PASSPORT 2 HISTORY MONTHLY NEWSLETTER January 2019, Vol. 82

This Month's Featured P2H Site: Valley Relics Museum

The Valley Relics Museum opened in 2013 to collect, preserve, interpret, and present the history of the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas, the stories of those who shaped our region, and the region’s role in our nation’s development. Its collection includes rare documents, photographs, vintage neon signs, postcards, yearbooks, negatives, clothing, books, art, automobiles, and bicycles relating to San Fernando Valley history. New Location! Update your Passport booklets: the Valley Relics Museum has a new home! You may recall the announcement in our November newsletter. Now that the collection and staff have had a chance to settle in, make sure you head over and see what the Valley Relics Museum has done with the place! The new location features an event space you can book for your next birthday party, business gathering, school dance, wedding, reunion, reception, holiday event, or office function. Check out the details at this link . 7900 Balboa Blvd. Hangar C 3&4 Lake Balboa, CA 91406 (Entrance on Stagg St.)

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About the Passport 2 History Program*

Passport 2 History unites the sites, collections, experiences, and organizations that tell the story of Southern and Central California and its people. Get to know the amazing people and cultures that made California what it is. See how they lived and learn what they contributed to the development of the Golden State. Travel back in time through living history museums, reenactments, and beautifully preserved historic sites. Or visit exhibits showcasing the works of up-and-coming local artists. With an amazing variety of sites, P2H has something for everyone! Passport 2 History celebrates the institutions that do all this and more. We proudly invite you to enjoy all they have to offer. Participating sites submit events, exhibits, and announcements to be included in this newsletter each month. Keep scrolling to browse this month's activities.   For more details, visit us at our website  passport2history.com  or check out our social media pages below.

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How it Works: Pick up a  "Passport 2 History" passport book at any of our participating sites for $5 and explore 83 historic sites in Southern and Central California.  Collect "Passport 2 History" stamps when you visit each participating site. You'll get special benefits and prizes. When you collect stamps from all participating institutions, be sure to return your passport book to the Leonis Adobe Museum for your prize.

Check out YouTuber Look Who's Blogging's visit to the International Printing Museum!

What's New at the Leonis Adobe Museum Open to the Public Fridays 1:00 - 4:00 PM Saturdays 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Sundays 1:00 - 4:00 PM Plus special events - see below!

Passport 2 History is brought to you by the Leonis Adobe Museum in beautiful Old Town Calabasas. The Leonis Adobe Museum is Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #1 and a functioning ranch - complete with farm animals!   To learn more about the Leonis Adobe Museum, be sure to view KCET's Visiting with Huell Howser episode about the Leonis Adobe, available online here, on YouTube . What's New at the Leonis Adobe Museum Did you know that the Leonis Adobe Museum is also a functioning ranch? We have animals and crops, just like a proper 1880s San Fernando Valley adobe. And our sheep have recently birthed several lambs, all of whom are currently housed in our barn. Come visit our new arrivals during our weekend operating hours. Until you're able to visit, here are a few "baby photos" we're proud to share!

‌ ‌ ‌ leonisadobemuseum.org  | 818-222-6511 | contact@leonisadobemuseum.org For additional info, visit us on our Yelp page.

Events*

Sat, Jan 5 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Planes of Fame Air Museum Living History Flying Day - P-51 Mustang Open to the public, Planes of Fame Air Museum (Chino, CA) presents its monthly Living History Flying Day on January 5, 2019, featuring the Reno Air-Racer and world speed holder P-51 Mustang "Voodoo." A speaker panel of distinguished aviation experts, historians, and veterans is featured, followed by a question & answer period and flight demonstration when possible. The P-51 Mustang "Voodoo" will be on display and perform a flight demonstration (subject to change). Admission General: $16 Children 11 and under: $6 Children 4 and under: FREE Parking is always free! More Information

