Carbon Canyon History at the Chino Hills Historical Society Presentation Next Monday the 12th

There will be a presentation for the Chino Hills Historical Society next Monday the 12th at 7 p.m. at the community center, 14250 Peyton Drive, across from Ayala High School, on some notable aspects of Carbon Canyon history.

Specifically, the talk will deal with the camp of The Workmen's Circle, a left-wing Jewish mutual aid society now known as the Worker's Circle, which was formed in New York City in 1900 by Yiddish-speaking immigrants from Eastern Europe.  For nearly 125 years, the organization has advocated for social and economic justice and civil liberties for all people.

For some years, the facility, which was opened in 1928, was known as the Workmen's Circle Camp/Resort and was open year-round to all ages, while, later, it was dubbed Camp Kinder Ring and focused on summer programs for children and youth ages 7-16 years.  After 30 years it closed and part of the site was ravaged by a major Canyon wildfire in 1958.

The clubhouse, some concrete-block cabins and other elements, survived the blaze and became a series of camps under such names as El Circulo and the Canyon Hills Swim and Saddle Club.  The discussion will cover these uses through the mid-1960s, with a follow-up in June on later operations at the site, including the short-lived and bizarre Ski Villa, with an all-year plastic needle slope.

We hope to see you there for this presentation on some little-known, but fascinating, Carbon Canyon history.

Sleepy Hollow Home Open House This Saturday

Having received this flyer (click on the image to see it enlarged in a separate window) earlier today, it seemed like worth sharing out in case anyone out there is looking for a house in Sleepy Hollow and Carbon Canyon.  It was built in 2010, being one of the newer and larger residences in this century-old community, and has had one owner.

Click on the image to see it enlarged in a separate window.

The open house is this Saturday the 6th, though no hours are listed on the flyer.  It's a little faint, due to gold lettering, but the house is about 2,733 square feet on a 7,631 square foot lot and the asking price is $970,000.

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.

Sleepy Hollow Centennial Commemorative Poster Available Now!

It was quite a two-day celebration of them 100th anniversary of the founding of Sleepy Hollow, with a community event held on Sunday afternoon and a Chino Hills Historical Society presentation at the city community center on Monday evening.

In addition to sharing historical artifacts, a carousel of great photos spanning most of the neighborhood's history, reminiscences of some long-time residents, and a slide-illustrated talk about the community, descendants of Sleepy Hollow founders Cleve and Elizabeth Purington came in from Hawaii, Oregon and elsewhere in California to take part and share memories of their years living in this remarkable Carbon Canyon enclave.

A great way to keep the celebration going is to have your very own limited edition commemorative poster by Sleepy Hollow resident and artist Lena Sekine.   This beautiful design evokes the feeling of residing in a special place and looks great in a gold-edged frame.  Included is a brief history of the neighborhood with a pair of very rare circa 1930s photos.

There were only 100 copies of this signed print, which can be yours for $22, so be sure to head over to Lena's Etsy store to get one before they run out.

Sleepy Hollow's 100th Anniversary Presentation This Monday the 16th

In October 1923, Cleve and Elizabeth Purington; Charles and Olga Hale; George Wanley; and Charles M. Witter filed the official tract map for the subdivision of Sleepy Hollow, nestled on 80 acres in Carbon Canyon on the southwestern edge of San Bernardino County at the border with Orange County.

That year marked the peak of a massive real estate boom in greater Los Angeles and Sleepy Hollow was unusual in that it was divided into small cabin lots for owners to build a get-away on rather than intended for a large number of full-time residents.

The community remained small, with under 150 persons through 1950, but it developed a tight-knit neighborhood spirit (sometimes literally with its Sleepy "Holloween" events complete with the headless horseman who chased the hapless and helpless Ichabod Crane in Washington Irving's 1820s story that spread the name and fame of Sleepy Hollow, New York) over the years.

With a local water district, woman's club, volunteer firefighting force, community church, stores and café, and more, Sleepy Hollow retained a distinct identity that is still maintained by those who live in its roughly 130 houses today, even as the relentless march of suburbanization has creeped up to the very edges of the community.

This Monday, the 16th, at 7:00 p.m. at the Chino Hills Community Center (14250 Peyton Drive, across from Ayala High), the 100th anniversary of Sleepy Hollow will be commemorated in a presentation sponsored by the Chino Hills Historical Society.  In addition to a slide-illustrated talk, there'll be some last-minute additions, so please be sure to join us for this slice of early Chino Hills history!