Menifee Valley Historical Association

Here is our latest historical monument video of the James B Ferrell and Evans family. James homesteaded property that is now part of Audie Murphy Ranch. The historical monument is located at the Audie Murphy Sports Park located off Rattle Dance Way. Click on the image to watch the video on our YouTube Channel. Enjoy!! #MenifeeHistory

People have asked I see some old old foundations next to Scott Road. What was there?. Here’s the answer: http://www.menifee247.com//remnants-of-pratt-guthrie-house... #menifeehistory

The Homestead Act of 1862 has been called one of the most important pieces of Legislation in the history of the United States. Signed into law in 1862 by Abraham Lincoln after the secession of southern states, this Act turned over vast amounts of the public land to private citizens. 270 millions acres, or 10% of the area of the United States was claimed and settled under this Act. A homesteader needed to be the head of a household and at least 21 years of age to claim a 160 a...cre parcel of land. Settlers from all walks of life including newly arrived immigrants, farmers without land of their own, single women and formerly enslaved people worked to meet the challenge of "proving up" the land. Each homesteader had to live on the land, build a home, make improvements and farm for 5 years before they were eligible to "prove up". A filing fee was the only money required. The Homestead Certificate shown is for Andrew Kittilson who filed 1883 in Los Angeles for a fee of $16. How was the property surveyed? A survey party consisted of a surveyor using a transit, a rodman using a rod, and two chain men using chains. Each chain is made up of 100 links, measuring 66 feet. A 160 acre parcel measures 2,640 feet on each side. The photo of this survey party is dated 1890 - location unknown. The surveyor is on the far right and the chain men and rodman are in the center Some of Menifee's best known early Homesteaders include the Kittilson, Harrison, Kirkpatrick, Christensen, and Ferrell families. #menifeehistory

Samuel Hercules Bouris was born December 25, 1895 in a mountain village in Greece. Sam was one of six boys and two girls. At the age of 16, in 1911 he immigrated to America joining brothers George and Ted in search of a better life. In 1923, the three brothers purchased 640 acres in Menifee along Highway 395 (now I-215). They also acquired a store in Lake Elsinore. While Ted managed the store, George and Sam grew a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, olives, figs, gr...apes, nuts and citrus. Sam made weekly trips to the Los Angeles market to sell their produce and returned with other produce to sell at local markets in Perris, Lake Elsinore and Murrieta. On Sept 10, 1930, Sam became a citizen of the United States. In 1954, Sam made a trip to Greece and there he met Maria Panopolous. She captured his heart and they were married in Athens in October. He brought her back to Menifee and they continued to farm. Maria and Sam’s son Peter was born on June 16, 1957 on Father’s Day. Peter followed in his fathers footsteps and farmed in Menifee. Sam passed away in January 1964 due to Leukemia.

Alice Roberts is milking her goat (front left) and is joined by her mother, Callie (Walker) Roberts and brother Lerner. The goat is in a stanchion to facilitate milking. #menifeehistory

Ready for our second video? Click on the photo for a short video about the 1890 Menifee Schoolhouse. #MenifeeHistory https://youtu.be/X6L9-sO6N88

Visitors to the Charlie Bailey Ranch at the northwest corner of Haun and Scott Road in 1918 pose on sacks of newly harvested grain. Before the advent of the self-propelled combine, grain went into burlap bags and was hand stitched by the man riding on the harvester. Then the 100 pound sacks were loaded onto wagons for the trip back to the storage area. #menifeehistory

In today’s 1/10/21 Press Enterprise Newspaper, MVHA applied for and was awarded a grant to make videos of the 12 Historic Monuments around the city. Stay tuned #menifeehistory https://www.pe.com//menifee-valley-historical-association/.

