.
#menifeehistory
Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States.
In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Native Americans shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November....
Learn more about Thanksgiving from the History Channel at this link https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving
With a grateful heart, Happy Thanksgiving to you.
Your friends in history
Elinor, Betty, Ina May, Bill, Julie, Lesley, Katie, Shirley and Mike
Menifee Valley Historical Association Board
The two Walker sisters shown here are Callie (Walker) Roberts on the left and Zona (Walker) Drake on the right. They are the daughters of Samuel and Alice (Wickerd) Walker.
Samuel Walker called their daughter Callie, his California ruby because she was born in California. Her sister was his Arizona diamond and called her Zona since she was born in Arizona, or so the family story goes.
The girls came with their parents to the Menifee Valley in 1889 and settled on what is now Haun Road, just south of Holland Road.
#menifeehistory
Good history about Hwy 395 in the video below.
Do you know Menifee has Highway 395 signs at four locations in our city ~ you can find them along both sides Encanto Road and along Antelope Road where Hwy 395 once was.
#menifeehistory
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialBobDutton/videos/585314732147118
Ever driven on U.S. Route 395?
Working on your ancestry or curious about cousinhood?
This shows graphically the degree of cousinhood ("first," "second," etc.) very well and denotes the number of generations between two cousins and their nearest common ancestor. Enjoy!!
Zora (McGrath) and Hans Christensen Jr. are sitting under the trees at their first home on Antelope Road. She is holding her poodle.
Zora was the daughter of John and Maude McGrath who came to the valley in 1912. Hans Jr. is the youngest child of Hans Christensen Sr. and Rosetta Holland.
When Hans Sr. arrived in Menifee in about 1882 there were only a few families in the area. He met Rosetta the same year and soon after they had four children. Hans Sr. grew wheat and barley on his land and eventually became one of the largest landowners in the valley. He died in 1922 at the age of 70. His son Hans Jr. lived his entire life in Menifee and farmed with his four sons when they became of age.
Hans Christensen Jr (1894-1975) Zora (McGrath) Christensen (1896-1995). The next photo is the two of them at a younger age.
#menifeehistory
Wheatfield Park is the home to the Menifee Veterans Memorial.
The focal point of the Memorial is the 5-sided star representing the 5 branches of the US Military. Benches and planters surround the star to offer a reflective and quiet place.
#remembrance #veterans
HENRY AND ELLA EVANS
Henry and Ella Evans are ready to go visiting in their buggy. Neighbors were few and far between so this was the best transportation in those early days. Perris and Winchester were the closest places to get groceries and supplies.
The newspaper reported that in November Henry Evans put in his order for a 1916 four-door Ford.
Henry is driving his Ford around and showing it to his friends. Henry is in the driver's seat and his brother Newton is next to him. Photo taken in Elsinore.
#menifeehistory
McGRATH'S HONEY BUSINESS
Belle and Stanley McGrath are holding a frame filled with honey in the comb and a jar of honey after it was extracted. Stanley was proud of the black sage honey his bees produced and its clarity.
#menifeehistory
This photograph shows a five-yoke team of oxen hauling timber out of the mountains to the valley below. An area known as Thomas Mountain was the nearest forest for wood gathering. This photo is likely the Kirkpatrick family who would camp and bring lumber from that area to their homestead. c1899 #menifeehistory
Information about Thomas Mountain can be found at this link - https://www.summitpost.org/thomas-mountain/763695
Cleo Judson owned this rig and drilled wells for many Menifee valley residents. Charlie Bailey, who lived at the NW corner of Haun and Scott Road was a water witcher – more commonly known today as dowsers. He used his talent to locate where to drill the wells. Not everyone had this talent.
#menifeehistory
Thirty minute virtual Nature and Me classes with Menifee Park Rangers. See below to register.
James B. Ferrell came to Menifee Valley in 1887 from Ohio and homesteaded on the area now known as the Audie Murphy Ranch. James and his wife Sarah had nine children.
He built a six-room house hauling the lumber from Colton and the San Bernardino Mountains. He raised Jersey and Holstein cattle as well as thoroughbred horses on his ranch. J.B. Ferrell died from injuries he suffered when a forge fell on him in 1902 while working on the Newport Ranch. He only lived in Menifee for 16 years, but 6 generations of his have lived in Menifee. Most of those descendants are in the Zeiders Family. c1887
#menifeehistory
The name McCall is familiar to most residents of Menifee.
When the active retirement community of Sun City was first being built, its main thoroughfare, McCall Boulevard was known as Grand Boulevard. In the mid-60's it was changed to McCall in honor of Fred McCall.
Pictured here in 1926 is Lelia and Fred McCall with Mildred and twin sons Lloyd and Floyd. Fred served on various local farm service organizations. He also served 12 years on the County Hospital Board and Planning Commission. In 1954 he was elected to Riverside County Board of Supervisors representing the Fifth District. He served nine years until his passing in 1963. Floyd also became a County Supervisor, and their son Lloyd served as a trustee and school board president in both Romoland and Hemet. Four generations of McCalls have lived in the Menifee Valley area.
#menifeehistory
Museum: Garbani Road Between Murrieta And Evans
Menifee, CA
92584
Our mission is to identify, preserve and promote the historic legacy of the Menifee Valley, to promote respect for our past and educate the public about its historical significance.
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Bill Zimmerman talking to Menifee History Museum visitors about mining and farming ⛏🌾
History Program - Women Trailblazers of Menifee
Go back in time with us for our History Program: Early Businesses in Menifee #menifeehistory
Thank you for joining the Menifee Valley Historical Association for our first Poker Run of the Historical Monuments. Participants traveled to 5 of the 12 monuments and then returned to the Antelope-Menifee Rural Center for hot dogs, cake and a chance to win gift cards from local restaurants for the best and worst poker hands. We want to thank our partners, the Paloma Valley NJROTC, Menifee Valley Lions Club and the City of Menifee-City Hall for collaborating with us on this event #Menifee10
Today was a big day for us as we unveiled our first of twelve planned historical monuments in Menifee. The first one is located curbside in front of the Motte's Museum on Highway 74. Stay tuned, more history is coming!!! #MenifeeHistory #Menifee Thank you for collaborating and supporting our program City of Menifee and Riverside County Supervisior Marion Ashley!!
Lake Elsinore Historical Society
183 N Main St, Lake ElsinoreSouthern California Railway Museum
2201 S A St, PerrisPatterson House Paranormal Investigations
28030 Patterson Ave, WinchesterDora Nelson African American Art & History Mu
316 E 7th St, PerrisPerris Valley Historical Museum
120 W 4th St, PerrisPerris Valley Historical Museum
120 W 4th St, PerrisVirtual Gallery of The Laporte Collections
30057 Sugarpine St, Lake Elsinore