SIERRA MADRE EDITION 


SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017 
VOLUME 11 NO. 21 
HISTORIC BELL TO RING 
AT START OF MOUNT 
WILSON TRAIL RACE 
SIERRA MADRE CIVIC CLUB'S 2017 GRANT RECIPIENTS 
Convalescent Aid Society for replacement canes etc.Middle School Theater Sound SystemCreative Arts Group Fourth grade American Indian projectMt. Wilson Trail Race bike racks 
Emergency Response TeamS M Public Library Art & Essay Contest general fundingFamilies in Transition via PUSD S M Public Library One Book, One City general fundingS M Fourth of July Committee general fundingReading is Fundamental for second graders books in PUSDLittle League grass and fencing of fieldS M Rose Float Association general fundingLunch Program for S M SeniorsSierra Madre Playhouse Children’s Theater general funding 
Middle School After School Sports uniforms and equipment 

SIERRA MADRE COMMUNITY YARD SALE 

The City of Sierra Madre Senior Community Commission is hostingnot want to miss out! 
the 7th Annual Community Yard Sale on Saturday, June 3, 2017 fromParticipants must provide their own tables, chairs, canopies (12’x12’
the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. located at Sierra Vista Park 611maximum) and cash boxes if needed. No electricity will be provided


E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Community Organizations and membersand selling areas must be self-sustaining. Live animals, large canopies,
are invited to come together with their neighbors to participate in aand selling of food or beverages are prohibited. All business must be 
community yard sale. Participants have the opportunity to clean outconducted within your space. Note: Event may be canceled due to 
their garages, attics, storage sheds and closets without sending thoseinclement weather. 
items to landfill! Don’t wait as there are a limited number of spaces offered. For more 
$35.00 Fee for individual spaces - no yard sale permits need beinformation, please contact the Hart Park House Senior Center (626)
purchased; and all proceeds will benefit our senior programs and355-7394; or the Community Services Department at (626) 355-5278.
activities. Registration is required to be done in person beginningwww.cityofsierramadre.com/cityhall/departments/
on Monday, April 10th in City Hall at the Community Servicescommunity_services_department/
Department - 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, CA 91024.
Registration deadline is Thursday, May 18th or until spaces are filled.
Yard Sale spots are reserved on a first come, first serve basis. You do 

VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE 
UNITED STATES MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONIES 


Lt. Kenneth Bell VFW Post 3208 


before and after the ceremony. Our
invites patriotic Veterans, families


scheduled keynote speaker is retired
and friends to attend our special


Air Force Lt. Col. Richard G. (Dick)
Memorial Day Ceremonies honoring


Rutan, highly decorated, ace Vietnam
our deceased War Veterans at Sierra 


War Air Force fighter pilot, test pilot,
Madre Pioneer Cemetery, Monday,


pilot of historic world-record holder
May 29 at 11:00 A.M. Please arrive


aircraft Voyager, and recipient of the
early to get a seat. In recent years,


Presidential Citizen’s Medal of Honor 
the ceremony has attracted standing-



from President Ronald Reagan. VFW 
room only crowds. A sandwich lunch


Post 3208 urges all who are available
will be served following the ceremony, 


and able to come and honor America’s 
courtesy of Post 3208. Patriotic 


deceased war veterans at our solemn 
and WW II music will be played 


Memorial Day Ceremony. 

For the first time in decades, the historic school bell located inKersting Court will be rung at a Sierra Madre event. The bell wasoriginally donated by the citizens of Sierra Madre for the city’ssecond school house, a $3000 Victorian building which was locatedwhere Kersting Court now stands. The new school opened under thedirection of teacher and principal, Mrs. Chloe Jones. She proposedthe planting of pepper trees in 1887, two of which are still found inKersting Court today.

The “beautifully-toned” 26” cast iron bell, weighing 300pounds, was founded by Blymer Norton & Co, of Cincinnati,
Ohio, a manufacturer of agricultural machinery. By 1906, thecity had outgrown its little schoolhouse and Pacific Electrictraded four acres of land at Highland Ave. and Auburn Ave. forthe two acres in the center of town. To make room for the 60 
foot long Red Car trollies, an access road was cut through theproperty. This created what was called “Kersting Triangle” andhoused the train depot.

The bell was then moved to Sierra Madre’s third school, a 
craftsman style, five-room building, with a wooden pergola acrossthe front. Parts of the pergola and concrete steps still exist today atthe elementary school’s campus. The bell was located in an outsideframe and “rang the tocsin” to call students to school.

In 1929, in the midst of the depression, Sierra Madre had outgrownthis school and money was raised to build a new Mission RevivalStyle school. This $210,000 project provided employment for manyout-of-work residents. The bell was located in a 15 foot tower which 
stood behind the offices at the center of the building.

In the late 1960’s, the school failed to meet the earthquakestandards and was boarded up. It was deemed too expensive toretrofit the bell tower so it was removed. The historic school bell 
was gifted to the Sierra Madre Historical Society in 1971. SMHSpresident, Dorothy Howe Koenig, kept the bell safe in her back yard.

The SMHS then started a campaign to build a bell tower in KerstingCourt. To raise funds the bell was placed in various businessesthroughout the city, including First Western Bank (now Bank of theWest). Many local businesses helped with the fundraising, includingArnold’s Hardware, Happy’s Liquor, and Best Buy Drugs.

The bell tower, designed by local architect and SMHS memberHarlan Pederson, was dedicated with the official bell ringing onOctober 27, 1974. Tying into the historic nature of the school bell,
it will be rung this week by three representatives from Sierra MadreElementary School at the start of Mount Wilson Trail Race. Thehonorees will be Instructional Coach Julie Cole, Office Manager PatVidimos, and Student Council President Zola Reitman.

The bell and tower are also included in proposed plans by theSierra Madre Community Foundation to remodel Kersting Courtto make it more functional and wheelchair accessible. Thanks to 
the assistance of the City of Sierra Madre, James Carlson, and ChrisCimino and his crew, Sierra Madre can look forward to many more“bell ringings” at future events. 

REMEMBRANCE 

CHRISTA OWEN 


Christa Owen of Sierra Madre 
passed away on May 1, 2017 atthe age of 46. Christa was born 
to Michael and Carolyn Owen onApril 7, 1971 in Sierra Madre, CA.
She grew up with her two olderbrothers, Stephen and Jeffrey. She 
attended St. Rita’s Catholic School 
in her younger years and AlvernoHeights Academy for high school.
Christa graduated from UC 
Berkeley with degrees in Englishand Mass Communications 
in 1994. She worked in the 


entertainment industry at Access Hollywood as a Field Producer for 
many years.

She is survived by her grandmother Lorraine Cook, her mother,
Carolyn, her brothers Stephen and Jeffrey; nieces Heather andStephanie, nephews Justin, Joey and Jack as well as many cousins.
Memorial service will take place on Monday, June 5, at 11:00 AM atSt. Rita’s Catholic Church, Sierra Madre. In lieu of flowers donations 
may be made in her memory to the Sierra Madre VolunteerParamedics and Fire Department. 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com