Thanks to recent progress being made in the fight against COVID-19 in Ventura County, businesses such as restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, massage businesses and places of worship may now open indoors, following California Department of Public Health sector specific guidance for reopening, as of 12:01 pm today. The changes come after the County qualified to move into the less restrictive red tier of the State's four-tiered, color-coded reopening system. Until today, Ventura County had been in the state's purple tier, the most restrictive tier.

“This is great news for our County and our business community. We will continue to advocate for our local businesses and appreciate this opportunity to move forward,” said Mike Powers, County Executive Officer.

In order to move into the red tier, the County had to see average case rates drop below 7 per 100,000 people and testing positivity rates dip below 8%. For the past two weeks, Ventura County has met those benchmarks. As of Tuesday, the case rate is 5.5 per 100,000 people and the test positivity rate is 3.0%.

A new Ventura County Health Officer Order has been issued to align with the tier advancement.

Moving into the red tier means the following sectors can reopen with modifications:

• Places of worship, restaurants, movie theaters and museums can be operated indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is less.

• Gyms can reopen indoors at 10% capacity. 12 feet distancing required in Ventura County.

• All personal care services such as massage, tattoos and piercing salons can open indoors.

• Indoor shopping malls can operate at 50% maximum occupancy (instead of 25%). Food courts can also open following the state's guidelines for restaurants.

• Indoor retail stores can now operate at 50% capacity (instead of 25%)

"The credit belongs to our residents, who have made lots of sacrifices and worked hard to improve our community transmission metrics,” said Rigoberto Vargas, Public Health Director. “That same hard work must continue moving forward so that we don’t revert back to the purple tier and instead continue making progress towards the next tier, orange, so that additional businesses can reopen.”

Elementary and secondary schools can reopen for in-person instruction by October 21 if the county remains the red tier for two more weeks. Currently, elementary schools can apply for a waiver from Public Health to reopen.

“COVID-19 is still circulating in our County. It’s important that community members continue to take all the same precautions so that we can continue to move forward: wear face coverings in public, maintain physical distancing, wash hands frequently and stay home if you're sick,” said Doctor Robert Levin, Public Health Officer.

Community members who have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive person, who have symptoms or who have contact with others outside of their household for their work are encouraged to get tested. County testing sites are available 7 days a week at no cost with no appointment needed. Short wait times and results within 24 hours are the standard right now.

Businesses and other organizations should review their applicable industry guidance for reopening safely from the state. Businesses must also be registered to reopen at www.vcreopens.com. If a business previously registered, they do not need to register again.

The California Department of Public Health has also issued a new Health Equity Metric that goes into effect today. The goal of the metric is to prevent spread among disproportionately impacted Californians. The County of Ventura has been committed to equitable response and serving and protecting the most vulnerable since the beginning of the pandemic. These efforts have included free testing, expanded testing hours and locations, contact tracing, multi-lingual outreach, assistance programs for food, rent and household bills, waived clinic fees, hotel vouchers, permanent housing and more.

“Unlike several other counties, the case rate and testing positivity rates in our most impacted areas do not stand to hold us back from moving tiers. In fact, our positivity rate has improved significantly enough in these areas that we might be eligible for an “accelerator adjustment”, whereby we can move tiers based on that metric alone, even if our overall case rate was to keep us in a lower tier,” said Rigoberto Vargas, Pubic Health Director.

The Health Equity Metric requires that the lowest Healthy Places Index (HPI) quartile be below 8%. To enter the state’s less restrictive Orange Tier, it needs to stay under 5%. The County is currently at 3.6% positivity rate for the lower HPI quartile compared to 3.0% for the County as a whole. The County will continue to support health equity with expanded outreach and support throughout the County.

