Pacific Palisades Historical Society Surveys Rustic Canyon’s History

A slideshow on the history of Rustic Canyon will be presented by Palisades historian Randy Young at Rustic Canyon Recreation Center on May 18 at 3 p.m.

The presentation will include California's first experimental forestry station and the exploits of the Uplifters, a social club that originally owned the park grounds. The meeting will also feature information on the Jan. 7 fire’s impact on locations of historical importance, the challenge of salvage and restoration, and ways that Pacific Palisades heritage can inform the rebuilding of the community. 

Fortunately, the blaze did not affect most of the society’s collection of historic photos, documents, postcards, clippings, and other ephemera, according the a society press release.  More than 450 photos related to the Palisades are accessible in the digital collections of the Los Angeles Public Library, and around 3,000 photos are part of the society’s Clearwater Collection, photos taken prior to 1960 and gathered by Clifford and Zola Clearwater, who published the Palisadian newspaper for three decades. Santa Monica Public Library holds the collection, which is available online.

More information about the historical society is available here: www.pacificpalisadeshistory.org.

Actor Ted Knight spoke at a rally to save the Palisades Business Block in 1982.