TIMEKEEPER THE LA JOLLA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MAGAZINE SPRING 2015 Volume 34, No1 History of Oil Drilling in La Jolla • Secret Garden Tour Blooms in May Concours d’Elegance at the Cove LA JOLLA HISTORICAL SOCIETY “The Society’s Annual Appeal MISSION STATEMENT The La Jolla Historical Society is dedicated to the discovery, 2014 fundraising campaign collection and preservation of La Jolla’s heritage. Through our collections, programs and advocacy, we carry out our Executive Director’s Message mission by discovering, recording and sharing La Jolla’s his- was extremely successful (and tory; preserving La Jolla’s historical objects, sites and structures; and increasing community awareness of the he springtime wisteria This summer is still in progress!) and we are value of our heritage. Tbloom is wonderfully we also celebrate successful this year, marking the 100th anniver- very grateful to all of our BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2013-2014) the season of our largest and sary of the La Jolla Ellen Brown Merewether, President members and supporters who Seonaid “Shona” McArthur Vice President most popular community Recreation Center James Alcorn, Vice President events. The 11th annual La with a presentation gave so generously! Your support Secretary Judith Haxo, Jolla Concours D’Elégance & by Molly McClain, Donald Quackenbush, Treasurer is crucial to the programs and Motor Car Classic, is scheduled Ph.D., professor of Lisa Albanez Diane Kane Nick Agelidis Donna Medrea this year the second weekend history at the activities of the Society, and we Elizabeth Thiele Barkett Carol McCabe of April, with the main University of San Ruth Covell Molly McClain are very appreciative.“ Laura DuCharme-Conboy John Peek event on Sunday, April 12th Diego, and a Tony Crisafi Nell Waltz at Scripps Park. To learn member of the David Goldberg Margie Warner Heath Fox more and purchase tickets, Society’s Board of Directors. Her lecture will be on STAFF see the ad in this issue or go online to Saturday, July 18 starting at 3pm at the La Jolla/Riford Heath Fox, Executive Director http://lajollaconcours.com. The 17th annual Secret Branch Library. [email protected] Garden Tour is on May 16; learn more in the What Was Is, which has received excellent Research Assistant Bill Carey, ad featured in this issue, or go online to critical review and publicity, continues through May [email protected] http://lajollahistory.org/events/secret-garden. A 17. If you haven’t yet seen this thought-provoking Amandine Higgins, Director Assistant [email protected] very special thanks to Mike Dorvillier, Chair of the exhibition, please stop by during our regular public La Jolla Concourse D’Elégance & Motor Car Classic, hours of Thursday through Sunday, noon to 4 pm. Michael Mishler, Archivist/Curator [email protected] and to Sharilyn Gallison, Chair of the Secret There is a great catalog accompanying the show for sale Carol Olten, Historian/Docent Coordinator Garden Tour. We are extremely grateful to the in the gallery at a discounted member price of only [email protected] many volunteers and committee members who have $15. Archive La Jolla, our summer exhibition Peter Soldner, Graphic Designer so generously contributed their time and energy which focuses on objects and artifacts from the [email protected] to the success of these great events. Society’s archival collection, opens June 11 and runs Our spring schedule includes fun, interesting, through September 6. MAGAZINE Editor Contributors and educational programs for all ages. We have two The Society’s Annual Appeal 2014 fundraising Carol Olten Bill Carey Archive & Afternoon Tea events coming up. On April campaign was extremely successful (and is still in Design & Layout Sharon Hinckley 17, The Subject of Gardens, a visual stroll through progress!) and we are very grateful to all of our Julia deBeauclair Molly McClain some of La Jolla’s oldest gardens as seen in archival members and supporters who gave so generously! Lori Mitchell Columnists Mikala Narlock albums, postcards, paintings and other images. Your support is crucial to the programs and Heath Fox Rudy Vaca Topics covered will include Scripps gardens and activities of the Society, and we are very appreciative. Michael Mishler Ann Zahner lathe house, Arnberg cottage gardens, House of On behalf of the Board of Directors, staff, and Carol Olten Dreams exotic plantings, and Ivanhoe Avenue volunteers of the Society, we thank you most Printer cottage gardens. Then on June 5, Miss Olive Mishap, sincerely and hope to see you often at our events and SOS Printing the Society’s late 19th century Jules Nicholas Steiner activities. We’ll be back in touch for Spring Appeal GENERAL INFORMATION doll, recently restored, is featured along with historical 2015, and hope you will give generously to support photos of when she belonged to Green Dragon