For more information about COVID-19 in Ventura County, visit www.venturacountyrecovers.org

The Fillmore Historical Museum at 447 Main Street.
Enlarge Photo

The Bunkhouse being moved.
Enlarge Photo

Damage from 1994 earthquake.
Enlarge Photo

The Museum today.
Enlarge Photo

Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

The Fillmore Historical Museum, founded by Edith Moore Jarrett, will soon be celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Edith was born in 1898 in Sespe. She attended the University of Southern California and then returned to Fillmore where she taught high school Spanish for decades. As she taught, she saw a need for Spanish textbooks for high school students. El Camino Real parts 1 and 2 were the result. These were the first Spanish textbooks and were used throughout the nation by generations of students studying the Spanish language.

Edith loved travel and history, so it was inevitable that, in 1970, when the Fillmore Chamber of Commerce began to envision a local museum, they asked her to be its founder. Its first location was on the ground floor of the Masonic Temple building. She put out the word that artifacts were needed, and the locals turned up with hundreds of items from their homes and garages. Very soon volunteers were building cases, organizing the artifacts, and giving tours.

In 1974, Edith bought the Southern Pacific depot for $1 plus 5 cents tax. It was moved from the Southern Pacific right of way to the north side of Main Street near the former fire station where it became the new home for the Museum. When more space was needed Edith purchased a boxcar and filled it with railroad artifacts.

In 1994 the Northridge Earthquake severely damaged the buildings and items in the collection. Museum volunteers rose to the challenge and working with the City of Fillmore, the depot and boxcar were moved to the south side of Main Street. The Corl family donated the small bungalow home of Dr. Ira Hinckley and his wife, Kate and James P. Finch donated bunkhouse #2 from Rancho Sespe. The museum moved both structures and restored them. In 10 years, the Historical Museum had become an Historical Park.

The Museum is currently closed to the public due to Covid-19 but our volunteers have been working behind the scenes on the website, Facebook and on https://theclio.com/entry/99487.

As we work in the collection, we have discovered many hidden gems which we plan on sharing with our visitors. A new exhibit is being created honoring some of our early settlers. This will be ready whenever the museum can re-open.

The Museum receives no financial support from City, County, or State Governments. We are completely supported by donations from our community. The biggest contribution we receive are the many hours our volunteers give to keep the Museum running and welcome our visitors. We are always happy to get new volunteers.

As we approach our golden anniversary, we hope that you, the public will:

• Think about volunteering – there are many ways you can help.

• Add to our collection, we are particularly looking for:
Photos and stories of our military veterans
Photos, stories, and family histories on our settlers, especially those who arrived before 1900.
Oral histories from families – why did your family come to Fillmore, what were their experiences? (We can record/video them)
Photos you would like to share with future generations. We are particularly looking for photos of Piru, “Mexican Town”, Tipperary”, “Stringtown”, Cienega and other communities of our area.

The Fillmore Historical Museum is your community Museum and only exists because of community support. Please call 805 524 0948 or email fillmore.museum@gmail.com to help or to make donations of artifacts.

Pictured above is the Sparr Packing House, 1915 (it had been replaced in 1913 after an earlier fire).
Enlarge Photo

Fire crews fighting the fire - Fillmore Herald, Oct. 1, 1970.
Enlarge Photo

Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

Fifty years ago, this week, our community almost came to an end. Southern California was ablaze with the largest wildfire in its history to date. The Clampitt Fire had started on the morning September 25, 1970, in the Newhall Pass and within a few hours the winds pushed it to Malibu. The fire crested the ridge into the Santa Clara River Valley and soon was threatening homes and ranches along Guiberson Road and as well as Newhall Ranch, Camulos and Piru. At the peak of the emergency, there were 700 men on the fire lines with assistance coming from all over the state.

On the evening of September 25, one group of fire trucks from King City was speeding down Hwy 126 east towards the fire when about three miles west of town, they saw the glow of flames in Fillmore. Rather than going on to Simi Valley to fight the Clampitt fire they diverted into Fillmore. The former Sparr Packing House on southwest corner of Central Avenue and Main was on fire. Built in 1913 after being destroyed by an early fire, it now was leased to the Ventura County Fruit Growers. It was not currently in use. It was later determined that two teen-age boys in the structure “gasoline sniffing”, had ignited the gasoline, burning themselves, and setting the building on fire.