Harrison Family Ranch (Scott and Antelope) was visited by Larry Englehart, metal detector in 2019. We took this photo from a picture hanging on the wall at the ranch before Mrs. Harrison moved. Date unknown. Antelope Road is on left. Link to Larry’s hunt: https://youtu.be/0to7arQY6sU

This inkwell about 4 inches tall was found on the site of the 1890 Menifee School which was located on the southwest corner of Newport and Bradley Roads near the Arco gas station. Discovered while metal detecting and donated to the Menifee Valley Historical Association by Larry Englehart in 2016.

The Kirkpatrick family was one of the first families to homestead land in Menifee in 1882 under the Homestead Act of 1862. According to family sources the Kirkpatrick home was built around 1890 and was one of the most majestic homes in the valley. The local paper wrote at Christmas time one year that when guests of the Kirkpatrick’s came to call, the guests were welcomed in the comfortable old fashioned home with its spacious rooms and cherry fireplace. The lovely Christma...s tree stood in the corner with packages distributed to latecomers. A sumptuous holiday dinner was served, two turkeys gracing the feast with the table decorated in red candles. In the evening, all gathered on the living room and sang carols. The mother of the Kirkpatrick’s was the happiest of them all.’ The red line on the aerial delineates access to the Kirkpatrick home. #menifeehistory See more

CALLIE KIRKPATRICK'S CHILDREN. Gathered around their mother on Christmas are her nine children, Lula, Robert, Wert, Bettie, Mary, Jennie, Felix, Lloyd and Leonard standing in the back on the porch. Most of the children attended the 1890 Menifee School. #menifeehistory Happy Holidays to all! Elinor Martin, Bill Zimmerman, Betty Bouris, Ina May Zeiders, Julie Zimmerman, Lesley Stevens, Katie Keyes, Mike and Shirley Vaughn... Menifee Valley Historical Association Board Members See more

The Antelope-Menifee Home Department, founded in 1931 served the Menifee Valley continuously until February 2012. This group, among others, lobbied the Public Utilities Commission and was successful in getting a telephone line into the southern part of the Menifee Valley in 1958. The Antelope-Menifee Home Department's name was changed to Antelope-Menifee Women's Club in the 1980s to encourage new residents to join the club. This photograph was taken at the Wrightview Ranch in 1947. Some of the women shown here are Hazel and Norma Brown (3rd & 4th from left), Christine Wright with her baby and Rolann Sanders. Next is Nan Sanders, Alice Roberts Brown and Callie Roberts. All others are unknown. #menifeehistory

McGRATH'S HONEY BUSINESS Belle and Stanley McGrath are holding a frame filled with honey in the comb and a jar of honey after it was extracted. Stanley was proud of the black sage honey his bees produced and its clarity. #menifeehistory

This photograph shows a five-yoke team of oxen hauling timber out of the mountains to the valley below. An area known as Thomas Mountain was the nearest forest for wood gathering. This photo is likely the Kirkpatrick family who would camp and bring lumber from that area to their homestead. c1899 #menifeehistory Information about Thomas Mountain can be found at this link - https://www.summitpost.org/thomas-mountain/763695

Cleo Judson owned this rig and drilled wells for many Menifee valley residents. Charlie Bailey, who lived at the NW corner of Haun and Scott Road was a water witcher more commonly known today as dowsers. He used his talent to locate where to drill the wells. Not everyone had this talent. #menifeehistory

Thirty minute virtual Nature and Me classes with Menifee Park Rangers. See below to register.

