Off For a Summer in the Mountains

Click to enlarge.

This photo, dated 1894, is one of the most recently posted of many photos added to the Monrovia Historical Society's Legacy Project this year.

The picture shows S.M. Sevier (center front) and others preparing to go to their summer home at Deer Park, in the mountains above Monrovia. There were no roads into the canyon - hence the  burros - and a "burrow puncher".

Historical Society President Sandy Burud writes, "Check out the amount of gear required for a summer-long camping excursion. The cooler canyon air presumably made the summer outing worth the effort. Only men are shown but women would have joined the fun (seen in other camping photos in their long dresses) and cooked the potatoes in the bag on the white burro. 

"This remarkable image reveals the goods sold in shops on the west side of Myrtle Ave. at Colorado Blvd. - J.T. Milligan, C.H. Locke Dry Goods (farm implements, stoves, plumbing, tin, hats, shoes and "magic yeast"), and Henry Canoll & Co. Dry Goods."

On the back is written:

"Arrow points to my father (grandpa) S.M. Sevier at stores, packing stores to go to our Summer Home at Deer Park, Monrovia. These were our burrows.  X indicates the burrow puncher who lived with us and did odd jobs. As daddy was away quite a bit on his Rail Road construction jobs, Mamma needed such help as he gave. This was taken 1900 on Myrtle Avenue Monrovia. Corner Orange Avenue, now Colorado Blvd." (The date 1894 is written on the front.) See more here: t.ly/ZK9A

The Monrovia Historical Society relies on membership dues (starting at $20 a year) and donations to support the Legacy Project and its other project. If you'd like to help, click here to join or donate.

- Brad Haugaard