Fillmore’s Fire Department was on standby to respond to the Clampitt Fire at the County Fire Station when the call came in to respond to the packing house fire. By then the building was fully engulfed and spreading to neighboring buildings. Besides the King City Fire Department, units from Ventura County, CalFire, Santa Paula and the U. S. Navy joined the fight.

The fire jumped the railroad track and ignited and destroyed Bricker’s Store. In the store was a supply of unsold fireworks left from the 4th of July which ignited along with some ammunition. Parker and Sons Automotive, which was in the Rudkin Building (2020, Genmai’s location) also suffered damage. Dr. Nelson, whose veterinary clinic was on Santa Clara, rushed to the clinic to evacuate his patients to his home and kept the roof of the clinic wet to prevent the building from igniting. According to Dr. Nelson, the heat from the fire was so intense that the telephone poles at the back of the clinic began to burn. The fire departments were able to keep the fire from spreading to the homes to the west. The packing house itself was a total loss.

So, what was happening with Piru and Bardsdale who were still threatened by the Clampitt fire? According to the October 1, 1970 Fillmore Herald, backfires were set to save at least three homes on Newhall Ranch and residents from Jack Warring’s home on Camulos Ranch to the James Shiell’s home on Guiberson road had to evacuate but were saved. Flames lapped at the edges of Elkins Golf Course. For four days, the fire continued to flare up. In total , the Clampitt Fire scorched 107,103 acres of brush and forest, destroyed 80 structures and killed four civilians (source: University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources).

Fillmore has a history of being threatened by fire from the 1905 fire which destroyed most of the Main Street business district, to 1970, to the Thomas Fire. Unfortunately, this will probably not change, so it’s best to be prepared.

Bertha Zermeno DeLara
Age/Aijos: 73
Hair/Pelo: Brown / Marron
Eyes/Ojos: Brown / Marron
Ctothing/Ropa: Dark Clothing / Ropa
Oscura
Details / Detalles

Deputies need your assistance locating Bertha DeLara, last seen at her residence in the 400 Block of Mockingbird Lane in the City of Fillmore. Bertha has been diagnosed with dementia and will have difficulty finding her way to safcty without assistance. If you have seen anybody matching this description, please call the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office at 805-654-951].

Los oficiales de la policia necesitan su ayuda para localizar Bertha DeLara, vista po Ultima vez en su residencia en el bloque 400 de Mockingbird Lane en la ciudad de Fillmore a las 7:00 p.m. el 19 de Septiembre del 2020. Bertha ¢s una mujer hispana de 73 aiios, de tamaiio medio, pelo castafio y ojos cafes. La vieron por tlma vez con ropa oscura. Bertha ha sido diagnoticada con demencia

Updated

September 16, 2020

Interim Halloween Guidance

As fall approaches families start to plan for the upcoming holiday season beginning with Halloween. Since some of the traditional ways in which this holiday is celebrated does not allow you to minimize contact with non-household members, it is important to plan early and identify safer alternatives. The Ventura County Department of Public Health would like to share information on how to take part in this holiday in a manner that reduces the risk of spreading COVID-19. Since some of the traditional ways in which this holiday is celebrated are not permitted this year, consider some safer alternatives that are listed below.

The State of California is also expected to come out with guidance on this topic.

