Frisbie Brown

I had the occasion to meet Mr. Brown back in the early eighties.
He was still living in his home on the corner of Los Angeles ave and Sequoia (now a strip mall)
This house would soon be moved to it's current location mentioned in this article.
It was like talking to a living history book about living in Simi back in the day.
When I introduced myself,
 he said he once knew my father,
but as we continued talking, it turned out he was really talking about my Grandfather.


http://www.simivalleyacorn.com/news/2004-03-05/Neighbors

Giving Credit

Some of the pictures used in this blog are from Bill Appleton, and some from the Strathearn historical park and museum. If any one wishes me to not use these photos,
 let me know and I will delete them.

While you are at it, please buy Mr. Appleton's book
Santa Susana


Or join the museum.
The museum

Let it snow

A photo to get you into the winter/holiday spirit...SNOW IN SIMI VALLEY! Here's a snowy photo taken in Santa Susana in c.1916. It was taken in front of the Crinklaw Building which was on the south side of Los Angeles, just east of Tapo Street. It was about 3 buildings over from where the Santa Susana Garage was...the building that was the Santa Susana Garage is still there today.

Picture used without permission (sorry)

Lots of pictures

Lots of pictures

The Train depot

The first picture is from a movie still taken in 1949
from a movie called "Impact", which I happened to catch on T.C.M.

The second is from the seventies when the trains had long ceased to stop for passengers.
They almost tore this down as well, but sold it to the park district for a dollar and then moved it to the knolls.

And finally in it's new home celebrating it's 110 birthday next year. Thank goodness they did not just tear it down like so much of Simi's past. I seem to remember picking up my father at the train station on what would of been one of the last passenger trains to stop in town for many years. I remember going inside and feeling the history even as a child.

The depot website.
Simi Train depot

First Impressions

As I recall,
it was raining when I first arrived in Simi Valley December 1963.
I was six years old.
My first memory was my parents calling a place called Chicken Delight to deliver dinner,
 they got lost,
so it's fair to assume the chicken dinner was cold that night.

 The first and for many years only traffic signal in town was at Tapo st. and Los Angeles Ave,
 just west of the train depot.
Eucalyptus trees lined the entire length of our "Main Street" Los Angeles Ave.
Tract homes by the hundreds were just beginning to sprout up,
 but acres and acres of orange groves were still everywhere.

In 1960, Simi Valley was a small town with a little over 8,000 residents,
and by 1965 the number rose to over 40,000,
me being one of the many newcomers.



The only way into town from the east was the two lane winding Santa Susana pass road,
 and the only way out west was highway 118 through Moorpark.

Many of the old ranch and farm houses still coexisted with the new arrivals,
 but most if not all have since been torn down.
The original high school which soon became Center Jr. High school had a lovely classic brick two story main building complete with an auditorium (destroyed in the 71 earthquake)

The new (and still ugly) Simi high school was just being built.
The even newer and equally ugly Royal high would be built a few years later.

To many former  residents myself included,
Simi became a bland community void of any real personality.........
But once upon a time not so long ago,
the smell of orange blossoms filled the air,
and I feel very fortunate to have grown up their.

The last time I visited
 was back in 2005 when my brother Doug and I took a drive down memory lane,
and could hardly recognize what Simi had become.

Likely I will never return again, except in my mind.

Join me as I recall the days when Simi was a small town,
 and a wonderful place to be a kid.