Sleepy Hollow Centennial: Historic Photo #2

One of the landmarks of Sleepy Hollow for some 65 years was the building on the north side of Carbon Canyon Road at the west of the community that was last known as the Canyon Market, but which was also called Joe Tater's Oak Grove Inn and Party House Liquor #2 in more recent years, but started off as Ichabod's store and restaurant.

The wood-frame structure was built by David Purington, whose parents Cleve and Elizabeth were among the founders of the tract a centennial ago in 1923 and who oversaw much of its early development.  David was long involved in Sleepy Hollow, as well, including the building of two houses—both, sadly, lost to wildfires—and the Ichabod's grocery and café.

An early reference in the upper right column to Ichabod's, Chino Champion, 14 May 1953.

The earliest located reference to it was from summer 1952 and, within a short time, there was a post office located in the structure, with Purington's wife Leone as the postmaster, though that lasted only about a year or so.  A gas station was also long part of the property.  In 1961, tragedy struck with Lillian Ezell, who owned Ichabod's, was accidentally killed when a car rolled over her on the driveway of her Hillside Drive residence.

In 1967, owners Joseph and Dorothea Martin were successful in securing a beer and wine license for the establishment, over protests from some Sleepy Hollow residents, though the Martins argued it was necessary for their business to stay afloat because two other places in the area sold alcoholic beverages.  By 1974, Joe Tatar, a well-known Fullerton musician, purchased the place and called it the Oak Grove Inn.  He and his wife, Loretta, attended a Carbon Canyon history talk I gave several years at the Yorba Linda Public Library and he passed away in April 2022 at age 81.

A spread about Joe Tatar's Oak Grove Inn, Champion, 27 September 1974.

In 1981, the building became Party House Liquor #2 (the first being at the corner of Carbon Canyon Road [now Chino Hills Parkway] and Pipeline Avenue) and its owner was Gus Fedail, who also operated the Canyon Corral bar and restaurant where the CVS is now situated at Chino Hills Parkway and Peyton.  Thirty years later, it reopened as the Canyon Market, but its days were numbered by the opening of the convenience store east of Sleepy Hollow at Carbon Canyon Road and Canyon Hills Road.

Notably, Ichabod's was a school bus stop from at least that era and probably before and the site remains as one even though the structure was torn down a few years ago after the City of Chino Hills acquired the property.  The future of the site remains to be determined, though improvement of the bus turnaround zone is one major component of what will occur there.

A circa 1960s snapshot of Ichabod's as well as Dan's Sleepy Hollow Service Station, courtesy of Vance Stearns, who was born and raised in the community.

The photo shown here was provided by Vance Stearns, who was born in Sleepy Hollow and whose parents were very involved with such local institutions as the Carbon Canyon Women's Club and the volunteer firefighting department.  The date is probably from the later 1960s, around the time perhaps that the Martins secured their license.

Sleepy Hollow Artists Showcased in New Chino Hills Art Gallery

Following on the heels of the recent Sleepy Hollow centennial celebration, in which art from neighborhood residents Hillary Miller and Lena Sekine, as well as the late Vic (Joachim) Smith, were shared to show the diversity of the history of Chino Hills' oldest neighborhood, the recognition of the trio continued at the opening this past Wednesday evening of the new art gallery developed by the Chino Hills Community Foundation.

That organization, which does so much great work in raising and distributing funds for all kinds of projects to benefit the city, has a chARTS, or Chino Hills Arts Committee, established a decade ago, which "works to create an enriching environment for culture and the arts . . . through events, workshops and other activities.

In addition to presentations by authors, theatrical productions, art shows and others, including quarterly art installations at the Chino Hills Community Center, the committee and foundation launched the art gallery initiative.  A site was provided at the Shoppes center at the southeast corner of Grand Avenue and Peyton Drive, but another and larger one became available.

Some three dozen artists were represented, some professional but most so-called "amateurs" and a few who'd never publicly exhibited their work.  One created some remarkable wood-carved pieces, including a Craftsman-style lamp with stained glass and the oak tree that is the city logo, while others contributed amazing quilts—these are just a couple of examples of the many types of works displayed at the gallery.

Then, there was a corner the featured our Sleepy Hollow artists, including a couple of pieces each by Hillary and Vic/Joachim (sadly, almost all of the works he created were destroyed in a 1990 Carbon Canyon fire that consumed a storage unit where he kept his pieces), as well as Lena's design for the community centennial.

It was certainly great to see the community represented at the opening and in the gallery, which will be opened on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m., during the Heritage Farmers Market held at the center, and Fridays from 6 to 8 p.m.  Kudos to the Chino Hills Arts Committee and the Chino Hills Community Foundation for putting all the effort, money and time into the gallery and for sharing the work of these Sleepy Hollow artists. 

Sleepy Hollow Centennial: Historic Photo #1

Following up on the Sleepy Hollow 100th Birthday commemoration held a couple of weeks ago, we'll be sharing historic photos of the community that were part of slide presentations during that festive weekend.

This first one, provided by long-time neighborhood residents Dee and Ron Nadeau, is a great panorama,  likely from the 1930s or 1940s, of the south side of the tract and taken from an elevation called Lookout Ridge for an obvious reason.

Courtesy of Dee and Ron Nadeau. Click on the image to see it in a separate window.

Several of the structures are still standing, especially at the right of center along Hay Drive as that street does a switchback up the steep slope of the hill as well as one residence on the aptly-named Grandview Lane at the center, just to the left of the largest building in the photo.  As many of the houses were weekend cabins, the 1930 census counted just 40 residents in Sleepy Hollow, while the 1940 enumeration saw just a 15% increase to all of 46 denizens.  

Note also the little Pueblo-style cabin or cottage at the bottom right because just below that at the bottom of the photo is just a hint of Carbon Canyon Road.  Rosemary Lane is more discernible above that building, while off to the left center is another portion of Hay Drive, but in a largely undeveloped section.

Check back soon for the second installation of this little series of Sleepy Hollow Centennial posts.