Halloween Activities
Not Permitted (gatherings and events are not currently allowed under the State Health Order)
- Halloween gatherings, events or parties with non-household members are not permitted even if they are conducted outdoors.
- Carnivals, festivals, live entertainment, and haunted house attractions are not allowed.
Not Recommended
- Door to door trick or treating is not recommended because it can be very difficult to maintain proper social distancing on porches and at front doors, ensure that everyone answering or coming to the door is appropriately masked to prevent disease spread, and because sharing food is risky.
- “Trunk or treating” where children go from car to car instead of door to door to receive treats is also not recommended, particularly when part of Halloween events, since it is difficult to avoid crowding and sharing food.
Permitted and Recommended
- Online parties/contests (e.g. costume or pumpkin carving)
- Car parades that comply with public health guidance for vehicle-based parades including:
a. Drive by events or contests where individuals dress up or decorate their vehicles and drive by “judges” that are appropriately physically distanced.
b. Drive through events where individuals remain in their vehicles and drive through an area with Halloween displays.
c. Drive in events where individuals can receive a treat bag (limited to commercially packaged non-perishable treats) or take away item from an organizer while the participants remain in their vehicle.
- Halloween movie nights at drive in theaters (must comply with the public health drive in movie theater guidance).
- Halloween themed meals at outdoor restaurants (must comply with the restaurant protocol).
- Halloween themed art installations at an outdoor museum (must comply with the public health museum guidance.)
- Dressing up homes and yards with Halloween themed decorations.

Personal Protection Measures
Regardless of how you choose to celebrate Halloween it is important to keep the following in mind:
1. Correctly wear a cloth face covering to prevent disease spread1 when outside your home and around others that are not part of your household
2. Avoid confined spaces - Actively stay away from indoor spaces that don’t allow for easy distancing of at least 6ft between you and others
3. Avoid close contact — Stay at least 6 feet away (3 or more adult steps) from all other people who are not part of your own household, especially while talking, eating, drinking, and singing.
4. Wash or sanitize your hands often.
5. Clean frequently touched items regularly.
6. If you are sick, or you have been in contact with someone who is sick with COVID-19 or has symptoms of COVID-19 stay home, and away from others.

Know where to get reliable information. Beware of scams, false news and hoaxes surrounding novel coronavirus. Accurate information, including announcements of new cases in Ventura County, will always be distributed by Public Health through press releases, social media, and our website. The website has more information on COVID-19 including FAQs, infographics and a guide to coping with stress, as well as tips on handwashing.
Website: www.venturacountyrecovers.org
Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor, Instagram @CountyofVentura
Other reliable sources of information about novel coronavirus are:
¢ California Department of Public Health (CDPH, State)
o https://www.cdph.ca. gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx
¢ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, National)
o http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/novel-coronavirus-2019.html Questions? Please call 2-1-1 24/7 or the Public Information Line: 805-654-2640
Other Public Health resources include the following sites:

¢ California Department of Public Health (CDPH, State) — https://www.cdph.ca.gov/

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, National)

http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/novel-coronavirus-2019. html

National Voter Registration Day is celebrated each year in September. This nonpartisan civic holiday celebrates our democracy and encourages us to use our voice and VOTE! Are you registered to vote? Have you checked your registration for correct address and language preference? It is easier to do than you may think. To get ready for the Nov 3 election, The League of Women Voters Ventura County reminds us there are many on-line options that are quick and simple to use. Register to vote:
Registertovote.ca.gov or lwvventuracounty.org Check your Voter Reg Status: voterstatus.sos.ca.gov or call (800) 345-VOTE (8683) or: Ventura County Clerk-Recorder: www.venturavote.org or 805-654-2664
Teresa Camarillo
Oak View, CA

Enlarge Photo

Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

In 1930, the Piru News ran a series of articles entitled, “What Piru Has….” The paper described the series as “a series of weekly articles describing the various industries, products, organizations, schools, business houses of Piru and vicinity.” Two of the articles addressed the businesses that were in Piru. Below is the second of the two articles.
You can read more of the Piru News at https://cdnc.ucr.edu/

Piru News, Volume IV, Number 41, 20 November 1930
The United Mercantile store is a branch of a Fillmore concern of the same name. Here it had its origin in the Ventura County Cooperative association, organized by W. G. Cornelius and Hugh Warring and which for a time operated three stores in this district.

George Alltis is the present store manager. A general line of dry goods, clothing, notions, shoes, groceries, paints and hardware is sold.

What is now the United Mercantile store was started more than a quarter of a century ago by W G. Cornelius and Hugh Warring.
Cornelius explains that after the Piru Land and Oil company bought the interests of David C. Cook here, a general merchandising store was started by the company with W. H. Fleet as manager.