Sat, Jan 5 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM  Juan Matias Sanchez Adobe  Museum & Historic Site The Battle of Rio San Gabriel   Experience a reenactment of the largest land battle in California's history!   Come see uniformed American & Californio reenactors portray the thrilling military events leading up to California statehood! 600 Americans vs. 500 Californios back in 1847. Experience the smell of the black powder from the musket firing demonstrations! Visit rare living history exhibits staffed with knowledgeable enthusiasts! Children can learn quaint arts & crafts of a bygone time! Enjoy live authentic period music and 19th century fandango dancing, and try out easy old-fashioned steps during the audience participation sets - suitable for all ages! There will be hot food and beverages available for purchase. Rain does not cancel. The event is free! More Information

Thurs , Jan 10 7:00 PM Santa Barbara Maritime Museum The 1969 Blowout and the Birth of the Environmental Movement: Recollections and Observations of an Environmental Elder: A Conversation with Marc McGinnes 50 years ago, in January and February of 1969, a blow-out on Union Oil’s Platform A released 80,000-100,000 barrels of crude oil into the Santa Barbara Channel, covering the coast from Goleta to Ventura and the Channel Islands, killing thousands of sea birds, fish and marine mammals, such as dolphins and seals. Public outrage led to environmental legislation and the modern environmental movement. Now that numerous recently released reports have indicated how critical the protection of our environment is, it is important to look back at the history of our concerns. In that context, Marc McGinnes, Professor Emeritus and a founding member of UC Santa Barbara’s Environmental Studies Program, will discuss the central role that the Santa Barbara community has played in launching and sustaining the environmental movement during the past 50 years, as well as the work of the environmental movement in Santa Barbara and beyond during the coming 50 years. Admission Members: $10 Non-Members: $20 More Information

Sat, Jan 12 11:00 AM Banning Museum Keeping History Alive Lecture Series Shipwrecks of the California Coast: Wood to Iron, Sail to Steam by Author Michael D. White Friends of Banning Museum invites the community to join us for our next Keeping History Alive lecture at the Banning Museum. The lecture and book signing by author Michael D. White, vocational maritime historian and researcher will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the historic stagecoach barn on Saturday, January 12, 2019.   Mr. White will be sharing anecdotes and images from his 2014 book, Shipwrecks of the California Coast: Wood to Iron, Sail to Steam , as well as information on several recently discovered shipwrecks that had, until very recently, rested on the bottom of the ocean for decades, cloaked in mystery. There will be a fifteen minute question and answer session after the lecture followed by a book signing. There will be copies of the book available for purchase. Admission Children under 12: FREE Members: FREE General: $5 More Information

Sat, Jan 12 1:00 PM Bolton Hall Museum William Mellenthin: San Fernando Valley “Birdhouse” Ranch Homes with author Chris Lukather January’s 2nd Saturday historical educational program tells the story of William Mellenthin and his Birdhouse ranch homes built in the early 1950s San Fernando Valley. Each home had a characteristic “birdhouse” cupola built into the roof. This was a time of the development of the San Fernando Valley as LA’s "new suburban paradise." The program features rare photographs and documents illustrating the Valley’s early growth.   Our speaker for this program is Chris Lukather, a Cal Arts graduate and author who follows his passions for art, design, California subculture, and Los Angeles history. He is currently the editor and publisher of a quarterly literature journal and a graphic designer. His book about William Mellenthin and his unique homes is available in the Bolton Hall Museum gift shop.   This event is free and open to the public.  More Information

Sun, Jan 13 12:00 - 4:00 PM Campo de Cahuenga Reenactment of the Signing of the Articles of Capitulation Join us for the reenactment of the signing of the Articles of Capitulation that took place in 1847. The Campo is the site where the Mexican American War ended in California, which led to California joining the United States – Manifest Destiny!   There will be fiesta dancing, music, and cannon firing salutes. Reenactment performances will take place at 1 PM & 3 PM. More Information

