Welcome to

EagleRock100th.com,

Historic postcard of the Eagle Rock Valley in 1923.

a place to share ideas and coordinate efforts toward making the 100th Anniversary of Eagle Rock a fitting and fun event.

Event may not be the best word, as discussion after a preliminary organizing meeting suggests that having events all year around in 2011may be the most desirable way to celebrate Eagle Rock 100th anniversary.

Right now, we are still brainstorming, and sharing ideas- AND YOU CAN HELP!

Send an email, to info@eaglerock100th.com,

or call, write or e-mail any of the participating organizations. contact participating organizations

(I did not leave anybody out on purpose- to have your organization included send an e-mail to boulevardsentinel@gmail.com or call me at 323 255 1053 and tell me your plans for EagleRock100th)

To get things going, I offered to register the domain and setup a preliminary web page- and e-mail address. Here it is!

Below is an article for the October Boulevard Sentinel telling about the brainstorming session, along with photos of the actual giant notepad sheets used to record all the ideas that came out that night.

Check it out and tell us what you think you can help out with, be part of, or completely take on as your own project!

Eagle Rock's 100th Anniversary

(free to distribute widely with attribution to the Boulevard Sentinel)

With a flurry of ideas and a rush of enthusiasm, the planning for Eagle Rock's 100 year anniversary celebration got off to a great start on Tuesday September 8, 2009. A diverse group of Eagle Rock Community members, including numerous leaders, showed up and brought many ideas to the table.

After introductions by Jim Omahan, current CD 14 field deputy, Eric Warren, President of the Eagle Rock Historical Society, gave everyone a short version of the history of the community that was once its own city.

Soon after 1871, when the entire Rancho San Rafael was divided by court order, the Eagle Rock area was turned into a farming community. It was about the turn of the century that the community first had its own church and fledgling community life. The Women's Christian Temperance Union was the first civic organization to call Eagle Rock home, followed by the 20th Century Women's Club. Soon, the Los Angeles Railway brought the trolleys into town and development took off. Many of the craftsman homes were built in this time as well as three elementary schools. In 1911, Eagle Rock incorporated into its own city.

The teens and the twenties were boom years with many houses being built in that time. In 1923, Eagle Rock gave up its cityship to be annexed by the city of Los Angeles. Two of the big reasons were for access to Mulholland's water and for a high school.

Eric told about the growth of the business district, first centered around Colorado and Townsend, and later at Eagle Rock and Colorado Boulevards. The last trolley came to Eagle Rock in 1953, and soon after the tracks were removed, but not the medians. In 1961, under the threat of the 134 freeway being built right through the middle of town, Eagle Rock celebrated its 50 year anniversary.

For this celebration, organizers have just over a year to finalize events and dates in time for the printing of a calendar of Eagle Rock's 100th anniversary celebration events. Councilman Jose Huizar has offered to cover the creation and printing of such a calendar.

Here are some of the ideas:

1. An exhibit of the natural and man-made water sources over the 100 years of Eagle Rock.

2. Period appropriate events like a 1911 Church Social with period attire and activities.

3. Historic themed plays and/or skits at Women's 20th Century Club

4. Exhibits of historical collections/ objects/ photographs like at a county fair

5. Street theater/docents - People dressed in period costume that tell about Eagle Rock history

6. Set a specific date and place for Eagle Rock's 100th birthday party

7. Eagle Rock historical mural (one by Dorie Grade in progress now)

8. Historical driving/ walking tour with a brochure and map

9. A parade ending at Eagle Rock Park with festivities

10. Involve school kids - art contest, favorite place- what was Eagle Rock like? essay contest

11. Organize Volunteer (day of service) days - modern day equivalent to barn raising- plant trees - to foster together-ness idea

12. Local merchant promotions -

13. have Eagle part of the L.A. Float for Rose Parade

14. Commemorative Eagle Rock Flag to sell - create Centennial Logo

15. Centennial group photo of everybody in Eagle Rock - or as many as possible

16. Find an honorary mayor for the day- aka Huell Howser

17. New centennial historic signs/ markers around town

18. Elicit other groups to join in like the PTA,

19. Homes built in 1911 to serve as fundraising- event sites - marketing

20. Merchants rollback to 1911 prices for an evening or specific items

21. Spell out Eagle Rock 1911 - 2011 on Hillside in plants chalk- rock etc.

22. Rubber tire Trolley looking bus for special events

23. Shirley Minser to be named grand Marshal or Queen of the Rock

24. Sunset walk to meet and greet merchants and neighbors

25. Eagle Rock trail events and/ or recognition event for the rock

26. Vintage Car Show

27. Time Capsule

28. Antique roadshow at Women's 20th Century Club

29. Include the native Tongva in recognition and celebration

30. Include Spanish and Mexican periods in celebration and recognition

31. Eric Warren to do Eagle Rock History Lecture Series

32. Ad centennial theme to regular Eagle Rock event, like music festival- concert in the park - ice cream social -etc.

33. How to provide transportation for Parade

34. Outreach and marketing sponsored by the Boulevard Sentinel

35. Three big anniversaries - 100- ER, 50- Historical Society, 75- John Miller's birthday

36. Invite restaurants for Taste of Eagle Rock at Park or at fair - and art contest - with a county fair theme

37. Schedule event at ER City hall

38. Keep it NON- POLITICAL!

39. Involve Oxy and High School former principles

40. Search for oldest Eagle Rock Person (with history of Eagle Rock)

41. Revive wall of fame at Eagle Rock City Hall

42. Story telling and oral histories at Eagle Rock Library

43. Venita Pichinich

44. Use empty storefronts for themed events

45. Quilting bees

46. Souvenir themed items - wooden nickels- etc.

It was thought that many of these ideas might be combined and as the meeting's time ran out, the ideas and enthusiasm did not.

The next meeting is scheduled for November 17 at 6:30 p.m., Eagle Rock City Hall.