Then Cornelius and Warring, who already operated a store at Buckhorn, came into Piru and launched a general store and butcher shop. Fleet sold his interests in the company store to a firm called La Point and Lawrence.

A price cutting war ensued between the two stores with Cornelius and Warring meeting the competition with even lower prices until finally such a method was deemed folly and La Point and Lawrence sold their store to Cornelius and Waning.

Lacking funds sufficient to carry on the new owners organized the Ventura Cooperative association with twenty-five members paid up at $l00 each. Cornelius acted as store manager.

The enterprise proved highly successful and it expanded and opened a branch at Fillmore after buying the stores of George Tighe at Fillmore and Sespe. Many new members were then taken into the association from Piru. Fillmore and Bardsdale.

In later years and under new management the concern was incorporated, and it became the present United Mercantile company.

The Pioneer Market which recently was purchased from A. Nelson by Clays and Nary and which later was bought by Clays and Clays, sells all kinds of fresh and alt meats and vegetables and ice. Mr. and Mrs. Clays owned the market some four years before it was sold to Nelson.

Belty’s Barbershop, R O Belty claims to have been operating a place of business longer than any other person in Piru. He has been in the barber business here for 31 years. Belty has three pool tables, two barbershops and sells candy, cigars, hair tonics, etc.

The Mission Inn operated by Mr. and Mrs. B. A. Clough is located on Center street at the Intersection of Telegraph road in its own building. The Cloughs were proprietors first nine years ago and then were out a year They returned in January of this year. Four years ago, the owners doubled the size of the building. Short orders, meals, soil drinks, candies and cigars may be obtained here.

The cook is Miss Lillian Davis and Miss Elizabeth Wagener is the present waitress.

Next down the street Is the Piru Garage operated by J. P. “Slim'’ Davis, handling Standard and Edington gasoline, Willard batteries and doing a general auto repair Davis has been in the garage business there for two and one-half years. The garage is headquarters for the Piru volunteer fire department, the apparatus being housed there gratis.

Ruiz' Barbershop: For three years G. T. Ruiz has been conducting a pool room, barber shop, soft drink place and card tables in a building belonging to the Eastside Brewing company. Tobaccos, cigars and candies also are sold there.

Highway Market: A general line of groceries, meats vegetables, fresh fruits and nuts are sold at the Highway Market, of which Clyde E. Spencer is the proprietor. A real estate and insurance business is also conducted in this store. Spencer, who formerly was the local bank manager, has considerable trade from motorists as well as townspeople living in that section of town. He takes a pride in keeping his store looking ''shipshape" and clean.

The Bowdle and Bowdle service station is 100 per cent Richfield in gasoline and oils. Tires and various auto accessories also are sold there. Five cabins for tourists are operated in connection with the service station and during the tourist season a rood business is done in rentals. The Piru dance hall is situated on the Bowdle property. This structure is 40 x 80 feet in dimension.

Across the bridge from Bowdle's a gasoline station was installed this summer and is operated by Tom Dominguez.

Harry’s Lunch: "T-Bone" Harry Ridenbaugh conducts a restaurant at the intersection of Telegraph road and Center street. Meals and short orders, soft drinks and ice cream products are sold here.

Opposite Harry’s lunch is Stewart's Garage, oil station, and machine shop. The proprietors are Albert and his father, A. J Stewart. General automobile repair work is done here.

The Ramona Garage which soon is to be the home of the Piru Ford automobile agency in a new building now under construction. is conducted at the Telegraph road and Main street intersection by James and Ace Wallace, brothers. This is another 100 per cent Richfield station.

In addition to doing a general repair business, soft drinks, candies, tobaccos and oranges are sold here.

Tate's Garage: On the dairy road south of town, Oliver Tate does a gasoline, oil and automobile repair business at a place known as Tate's garage.

La Victoria Store is a Mexican chain store is situated on Main street doing business in a general line of groceries.

One of the latest additions to the business section is a physician’s office which was opened a few months ago by Dr. Hart D. Wilson, a young man who came here after serving his internship in an Oakland hospital.