our exhibitions, educational programs, and Mailing Address: Contact Information: PO Box 2085 858•459•5335 Colony founder Anna Held and was part of community community activities. La Jolla, CA 92038 [email protected] tea parties on Prospect Street. Parents and grandparents I’d like to take an opportunity at this time of Locations (email) are invited to bring children and their own dolls to year to recognize and offer a special thanks to the Office and Research participate. City of San Diego Commission for Arts and 7846 Eads Avenue Monday - Friday La Jolla, CA 92037 10 a.m. - 4.p.m. In the summer, we’ll host two one-week Culture for continuing support through their sessions of Young Photographers Summer Camps for Organization Support Program. This funding is key Wisteria Cottage Thursday - Sunday middle school students presented in collaboration operational underwriting and leverages the 780 Prospect Street Noon - 4 p.m. La Jolla, CA 92037 with the Outside the Lens organization. These contributions of the Society’s members and donors camps are scheduled the weeks starting July 6, with for the benefit of the community. My sincerest www.lajollahistory.org the theme of Street Photography, and July 13, with gratitude to the Commission and to all who support Follow the Society on the theme of Citizen Journalism. Our Young Architects the La Jolla Historical Society! Summer Camp for middle school students is scheduled the week starting July 20, and the camp for high Cover image: As a young girl growing up in La school students begins the week of July 27. Registration Jolla recently transplanted to the California shore from London in 1920, Barbara Gaines for the Young Architects Summer Camps begins April 1, Heath Fox Dawson smiled innocently amongst the zinnas online at www.lajollahistory.org or at the Society’s Executive Director near her parents home on Eads Avenue in a 1922 photo, little aware of the significance she office. would play years later in the history of the community. She became a renowned educator, a founding member and long-time supporter of the La Jolla Historical Society and a celebrated tennis player. She died, having lived an extremely full and productive life, in 2009 at age 92. What Do These Structures Have in Common? Editor’s Note pril is my month A in another place. Outside of virtual reality I did really go to Paris once in April and it was everything Frank Sinatra ever Carol Olten crooned about – ever so lovely drizzle. But the real Aprils my mind and heart fly back to are those spent in my childhood in the Midwest. Aprils there could be both beautiful and cruel, Roy McMakin/Tom Mulica From the exhibition What Was Is Domestic Architecture a promising spring but also remindful Restoration of Windemere Cottage with a New Home for a Family of lingering winter. An ice storm could Digital CAD rendering #4 as likely be in the cards as were the 2014 blossoming buds. WHAT DO THESE STRUCTURES HAVE IN COMMON? On the positive side, tulips burst A late 19th century Romanesque-style opera house in downtown San Diego. through loamy moist soil. Morels popped A 1950s Midcentury modern house designed in La Jolla by architect Richard Requa. up under the leafy surface of certain elms A Gothic Victorian railroad station built near San Diego Bay in the 1880s. in the woods. Grass began to grow thick A casino and amusement park erected in Mission Beach in the 1920s. and green as a new John Deere tractor on A magnanimous residence of cut stone built high on a Fifth Avenue corner the little front yards of middle class as a San Diego banker’s home in the late 19th century. neighborhoods. But then, bang!, winter would return one night and the grass ll these structures – highly diverse in architecture as well as decades in which they were designed and built – are gone, demolished over the years to make room for new development. would be covered with ice the next A With about 20 others they formed part of the Lost Properties List compiled by architectural morning and cherry orchards, fragile with historians and SOHO executive director Bruce Coons which became the basis for the current “What white blossoms, would turn into icicle Was Is” exhibit in the Wisteria Cottage galleries. The exhibit will continue through May 17 and forests. But, being April, by noon the ice is open to the public noon-4 p.m. Thursday-Sunday at 780 Prospect St. would melt and the cherry trees simply As the basis for the exhibit, the La Jolla Historical Society commissioned a group of artists, shook themselves off in the wind and, by architects and writers to choose a structure from the Lost Properties List and re-imagine it in an July, were dripping with bright red fruit. adaptive re-use today. The resulting work on display comprises a variety of mediums ranging from In contrast, Aprils in Southern California paintings to digital photographic prints, sculpture and CAD renderings.