Remembering Dorothy Rush

Video of Dorothy recounting history of La Habra.

Dorothy Rush's video is available to be viewed at home on your computer. 

The link is:  

http://vimeo.com/54687217

 

It is the video that is shown in the museum theater. 

Submitted by Suzette Eschberger.

Dorothy May Rush

Community Activist and Museum Supporter

Former La Habra City Council member Dorothy May Rush, who had been in declining health for the past two months after falling and breaking her hip, died November 30th at Imperial Convalescent Hospital in La Mirada at the age of 78.
 

Rush will be known as a community activist who was determined to rid her community of gang violence, graffiti, and rundown housing in La Habra.  In 1994, Rush was the continued target of gang violence, having her home shot at several times.

Rush, a retired dressmaker and Head Start teacher's aid, served on the council from 1994 to 2002. She served as mayor 1997-98.

Rush was married to her husband, Larry, for more than 55 years. The couple had four daughters: Ruth, Kathy, Linda, and Terry.  

A memorial service will be held this Wednesday, December 5th at 11 a.m. at Green Hill Baptist Church located at 2200 West Imperial Highway. 

For more information please contact Jim Gomez at (714) 329-0365. 

Submitted by Suzette Eschberger.

Defenders of Our Freedom

The La Habra Historical Museum has opened a new exhibit, "Defenders of Our Freedom," in honor of our military, past and present.  The exhibit features uniforms from WWI through today, and memorabilia on loan from over 40 different individuals.

It also features a tribute to Sgt. 1st Class William T. Brown, the La Habra Green Beret who was MIA in the Vietnam War and whose remains were only recently recovered. 

The museum is open at 201 E. La Habra Blvd., Saturday, noon-4pm.  For special tours or more information call Suzette Eschberger at (562) 999-6453.  The exhibit runs through March 16, 2013.

http://ochistorical.blogspot.com

Kent Roberts Honored

Congratulations to La Habra Historical Museum's Kent Roberts!

Kent Roberts received the La Habra Chamber’s Citizen of The Year award at the 72nd Annual Awards and Board Installation on July 11.


Kent has been active in practically every charitable group in the community during the past 35 years. He currently serves on the boards of the Boys and Girls Clubs of La Habra, the Children’s Museum and Landmark Development. He is also actively helping CRCC expand its facilities, and made the Old Settlers Historical Museum become a reality.

As a boy he helped his father and uncle with the La Habra Host Lions Corn Festival and he still is a member of the Lions.

Dedicated to serving his community, Kent is certainly appreciated for all his efforts on behalf of the Museum.

Congratulations for a well-deserved honor!!!

Kent Roberts at opening of La Habra Historical Museum

The Real News, La Habra Journal

Volunteers Welcome and Wanted!!!

 Helpful volunteers having fun while enthusiastically setting up exhibit.

Take part in future exhibitions!

Volunteers who think they might enjoy developing exhibitions are always welcome! 

Contact the museum staff to help set up the next exhibit. 

The more the merrier! Any and all have something to contribute.

Share your talents! Bring ideas, hammers, screw drivers, paint brushes, computer skills, graphic design concepts... any and all talents welcome. 

Be part of history!!!

OC Roundup Tribute to Esther Cramer

Thank you, Chris Jepsen-- from OC Roundup (http://ochistorical.blogspot.com/), for a lovely tribute to Esther Cramer. 

We are borrowing your photo of the tribute exhibit.

 

Celebration of Life for Esther Cramer

A lovely "Celebration of Life" was held for Esther Ridgeway Cramer today at the La Habra United Methodist Church. 

Friends, La Habra mayor James Gomez, as well as grandson Patrick Esguerra and son-in-law Ward Ching gave touching recollections of this special person in their lives.

Esther will be missed.

Esther Ridgeway Cramer

Historian, Author, Philanthropist, Businesswoman, Friend

Esther Cramer passed away on Sunday morning, April 15, 2012 at the USC Keck Hospital.

After a long and heroic battle with ovarian cancer, Esther died only 14 weeks after her beloved husband Stanley E. Cramer died. They had been married 63 years and made their home in La Habra.

Esther was a unique lady and was admired by all of us.  She will remain in our memories forever.

A memorial is set for Saturday, June 9, 11:00 a.m., at the United Methodist Church, located at 631 N. Euclid in La Habra.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Esther's memory to the La Habra Historical Museum, the La Habra United Methodist Church, or USC Norris Cancer Hospital Gift Fund.

La Habra's Citrus Past

The Days of Oranges, Lemons, and Avocados in La Habra

New  Exhibit now open at the La Habra Historical Museum.

Please join us for a wonderful look at La Habra's Citrus past as we take visitors through the days of citrus growing, the avocado and walnut groves, and the packing houses

Submitted by Suzette Eschberger

North OC Heritage Festival & Conference

March 15, Thu.- 1 PM-8 PM
At the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton, CA 92833

Everyone Welcome!!!

$20/person to conference (including meals) /$30 for festival booth/ Free to attend festival

Contact: 866-411-1212 Ticket Line for more info, registration or booth space

Sponsors: Orange County Community Foundation, Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton Heritage, Carol Hasenberg Exhibits, Hispanic Genealogical Society

Conference Schedule:

1 PM Introductions

1:30 PM Roundtable Discussion on Cooperative Marketing Strategies -Zoot

3:30 PM PANEL: Volunteers, Members & Board Recruitment-

5 PM Dinner

6:30-9 PM Heritage Festival- Free to Public- “Come Find Your Heritage” (heritage groups have booths with information on their programs). Rancho era dancers and musicians will be performing.