For twenty years William Chessani has had a shoe repair and harness shop in Piru His shop is now on Center street. He formerly conducted the business in a room at his home.

Missing Person: Bertha Zermeno DeLara, 73, Fillmore.

At 5pm today there will be a community meeting in St. Francis church parking lot for Bertha DeLara.

Experienced walkers, hikers and truck owners are greatly appreciated.

If you must bring children, please be prepared to walk through neighborhoods and businesses with flyers.

BRING MASKS.

Bertha was last seen at her residence in the 400 Block of Mockingbird Lane in the City of Fillmore.

She answers to “Mom” and may be hiding.

She is known to hold on to cars when walking and could be in a state of fear.

Please immediately offer her water and food if located.

Bertha prefers to speak English and will not respond easily to Spanish

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help in locating an at-risk elderly Fillmore woman who walked away from her house late last night.

Bertha Zermeno DeLara is 73-years-old and suffers from dementia. She walked away from her residence located in the 400 block of Mockingbird Lane. Bertha is described as a Hispanic female, 5’4” 170 lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing dark clothing.

Anyone with information about DeLara’s whereabouts should call the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office at (805)654-9511.

Nature of Incident: Missing Person At Risk
Report Number: 20-130504
Location: 400 block of Mockingbird Lane, Fillmore, CA 93015
Date & Time: September 20, 2020 @ 12:00 AM
Unit(s) Responsible: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent, City of Residence, Age
(MP) DeLara, Bertha Zermeno, Fillmore, 73
Prepared by: Sergeant William Hutton (805)881-3438, william.hutton@ventura.org
Media Follow-Up Contact: Sergeant William Hutton (805)881-3438, william.hutton@ventura.org
Booking Photo Release: Captain Garo Kuredjian

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

A hearty welcome to our new BUNNIN CHEVROLET dealership.

Bunnin Chevrolet of Fillmore opened August 14, 2020. This is Leo Bunnin's third Chevrolet dealership. The others are Bunnin Chevrolet and Cadillac in Santa Barbara, Bunnin Chevrolet in Santa Paula (opened November 2019) and now Fillmore. Due to covid restrictions, no date has been set for the official grand opening party, but everyone is welcome to stop by and look at the newly renovated showroom, complete with the newest Chevrolet models on display, including the all new Chevrolet Corvette, coming soon.

Bunnin's goal is to reopen the dealership's Cafe as soon as possible and safe to do so. It will be called LEO's Cafe and will include breakfast and lunch favorites that Fillmore residents were used to.

Leo Bunnin is a third generation car dealer whose family has been in the automobile business for over 70 years, and "we salute the Morris family who started this dealership in 1929. We plan to give "back to the community" which has been a long standing business credo for Leo Bunnin and his dealerships. We are so happy and proud to be your new hometown dealership and look forward to seeing everyone here whether it be for Service, Parts, Sales (new and used as well as medium to heavy duty trucks)."

Leo Bunnin - Owner and Dealer Principal.

David W. Rowlands, Fillmore City Manager.

The City Council of Fillmore wants your input. The City, working with the Conflict Resolution Institute, will be hosting a virtual Community Conversation, on Saturday, September 26 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. Small break out groups will be used and we will have English and Spanish language groups and interpreters. You may participate via phone or computer.

The community conversation is designed to see how the community feels, highlight specific experiences, and understand what the next steps envision. The City Council is committed to making life better for everyone in the community. The only way that the City Council can know your experiences and thoughts is through your participation.

To register for this event the link is, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-city-of-fillmore-virtual-community-conv...

Registration is also available on the following city social media platforms – city web page, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Let’s work together to keep Fillmore the “Best Last Small Town.”