Sat, Jan 19 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM International Printing Museum Ben Franklin’s Electric Birthday Celebration Family-Friendly Show: 11:00 AM General Show: 1:00 PM   Join the good Doctor’s 313th Birthday Party where he will host a family version of his life and inventions at 11:00 am, and a more adult level at 1:00 pm. Following the second show there will be a special Question and Answer segment with Franklin's Revolutionary Friends. Enjoy refreshments and birthday cake with Dr. Franklin, print your own historical keepsakes on the Museum's antique presses, as well as special tours of the Museum's unique working collection! Come and wish Franklin and his friends well, and thank him for all of his inventions and help in creating our country!   Make reservations as soon as possible as we have limited space in our theater! Admission $12 for Adults $10 Students/Seniors More Information

Sat, Jan 26 1:00 and 3:00 PM Rancho Camulos Helen Hunt Jackson Returns to Rancho Camulos On January 26, at 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM, experience Helen Hunt Jackson’s January 23, 1882 visit to Rancho Camulos which inspired her to include this vestige of the Californio lifestyle as one of the settings for her novel  Ramona . Reenactors will engage and delight you as they portray this event which forever changed the peaceful life at Rancho Camulos.    By popular demand, this year’s annual re-enactment has been expanded to two performances and a meet and greet reception with Helen Hunt Jackson and the Del Valle family will follow each one. The suggest donation for the re-enactment is $10 and tickets can be purchased on line (recommended) at ranchocamulos.org , or at the gate. Suggested Donation $10 More Information

Exhibits*

Opening Jan 9! Through Mar 18 Channel Islands Maritime Museum Monsters: Alive and Well and Living in the Deep   Opening Reception: Wed., Jan 9 5:30 - 7:30 PM That newspaper headline says it all. It could be 2018, 1918, 1818, or if daily newsprint had been invented, 318 BC in Greece. Countless headlines such as this reach back hundreds of years, and the story is essentially the same. Some “sea monsters” are both age-old and current, yet we still know little about them. Do Monsters actually lurk in the deep? Well, from Jan 9th to March 18th, come by the Maritime to find out. “Monsters of the Deep: Fact or Fiction” is the next exciting exhibit in the Farr Gallery at Channel Islands Maritime Museum. Works by local artisans, images, and stories of the deep will be featured; a historical background for deep-sea exploration and an ecological perspective on life in the ocean’s depths. Family friendly – great for all! The public is invited to the opening reception January 9, 2019, 5:30-7:30 PM. More Information

Closing Jan 27! DANA Adobe Sun and Wind, by the Sea: California Landscapes exhibit by Milford Zornes The DANA Adobe Cultural Center invites you to attend the exhibition Sun and Wind, by the Sea: California Landscapes by Milford Zornes .    This ten-week exhibition begins Saturday, November 17th, and runs through Sunday, January 27th, 2019.  More Information

Closing end of January! Bolton Hall Museum Panoramas of Sunland-Tujunga   See what our community looked like in the olden days. We've pulled some of the best panoramic photos from our extensive photo collection end enlarged parts of those photos to show details that may not be noticeable at first glance. Our community had wide open spaces before all the houses and apartments were built. Maybe you can even find your street! Enjoy the beautiful views from various vantage points around town. More Information

Through Feb 17 California Oil Museum Insectology: An Up Close Look at Bees, Bugs, and Butterflies   Buzz on down to the California Oil Museum for our newest exhibit, Insectology: An Up Close Look at Bees, Bugs, and Butterflies !   Immerse yourself in a cocoon of facts, photos, and buggy specimens! Enjoy some of the most beautiful specimens flying, crawling, walking, and swinging on this earth. More Information

