La Cañada History: Teens in 1968 build boat, announce plans to paddle it to Catalina

Ten Years Ago

Two La Cañada grocery store staffs were cleaning up broken bottles of wine and spaghetti sauce, among other items, after the region experienced a 5.5 magnitude earthquake. Chino Hills was the epicenter of the late morning shaker on Tuesday, July 29, 2008. It was followed by more than 50 aftershocks within a 24-hour period.

Twenty Years Ago

Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Pirates of Penzance” was being staged by Foothill Summer Theatre, a youth theater program. The production, which was reportedly wowing local crowds, was under the direction of Marlys Marsteller.

Thirty Years Ago

Three Persian rugs with a combined value of $24,000 were stolen from the living room of a Flintridge area home during a daytime burglary that took place when the homeowner was out for a four-hour period. Also stolen from the home were a video cassette recorder and some jewelry. A television was left behind on a sofa, with sheriff’s deputies speculating the thieves believed they were running out of time and needed to get out of the house before they were caught.

Forty Years Ago

The Rev. John Lathrop, rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church, announced his intention to resign sometime prior to the beginning of 1979. Lathrop had served at St. George’s for 12 years.

Fifty Years Ago

Seven La Cañada teens announced they would paddle their self-built boat christened “Sport Chalet” from San Pedro to Catalina Island. Brothers Brett and Eric Simison were joined by friends Dave Stipe, Bob Honer, Greg Damon, Craig Carpenter and Ray Hensley on the adventure. According to an Aug. 9, 1968 Los Angeles Times article, the young men followed through with their plans, paddling to Catalina on Aug. 3. When they made the return trip on Aug. 8 they arrived in Los Angeles Harbor “hungry, thirsty and exhausted after nearly eight hours of rowing against the current to the mainland,” The Times reported.

Sixty Years Ago

La Cañada Girl Scout Troop #259 held a dinner meeting to make final preparations for a 23-day trip to Mexico by chartered bus. The girls and their chaperons were set to stay at a Girl Scout camp in Cuernavaca for one week, then spend a few days in Mexico City, followed by several days in Guadalajara.

Compiled from the Valley Sun archives by Carol Cormaci.