Events

On the Road to the Past, 3/6/22

EVENT INVITATION

“On the Road to the Past”

Speaker: Suzanne Guldimann
When: Sunday, March 6, 2022, 3 p.m.
Where: This event was broadcast on Zoom, then uploaded to our Digital Archive

Suzanne Guldimann, Topanga New Times Editor and longtime Malibu historian, will discuss the complex and sometimes crazy history of roads, rail, and routes in the Santa Monica Mountains, including a trip along the infamous Malibu Railway and a scenic drive through Topanga on the Auto Club’s “Big Oval” route, circa 1915. Learn more about Topanga in our books and archive: www.topangahistoricalsociety.org. Support THS by becoming a Member for $20/year for individuals or $30/year for families.

Learn more about Topanga in our Books and Archive. Support THS by becoming a Member for $20/year for Individuals or $30/year for Families.

Annual Picnic at Pine Tree Circle

Topanga Historical Society To Hold Annual Picnic

Sunday, October 28th, at 12 noon

Meet-and-Greet Pine Tree Circle’s New Owners and Enjoy The Newly Hung Historical Vintage Business Signs at the THS Office!

Topanga’s Pine Tree Circle shopping center is the site for the Topanga Historical Society’s annual picnic to be held on Sunday, October 28th, at 12 noon. The program will include an opportunity to meet and greet the new owners of Pine Tree Circle, Joseph and Nathan, and to view the society’s recently installed collection of vintage Topanga business signs that grace the walls of its office. The program will also include a presentation of the colorful history of the Pine Tree Circle location, and Kathy Burke, former owner of Pat’s Topanga Grill, will be on hand to answer questions about the vintage business signs.

Bring your best dish to share for the now famous potluck feast! Paper plates, cutlery, coffee, tea, and lemon water will be provided. Please bring a folding lawn or beach chair for comfortable seating. Everyone is invited! Pine Tree Circle is located at 122 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd.

Gail McTune
THS Event Chair

 

Tales from the Beach, Part 1

Ever wonder about the local folklore concerning cabins on Topanga Beach that were demolished in 1978? Or stories before the bulldozing of the Rodeo Grounds in 2003? And how did it get its name anyway? Your curiosity will be satisfied at the Topanga Historical Society Quarterly meeting, Wednesday evening, July 19 at the Topanga Community Club. The potluck begins at 7 PM before the 8 PM program.

 

Topanga Historical Society Ushers in Spring the “Wright” Way, Sunday, April 2017. See you there!

Usher in Spring the “Wright” Way! Join your fellow community members one week from today (Sunday, April 2nd) at the famous Wright Ranch to hear Mary and Eric Wright relate the awesome history of the property, as well as the personal histories and passions this awe-inspiring land has nurtured throughout the years.

In keeping with Topanga custom, the potluck starts at noon so bring some grub and have some fun! Check out this flier or visitwww.topangahistoricalsociety.com for details.

We can’t wait to see you there!

 

Calling All Cowboys! THS Picnic, Sunday, October 23

Join us this Sunday at the famous Cheney Ranch at high noon for a fun fall picnic followed by our quarterly program! Members of our community will be sharing stories and historical information about Topanga’s Cheney Family, one of the longest standing and most storied lineages of Topangans to exist.

Western gear is encouraged so dust off your cowboy boots and Wranglers, don that well-worn 40 gallon hat and mosey on up.

See y’all on Sunday!

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ARTISTRY REVEALED: THE RICE FAMILY SAGA

THS Quarterly Event, April 20, 2016

ARTISTRY REVEALED: THE RICE FAMILY SAGA

Artist Megan Rice is the featured speaker at the Topanga Historical Society’s April 20th program at the Topanga Community House. Her presentation, “Jack and Barbara Rice: Students of Black Mountain College”, will be based on her book Black Mountain College; My Creation Myth which describes the deep and lasting influence Black Mountain College had on her parents.

Founded in 1933, the school was a renowned experimental college that placed inquiry, discussion and experimentation at the center of its artful curriculum. Many well known artists, poets, musicians and dancers taught and performed there.

Those interested in knowing more about the school’s history can visit the Hammer Museum’s current exhibition “Leap Before You Look: Black Mountain College 1933-1957 which is on view now until May 15. The extensive show features many works by Black Mountain College students and teachers including John Cage, Buckminster Fuller, Charles Olson and Peter Voulkos.

Even before they had met Jack and Barbara were interested in Black Mountain College which Jack had learned about from a fellow paratrooper and Barbara from a magazine article. In 1948 shortly after their marriage they drove from California to North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and enrolled in the school that was near Asheville. They spent two years there until Jack’s G.I. bill ran out, and they returned to Los Angeles. In 1956 they moved to Topanga where they bought a one room cabin with an outhouse, and no water or electricity.

Megan writes “Daddy tore out the walls, put up beams, and scrawled literary quotes on them with carpenter’s chalk.” In time the rustic structure became a distinctive two story craftsman style house where Jack and Barbara raised their four children, Megan, Anthea, Caitlin and Aran, and welcomed their wide circle of friends. Megan recalls sitting at the dinner table with her parents’ guests when the conversation was “Black Mountain this, Black Mountain that” and knew “there was clearly great excitement associated with the stories.”