Through Mar 10, 2019 California Oil Museum Hot Wheels Exhibit Who : Hot Wheels and Toy Fans of Any Age What : An Amazing Hot Wheel Collection from BMH Hobbies Where :  T he always fascinating California Oil Museum When : November 17 through March 10, 2019 Why :  Because we love Hot Wheels! Do you remember playing with your first Hot Wheel? The fun of driving it around the make-believe race track in your parent’s kitchen? Using a shoe box for a garage or finally receiving a track for Christmas? This is your chance to relive that wonderful childhood memory and pass it on to your little ones! Hot Wheels is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and collectors Brian and Maria Hernandez are lending their extensive Hot Wheel collection to the California Oil Museum in celebration of the Silver Anniversary of this historic die-cast model car we grew up with. The exhibit will have some very rare cars such as the “Sweet Sixteen,” the first set of Hot Wheels cars sold by Mattel on May 18, 1968, eleven of them designed by Harry Bentley Bradley. Come to the California Oil Museum’s South Gallery to see this remarkable collection of Hot Wheels through the years! More Information

Through Mar 31, 2019, with partial reinstall in Jan 2019 Pasadena Museum of History SOMETHING REVEALED; California Women Artists Emerge, 1860-1960   Pasadena Museum of History is proud to present this landmark fine art exhibition of over 250 works, offering a new appreciation of the women who defied gender and expectation in an era of inequality. Although some achieved name recognition, the exhibition focuses on historically important yet unknown and underappreciated artists and the role they played in shaping California’s arts and culture over 100 years. In order to showcase as many works as possible, the galleries will be partially re-installed with numerous additional artworks in January 2019. More Information

Ongoing Santa Barbara Historical Museum The West-Dressed Woman Opening Reception Oct 18, 6:00 - 8:00 PM   The role of guest curator for this special exhibition is held by Sharon Bradford. She will highlight the fascinating collection and shed light on some of the most influential and illustrious women in Santa Barbara history.   The landmark exhibition is being sponsored by the Whittier Foundation and the Costume Council.  For more information about the Council, click here . More Information

Ongoing 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM Rancho Los Cerritos Tibahangna to Today: Stories of the Tongva People   Join us to celebrate our new exhibition of artifacts, photographs, and historical documents highlighting the history and culture of the Tongva/Gabrielino people. To learn more or RSVP, click below: More Information

Ongoing Mullin Automotive Museum L'Epoque Des Carrossiers - The Art and Times of the French Coachbuilders Our newest exhibit will bring together a group of the finest French automobiles in the world to tell the story of the most prominent companies in the emerging automotive market. Starting from the day of horse-drawn carriages through the first understandings of aerodynamic form, this collection is one not to be missed!   Cars include several of the finest from the Mullin Collection:  1936 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic 1939 Delahaye 165, and the 1935 Voisin Aerodyne, winner of the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance!   Reservations required.   Admission Adults: $16 Seniors: $13 Please call 805-385-5400 or visit our website for information or to make reservations. More Information

Ongoing Los Angeles Maritime Museum  Taminaru: A Day in the Life of a Japanese American Fishing Village One hundred years ago, Terminal Island, in the Port of Los Angeles, was home to a thriving community of 3,000 Japanese American fishermen and cannery workers. Using the skills honed in their ancestral home of Wakayama-ken prefecture, the Japanese Americans' labor contributed to the phenomenal success of the West Coast fishing industry. After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Terminal Islanders were evicted and sent to internment camps. Today very little traces remain of a once-thriving community.  The exhibit Taminaru, curated by Naomi Hirahara and Tara Fansler, documents a typical day in the life of the Terminal Islanders. (Photo Above: Japanese American child playing in fishing net.) More Information

