From the Archives

Marlene Hitt

Much has been written about Bolton Hall, the building. But not much

has been told about the operation of a small local museum. Bolton Hall,

the “clubhouse” built for the Little Landers Colony in 1913, was once the Tujunga City Hall, the Sunland-Tujunga Municipal building, a rescued

historical site (No. 2 in L.A.), and is now again a clubhouse that houses

a museum.

In that clubhouse is the collection of historical writings and

memorabilia limited to the land area once called “Rancho Tujunga.” That

area includes Sunland, Tujunga, Shadow Hillsand Lake View Terrace.

After a classroom tour of the museum, a second-grade girl raised her

hand and asked, “Why do you keep all this stuff?”

Why? A museum is defined as “an institution for the acquisition,

preservation, study and exhibition of works of historic value.” The

Little Landers Historical Society does collect, preserve, organize and

make available historical information and memorabilia that pertains to

this area.

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Over the years the people involved in this institution have acquired

original materials of the early settlers: artifacts, oral histories,

written histories and photographs. In the archive rooms are the old

Record Ledger newspapers, Harry Lamson’s photographs, reports, documents,

maps, cemetery records, information about old homes, phone books dating

back to the late ‘30s and event he original plaque with the words of

William Smythe, almost unreadable, that bear witness to the philosophy of

the old timers of the Little Landers Colony. Most items are stored

carefully in museum quality wrappings.

Because of Mr. Lamson and his wife, and their friend Mr. Brunke, there

are about 1,500 photographs of high quality that show the people, places,

buildings and the development of the towns.

There are many written and transcribed oral histories by people whose

names we remember: Mabel Hatch, Elmer Reavis, Charlie Farr, John Steven

McGroarty and so many more. With the stories all put together we have a

clear picture of the days when the struggle to tame the land began, the

progression through the depression years and beyond. History is still

being collected, preserved and stored every day, becoming ready for those

who come after us.

One small room in Bolton Hall is devoted to a library, which contains

books about California, student reports, history magazines and more.

A gift shop offers several manuscripts and books about local history

by local authors, past and present, and other tantalizing items.

John Steinbeck in “Grapes of Wrath” asked, “How will we know it’s us

without our past?”

We all share in the history of the land on which we stand. To know how

our society came about and to enjoy the folklore that forms our identity

we can have a clearer idea of where we fit into this small world and how

this world fits into the greater world. It is fun to know the past, to

enjoy the present and anticipate the future; we can be a part of it all.

Almost all the old timers are gone. Now we, the new timers, are

becoming the old timers. If anyone can help out in some small way at the

Bolton Hall Museum, we will all be able to continue to keep this

knowledge and this sharing of history alive.

The museum offers tours to classes of children and other groups by

appointment, research by appointment, meetings each month with great

programs and social events.

The museum doors are open for docent guided tours are from 1 to 4 p.m.

Sunday and Tuesday, meeting days are the second Saturday of the month

except in July and August.