Piru in 1906. The Ventura County Cooperative which would become United Mercantile, Piru Billiards, and the Piru Post Office.
Enlarge Photo

Ideal Billiard and Barbershop Ad from April 24, 1930.
Enlarge Photo

Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

In 1930 and 31, the Piru News ran a series of articles entitled, “What Piru Has….” The paper described the series as “a series of weekly articles describing the various industries, products, organizations, schools, business houses of Piru and vicinity.” Two of the issues addressed the business that were in Piru. Below is the first of the two articles.
You can read more of the Piru News at https://cdnc.ucr.edu/
Piru News, Volume IV, Number 40, 13 November 1930

PIRU BUSINESS Part 1
Piru has a bank, a drugstore, four grocery stores, six gasoline filling stations, and garages, a furniture store, a general store selling almost every article in common use. a gent’s furnishings and notions store, three combined barbershop and pool rooms, two restaurants and other smaller businesses.

The Bank of America, a branch institution until last week under the name Bank of Italy, has been operating as a part of the great banking chain since February 8 when it was taken over from the Fillmore State Bank. The state bank started here in June 1918 as a branch of the Fillmore institution. In good times deposits at the local bank have reached a total of $350,000. Owing to business depression deposits just now are under that figure. The bank was started as a one-man affair by W. L. Ramsay who operated it for six months. Clyde E. Spencer then took charge and managed it for three years when he resigned to enter the real estate business. James Brady is the present manager and is assisted by Leo Sheffield. teller. Brady declares that all charges for various transactions are unusually low at the local bank. The bank owns its own building, a neat brick structure at Center and Main streets.

The Drugstore: An up-to-date drugstore carrying a complete line of articles usually sold in a modern pharmacy is operated by E. C. Brehm, who has been in the drug business for 31 years and who has been a registered pharmacist 24 years. A large line of soft drinks and ice cream concoctions are sold at the soda fountain. All kinds of drugs, drug sundries, patent medicines, toilet articles, stationery, clocks, magazines, etc., are sold here. Brehm makes a specialty of filling prescriptions. The owner came here three years ago and about a year ago built the red brick structure that houses the store. The business was purchased from A. L, Wilkie, who gave Piru its first drugstore on November 25, 1925. Brehm has been a druggist in Missouri, Kansas and Texas.

Situated beside the bank is the Ideal Billiard Parlor and Barbershop of T. H. Green who built the brick structure in which the business is housed four years ago after operating in another structure for three years. Two barber chairs and a soft drink, tobacco and cigar counter are located in the front room. In the rear there are two pool tables and two snooker tables which usually are kept busy especially of evenings.

Macy’s Grocery Store, operated by Mrs. Laura Macy and her son, Les, stands beside Green’s barbershop and is housed in a brick building erected by the Macys about the same time the barbershop structure was built and is the same size. The business is one of the Blue & White stores, which means that it is owned locally by an Independent dealer but that goods are purchased from the Blue & White concern.

A high-grade line of groceries, canned goods, fruits, some vegetables. cigars, tobaccos and candies are handled here.

The Macys took over the store seven years ago from T. T. Kirkham who operated across the street, where Mrs. Delis Trotter now has a furniture store. The grocery enjoys a large trade from both the town and country people.

Cornelius Store: W. G. Cornelius operates the next store down the street in conjunction with the post office. Everything from post cards to radios and from clocks to overalls are sold in this store but especially gents furnishings, notions, confectionery, cigars, magazines and tobacco.

Cornelius built the store building this year. It is a neat stucco structure with cement floor and is one of the coolest places in town on hot summer days. The proprietor has been in business here ten years.

At one time in partnership with Hugh Warring, he started a store in the Buckhorn district, had one in Piru and later bought a third here and started what was known as the Ventura Cooperative association. Cornelius managed the three stores until his health failed. For a time after coming to Piru. he had a health resort in Lechler canyon, but this was destroyed by fire and a flood,

The Piru Furniture Store, operated by Mrs. Delia Trotter, had a unique beginning. Mrs. Trotter says that she and her husband had so many household articles that they did not know where to keep them. These things were stored in their garage and everywhere possible. One day she had a bright idea. She suggested that if her husband would put a floor in the garage, she would open a secondhand furniture store and sell the belongings.