From 1 PM- 5 PM Heritage groups from all over the region will converge and attend a planning session on a joint region-wide event that will be marketed all over the area and cross-promote these agencies; as well as a panel discussion on volunteer, member and board recruitment techniques that have been successful. At 5 PM a networking dinner will be provided to all attendees of the conference.

At 6:30 PM all groups will work their booths in our first Heritage Festival. History buffs of all ages can come and find out what resources exist in the community such as historic homes, museums, parks, and resources to document your own family history or find the history of your house or neighborhood. We will have entertainment with historic dances and music from our Rancho past, food vendors, a kids area and gallery and historic house tours of the Muck.

Swamp Lily Blooming Soon

The lily is doing quite well and we look forward to a blossom some time soon!

Many thanks to a beautiful lady, Eunice Launer Harris.

Submitted by Suzette Eschberger

Spring Citrus Fair Exhibit Coming Soon!

Be a part of history at the La Habra Spring Citrus Fair coming up the weekend of April 20-22!!!

If you have a story to share, photos, pictures, objects, or anything that relates to the Citrus industry in La Habra, we would love to hear from you. Tools would be especially welcomed, but please, no smudge pots!!!

Please contact Suzette at suzette.lhhm@gmail.com or stop by the museum basement M and W from 9 a.m. to 12 noon to loan your items to the museum for the Citrus Fair exhibit.

Thank you and hope to see you at our special Spring Citrus Fair Exhibit!

Submitted by Suzette Eschberger

Memorial Service for Stan Cramer

A memorial for Stan Cramer will be held on Saturday, February 25 at the United Methodist Church. A light lunch will follow the memorial, and we will open the Historical Museum for a short time thereafter.

Time:
11:00 a.m.

Date:
Saturday, February 25, 2012

Location:
United Methodist Church
631 N. Euclid Street
La Habra, CA 90631

If you wish to make a donation in memory of Stan, please make out your checks to the Old Settlers Historical Society.

Our deepest sympathy to Esther Cramer and family.

Submitted by La Habra Old Settlers Historical Society

A Sad Goodbye to Dorothy Ashby, Librarian

Long time resident Dorothy Ashby passed away on Feb. 4. Her memorial service was last Sunday, Feb. 19. She was a librarian at our very own building when it was the library, then she worked at La Habra High School for many years as the librarian. We currently have a side exhibit of her collection in tribute to her. There is a wonderful videography of Dorothy Ashby available at the museum's theater.

Thank you, Dorothy, for your many years of service to La Habra. We will miss your friendly smile.

Submitted by Suzette Eschberger

The Life and Art of Betty Lou Nichols

The name Betty Lou Nichols is associated mostly with the popular head vases of the late 1940s and 1950s. Yet Betty Lou also made a variety of figurines and paintings as well.

Visit the La Habra Historical Museum, 215 E. La Habra Blvd, La Habra and learn about this local artist who operated her ceramics business in La Habra from 1945-1962.

View some rare art pieces that have been obtained by the museum for this exhibit.

The Life and Art of Betty Lou Nichols, opens January 7 and runs through March 31, 2012.

There is no charge for admission. The museum is open on Saturdays from 12-4 p.m.

Submitted by Suzette Eschberger.

Exhibit Schedule through March 2012

The La Habra Historical Museum will be closed over the holidays.

Exhibit dates for 2012 will be as follows:

2012
January 7, 14, 21, 28
February 4, 11, 18, 25
March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Have a wonderful Holiday Season and we'll see you again in January 2012!

Please feel free to post photos and comments!

A Muckenthaler History Day at the LHHM

Date: Saturday, December 10, 2011
Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Zoot Velasco, Executive Director of the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, will be at the La Habra Historical Museum to sign the new book, Arcadia's Images of America: The Muckenthaler Cultural Center.

There will also be a power point presentation of the history of the Muckenthaler family and North Orange County.

Hope to see you there!

Submitted by Suzette Eschberger

New Exhibit Opens this Saturday

Don't forget new changing exhibit opens this Saturday!!!

Christmas with Betty Lou Nichols

November 12 through December 17, 2011
Saturdays, Noon-4:00 p.m.

Share photo of your favorite piece!

Swamp Lily Now at Museum

Eunice Launer Harris and Swamp Lily

The Swamp Lily is here at the museum! It is wonderful to have a living artifact that represents a significant era of La Habra and the determined pioneers who settled in the area.

The lily and the plaque were generously donated to the museum by Launer family members.

It is now in its dormant stage, but stop by and take a look at the Swamp Lily, a direct (and living) tie to La Habra's past, and the beautiful plaque.

THE SWAMP LILY

AMACRINUM

Generic Hybrid Between AMARYLLIS and CRINIUM

In 1898 John and Anna Launer and their sons traveled by train from Highland, Illinois to settle in La Habra with other Swiss families.

There was an accident in Arizona and the Launers' freight car was damaged.

This Swamp Lily is a descendant of the original plant saved from the wreck.

The plant has persevered through the years thanks to the loving care given by generations of family members, and now the Swamp Lily is back on the original 20 acres once owned by the Launer family.

Ruthmarie Launer Gruber and Eunice Launer Harris.