To support his family Jack turned to stone masonry because it was, Megan writes, “ the closest thing to sculpture.” For the next four decades Jack worked with stone, building magnificent fireplaces which Megan estimates number roughly sixty in Topanga alone. Slides of Jack’s work will be included in the presentation, and Randy Just, Jack’s employee of many years, and an accomplished Topanga craftsman in his own right, will contribute colorful memories and insights.

Barbara too devoted herself to artistic expression. Besides caring for her family, raising goats and chickens and tending her vegetable garden, she wrote poetry, often drawing inspiration during her hikes in Red Rock Canyon. She always carried a pencil and index cards ready to jot down phrases that came to her. Examples of her poetry will be read during the presentation

Come at 7:00 p.m. for our community potluck. Bring your best dish. The presentation starts at 8:00 p.m. Organic coffee, tea and lemon water will be provided. The Community House is located at 1440 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd. Signed copies of Megan’s book will be available for purchase as will copies of The Topanga Story Expanded Edition. The program is free and everyone is invited. We will pass the hat to defray the new Community House charges.

Outlaws of Topanga! THS Potluck and Talk Wednesday, January 20th, 7 PM

Come one, come all! Join your fellow Topangans at the TCC (Topanga Community House) on Wednesday, January 20th @ 7 PM, for our quarterly program and potluck.  Topanga Historical Society board member and local historian Eric Dugdale  will regale us with facts and legends surrounding three of Topanga’s most infamous outlaws: Mickey Cohen, Miguel Leonis, and Tiburcio Vásquez.  Please click link below for more information.

Join us for a fun evening of tall tales and amazing insights into some of the more colorful history of our amazing little community!

The potluck starts at 7 PM, so please bring a dish to share along with your favorite libation. We will be providing organic coffee, tea, and lemon water. The program begins at 8 PM and the more, the merrier! We look forward to seeing you there.

*For more info please visit TopangaHistoricalSociety.org

 

 

Topanga Corral Music Reunion was October 27! – SOLD OUT!! THANKS!

Topanga Corral Music Reunion- SOLD OUT!!

The Topanga Historical Society is taking you in a time machine back to the Topanga Corral, for their annual potluck picnic on the old Corral site at Horseshoe Bend.

Music will live again on Tuesday evening, October 27th for one magical night only. The old posse is coming together for this musical reunion.

Gracing the Corral stage will be Taj Mahal, Debbie Ryder, and Little Feat’s Fred and Miles Tackett. Greeting the old posse will be Marie Janisse, keeper of the door back in the day.

Space is limited and the demand will be high.

To attend this historic gathering you must be a member of the Topanga Historical Society. To become a member, or to renew your membership, go to Books and Membership.

Sign up for an individual membership for $20 or a family membership for $30. Once you are a member you can make a reservation for this event . Be sure to follow all the indicated steps and read everything. The reservation list will be at the entrance.

* Only those who have previously RSVP’d, will be admitted to the event.

A $20 door fee that we will be collecting to defray expenses, will be bucketed (paid) online ahead of the event at the THS website.

T-Shirts from 1971, with the original Corral design, will be re-printed and available for sale this one night only. For T-shirt purchases, orders will be taken ahead of time at the Books and Membership and the tee’s can be picked up when checking in for the event. No t-shirt sales will be made at the event, therefore in order to get one of these epic T’s you MUST pre-order & pay online beforehand.

The fun begins at 4PM with our traditional picnic potluck.

If possible, please arrive @ 3:30PM so we can organize the dishes and prep the tables before the potluck begins.

Bring your best dish to share. Paper plates, cups, cutlery, coffee, tea and lemon water will be provided. Also, in Topanga style, bring a lawn chair, pillow, or blanket and dress for the evening chill, since we will be outdoors.

Live Music will go on from 6 – 9 PM.

The Topanga Corral is at 2034 Topanga Cyn. Blvd.

Parking will be along the street and, remember to have all tires well within the white line (off the street). Don’t forget a flashlight!

This event will fill quickly!!!

Don’t be left out because you waited too long to make your reservation!

 Topanga Historical Society is a non-profit.  THS must cover expenses whether the event comes off as planned, or not. There will be no refunds or rain-checks. This is an event for the Topanga community, please be aware that you are donating as we all are. (The T-shirts are a purchased plus.)

**Please remember, EVERYONE needs a paid reservation in advance to attend.

Helpful hints:

  1. Only join THS if you want to be a member, not just for this event.
  2. Reservations are limited.  Reservations will be given out first to volunteers and existing members as of October first, 2015.  Then to new members as received.  (volunteers need to be members and to make reservation online).
  3. Family memberships cover two adults at same address and two children at that address.  Each person needs a reservation for the event.
  4. Reality check:  This is an important, fun event.  A small number of people are all volunteering their time and energy to make it happen.  Big thanks to the volunteers, musicians and our speaker as well.  THS will have to pay for the event expenses, most up front.  That is why we are not offering rain checks or refunds.  If you are okay with that come on in and join us.  We are doing it for the community.

*You must be a member to make a reservation.

Questions can be addressed to buztarlow@hotmail.com

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