This proposal was carried out at once and “things went like hot cakes," Mrs. Trotter said, because there were so many oil workers in town then. The neighbors took advantage of the opportunity and bought furniture and other articles they didn’t want, and Mrs. Trotter sold them.

After that Mrs. Trotter went into the business in earnest. She moved into her brick building on Center street and has increased her stock to include both new and used furniture, kitchen utensils, dishes, rugs, etc. Her store is now in its fourth year.

To be continued...

Marie Wren

Piru, CA – It’s a small, cozy room—only about 200 square feet—but without question is one of Ventura County’s most valuable hidden gems. The Rancho Camulos Museum Research Library, located in the museum’s 1920 adobe restored house facing Highway 126, is home to a variety of historic treasures, including rare books, an extensive collection of books on Southern California history, historical photos, maps and documents dating from the nineteenth century. The library and its archival collection is complemented by a treasure trove of early nineteenth and eighteenth-century artifacts original to the property.

Museum volunteers and staff recently completed cataloguing the museum’s collection of books and several of its most significant archival collections. To honor this milestone, the museum’s board of directors earlier this month named the research library in honor of Fillmore resident Marie Wren, who served as a charter volunteer for the National Historic Landmark’s and the non-profit’s first docent council chair more than twenty years ago. More recently Wren donated more than 200 books from her personal collection on Southern California, California and American West history and fiction to the library. Wren also made a handsome donation to Rancho Camulos that enabled the museum to purchase shelving, furnishings, and archival supplies, creating a comfortable working space for researchers and the museum’s archival staff.

“Without Marie’s dedication to Rancho Camulos Museum, her support of our research library and generous donation, we would not have been able to make this happen, notes Dr. Susan Falck, the museum’s executive director. “She is truly an inspiration to everyone who works on behalf of this museum. Her passion for California history and Rancho Camulos history is contagious.”

Prior to the creation of the museum library and research center, much of the museum’s artifacts and archival materials lay scattered among several rooms and buildings on the twelve-acre museum grounds. In early 2014, volunteers began gathering these materials for safekeeping. Once the 1920 adobe was restored it became possible to begin cataloging and conserving numerous documents and artifacts. Dianne Cox, who has served as a museum volunteer for 13 years, led this sizable undertaking and has put countless hours into creating a comfortable, well-organized workspace, meticulously cleaning and conserving fragile items and later helping to catalogue the materials along with Falck and museum board member Meredith McGowan, who works as a professional librarian for Los Angeles County. "Working with Marie in the library, sorting and cataloging her books, and listening to her stories, was a wonderful experience for me,” notes Cox. “It was obvious she loved her books and she loved history".

Wren, a native of Oklahoma who moved to Fillmore in 1947, joined the museum as a volunteer shortly after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake severely damaged several buildings at Rancho Camulos. She has served as one of the museum’s strongest advocates over the years, helping raise funds to restore the museum’s 19th-century buggy and other projects, recruiting new volunteers, developing the museum’s tour program and uncovering the history of Camulos Ranch by steadily acquiring books about rancho and Southern California history. Recently, a collection of vignettes Wren wrote about local families and events that appeared in local newspapers was published as Stories to Be Told: Tales about the pioneer people and places in little Santa Clara River valley, Southern California.

Over the past several years Rancho Camulos has opened its collection to scholars from Yale University, UC Berkeley, Loyola Marymount and Cal State graduate students eager to learn more about the rancho era in Southern California and the families and laborers who established and operated one of the oldest and most successful agricultural operations in Ventura County. The museum also periodically loans out items from its collection to other institutions. Currently, the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History is showcasing several religious artifacts from Rancho Camulos in an exhibit entitled “Many Voices, One Nation.” Once the pandemic has subsided, the museum looks forward to once again making its research collection accessible to the public, according to Falck. “In the meantime, we continue organizing our collection and uncovering new treasures.”

To learn more about the Rancho Camulos Museum research library, email info@ranchocamulos.org or visit the museum’s website at www.ranchocamulos.org.