Treasures of the Valley » Mike Lawler

Treasures of the Valley   » Mike Lawler

The Origins of the Name Sunland-Tujunga For most of us heading west along Foothill Boulevard into Sunland-Tujunga, there’s not much thought to where Tujunga is and where Sunland is. There seems to be no distinct border. The origins of the name Sunland and the name Tujunga are well documented, and quite interesting. But as to […]

Treasures of the Valley » Mike Lawler

Treasures of the Valley  » Mike Lawler

Star Trek’s Wil Wheaton Spent His Teen Years in CV Actor Wil Wheaton is probably best known for his role as boy-genius Ensign Wesley Crusher on the iconic series “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” He was a regular on the popular series from 1987 through 1990, the very years he spent as a teenager living […]

Treasures of the Valley » Mike Lawler

Treasures of the Valley  » Mike Lawler

1934 New Year’s Flood and the Years After After the disaster of the big flood there was much work to do. The Red Cross provided the bulk of the relief efforts for survivors, bringing in food, medical supplies and temporary shelter. Service groups from the valley were extremely active, although their numbers were small – […]

Treasures of the Valley » Mike Lawler

In the Darkness After the 1934 New Years Flood The great flood of New Year’s 1934 came and went in a matter of minutes. A couple of weeks of steady rain in late December had set the stage for a massive surge of rock and mud from the mountains. The flood came right at midnight, […]

Treasures of the Valley » Mike Lawler

Flood Stories – Tales from The American Legion Hall Like the armchair adventurer, we can now look back on the cold terror of the 1934 New Year’s Flood from the comfort of a warm spring day. Here is another story from our valley’s greatest tragedy from over 80 years ago. This took place at the […]

Treasures of the Valley » Mike Lawler

Flood Stories – “They Reported Us Dead!” It’s another beautiful spring day, so let’s recount another story of cold, wet terror from our famous midnight flood of New Year’s 1934. After a sudden colossal downpour, 20-foot high walls of rocks, mud and debris tore down out of the mountains, and in the inky blackness, plowed […]

Treasures of the Valley » Mike Lawler

Flood Stories Since the weather is now perfect, and rain is once again a distant memory, I’d like to contrast this perfection with a few stories of our greatest weather related disaster, the great flood of New Year’s Day 1934. Our weather here is similar to a popular description of war: “Long periods of boredom, […]

Treasures of the Valley » Mike Lawler

Treasures of the Valley  » Mike Lawler

Jim Morrison and The Doors Played a Concert at CV High School It sounds incredible but it’s true. On May 26, 1967, one of the biggest rock groups of the ‘60s, The Doors, played a short set for students in MacDonald Auditorium at our own Crescenta Valley High School. Accounts of this concert come to […]

Treasures of the Valley » Mike Lawler

Treasures of the Valley » Mike Lawler

Orange Spaghetti? Silly String? UFO Droppings? What Is It?! You’ve seen it, and no doubt wondered what the heck it was – tangles of bright yellow or orange string that cover plants, usually out in the chaparral, but sometimes in your yard as well. There are currently great masses of it on either side of […]

Treasures of the Valley » Mike Lawler

One of Our Weirdest Native Plants – The Wild Cucumber Those venturing out onto our local trails this time of year are bound to notice light green vines growing out across the trails and climbing up into the surrounding chaparral. Walk the same trail the next day and the vines will be twice as long […]