Ongoing Maritime Museum of San Diego Man-of-War: Adventures Aboard a Fighting Ship Staged aboard His Majesty's sixth-rate British Royal Navy frigate, HMS Surprise , the new exhibit transports visitors back in time 200 years to the wooden world of the fighting sailing ship. This interactive exhibit encourages visitors of all ages to learn what it was like to live as cabin boy, marine, sailor, midshipman, surgeon, and captain on a "man-of-war" from the age of sail. According to Dr. Raymond Ashley, Ph.D., K.C.I., President/CEO of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, "Man-of-War is an adventure the entire family can enjoy without leaving the dock." Walk the length of her gun deck, sit in the captain's cabin, visit the surgeon's berth, and stand at the helm. You'll see and hear the sights and sounds of dramatic battles at sea, with Surprise 's fearsome guns answering those of her enemies. Dr. Ashley adds, "Much like all of our interior and interactive exhibits on display throughout the Museum's historic fleet, this experience aboard HMS Surprise is free and included with general admission to the Maritime Museum of San Diego." HMS Surprise is a replica of that most famous ship in author Patrick O'Brien's series of historical novels chronicling the naval career of Captain Jack Aubrey. In 2003 she was featured in the 20th Century Fox epic drama Master and Commander , starring Russell Crowe in the role of Aubrey. Since then the Surprise has been part of the Maritime Museum of San Diego's fleet of historic and replica vessels. Maritime Museum's Librarian, Curator and Collections Manager Kevin Sheehan, Ph.D. adds, "we encourage visitors to learn about some of the curious expressions that sailors used to describe their life on board, find out how to fire one of the guns, and experience the thrill for adventure that called so many to this life, despite its hardships." More Information

Ongoing Juan Matias Sanchez Adobe Kit Carson Exhibit Kit Carson,1809-1868, was a famous American mountain man, Indian fighter, scout and soldier who helped implement the westward expansion of the United States. One of the battles he participated in during the Mexican-American War, was the Battle of Rio San Gabriel, 3/4 miles from the Lobo Adobe (later the Juan Matias Sanchez Adobe). Come learn about a forgotten American legend. More Information

Announcements*

Carnegie Library Paso Robles Area Historical Society Newspaper Preservation Project Old newspapers are invaluable, they help us to understand and connect with people and events of the past. The Paso Robles Area Historical Society is in possession of some very unique newspapers. We have in our collection newspapers that date back to 1886, many of which no one else has. Realizing the importance of preserving these papers and making them available to the public has become one of our society’s primary goals.   The best way to preserve newsprint today is by microfilming. Microfilm, although old technology, creates master negatives and has a lifespan of 200 years. The process of digitization, which evolves about every 20 years, is also extremely important as it provides online searching capability.   Our collection has been inventoried and is ready for the next step of preservation. We have been in contact with the Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research at University of California Riverside (CBSR). The CBSR has taken on the responsibility for the California Newspaper Project, the goal of which is to preserve thousands of volumes of deteriorating newspapers for the use of future generations. They have reviewed our inventory and are currently guiding us in identifying which papers have already been microfilmed and which papers need to be preserved. They have advised us to focus on preserving (microfilming) the newsprint first since it is most at risk and to digitize at a later date.   We have identified The Leader as top priority to be microfilmed (the paper dates from 1886 to 1919). Our next papers of priority include The Moon 1892-1894, The Record 1895-1917, Paso Robles Spotlight 1929-1931, and The Independent 1894-1895 & 1899.     Janice Cannon Director of Research Paso Robles Area Historical Society

Rancho los Alamitos Closed for the Holidays through Jan 8 Rancho Los Alamitos will close for the holidays Monday, December 17, 2018 - Tuesday, January 8, 2019. The site will reopen for tours on Wednesday, January 9, 2019, with its normal schedule, Wednesday - Sunday from 1 pm - 5 pm. Children and adults alike are enlightened and delighted when touring the ranch house and interpretive center, communing with nature in the lush gardens and visiting with the farm animals (horses, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks and rabbits) housed in the barns area. Guests enter at the Bixby Hill residential security gate at Anaheim and Palo Verde. Guided tours of the Ranch house and Barns Area start every 30 minutes from the Rancho Center with the last tour beginning at 4:00 pm. Visitors may tour the gardens with a docent or opt for a self-guided tour. Admission and parking are free.

* Kindly note that while we strive to list the most accurate information available at the time of publishing this newsletter, it is always best to contact the site / museum directly to confirm the dates and times of events, exhibits, and announcements listed. Thank you!

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