James B. Ferrell came to Menifee Valley in 1887 from Ohio and homesteaded on the area now known as the Audie Murphy Ranch. James and his wife Sarah had nine children. He built a six-room house hauling the lumber from Colton and the San Bernardino Mountains. He raised Jersey and Holstein cattle as well as thoroughbred horses on his ranch. J.B. Ferrell died from injuries he suffered when a forge fell on him in 1902 while working on the Newport Ranch. He only lived in Menifee for 16 years, but 6 generations of his have lived in Menifee. Most of those descendants are in the Zeiders Family. c1887 #menifeehistory

The name McCall is familiar to most residents of Menifee. When the active retirement community of Sun City was first being built, its main thoroughfare, McCall Boulevard was known as Grand Boulevard. In the mid-60's it was changed to McCall in honor of Fred McCall. Pictured here in 1926 is Lelia and Fred McCall with Mildred and twin sons Lloyd and Floyd. Fred served on various local farm service organizations. He also served 12 years on the County Hospital Board and Plannin...g Commission. In 1954 he was elected to Riverside County Board of Supervisors representing the Fifth District. He served nine years until his passing in 1963. Floyd also became a County Supervisor, and their son Lloyd served as a trustee and school board president in both Romoland and Hemet. Four generations of McCalls have lived in the Menifee Valley area. #menifeehistory See more

Evans Fish Camp on Railroad Canyon Reservoir opened in May 1937. The Temescal Water Company constructed a dam on the San Jacinto River in 1929 and created the reservoir. They owned the lake and leased the concession to the George Dewey Evans family. Not expecting such a large crowd of over 1,000 people on opening day, George had to cut the fences of his pasture to allow the cars to reach the lake! This first building acted as an office and housed a tent on the back for sleeping at the property if required. They had seven boats to rent to customers but as you can imagine, most of the anglers fished from the shoreline that day. Another building and several cabins were built the following year. Darlene Evans is pictured here. #menifeehistory

The majestic snow capped San Jacinto Mountains to the east, make a beautiful backdrop for this photo of the barns and outbuildings located on the William Newport Ranch. The date of the photo is Jan 1, 1905. The present location of the entrance to the ranch would be on the north side of Newport and Evans Roads. William Newport owned 120 full-blooded horses (a thoroughbred or a purebred horse) and raised prize berkshire hogs. Mr. Newport employed over 30 men on his ranch that exceeded 2,000 acres. #menifeehistory

KIRKPATRICK CHUCKWAGON All large farms and ranches in Menifee had a cook and chuckwagon to feed the hired men. This photograph shows the cook in his apron and the hungry men waiting for their meal. Hearty meals were required for the long hours ahead. Chuckwagon food typically included easy-to-preserve items like beans and salted meats, coffee, and sourdough biscuits. Did you know - the name chuckwagon comes from the word chuck," which was a slang term for food. #menifeehistory

This photo is taken in 1892 on the steps of the Menifee School that was located on Bradley, just souoth of Newport Road. The teacher was Miss Eliza F. Auld, Trustee Jacob Walters is holding his son Ernie Walters. Back row-Gertrude Pope, Nola Walters, Lena Holland, Amanda Cresmer, Bessie Anderson, Ruie Walters, Alma Teel, May Anderson, Pearl Cook, Zona Walker, Etta Cook, Lita Cook, Nettie Allen, Margery Allen and Cliff Anderson. Front row Charlie Cresmer, Nelson Arnold, Henry Aiken, Fred Fortine, Rufus Holland, Harvey Teel, Roy Cook, Charles Pope, Claude Walker, Ben Teel, John Walker. #menifeehistory

Walter Zeiders is harvesting wheat in a field west of Antelope Road in 1930. You can see Bell Mountain in the distance. #menifeehistory

Close to 70 years ago, you could have ordered breakfast, lunch or dinner at Chub's Cafe (SE corner of Scott and Antelope). #menifeehistory

This is a photo of the Ethanac Cash Store. It was located in the Ethanac community, which at the time was named for Ethan Alan Chase a citrus grower in the area. The community’s name was later changed to Romoland to reflect its proximity to the nearby Ramola Farms development. A sign indicates that the store also served as the local post office and perhaps the small sign on the left is for a telegraph office, since the Menifee Siding was nearby at the railroad tracks. #menifeehistory

Jay Wickerd owned forty-eight acres on the northwest corner of Bradley and Scott Road. He had lots of fruit trees and grew vegetables on his property.