Above are the three amigos, George William, the author’s grandfather (Mark Aguirre), his father George Benjamin (in uniform) and Joe Nunez, 1944. Photo courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum.
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George William and his brother, Ernest Aguirre holding a colt, c 1910.
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Marge Aguirre holding a bouquet of her beautiful roses.
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Above is a photo taken in 2018 after Marge Aguirre passing; George B. and Marge Aguirre's Children, left to right Andrew, Chris, Elizabeth, Philip, Michele, Tim, Mark, Angela, Kim, Matt.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum, Written by Mark Aguirre is sharing the history of his family. Does your family have a story to tell?

When I began to collect the records of my ancestors, I began to understand how they helped build and become part of the communities of Camulos, Piru and Fillmore. It began with the arrival in the Santa Clarita Valley of my two great great grandfathers and grandmothers. Theirs is a tale of American migration, arriving with nothing and building something substantial. They – along with their children and grandchildren – became land owners, started businesses, fought in world wars and raised large families.

THE FIRST TO ARRIVE: Juan B Fernandez (1842-1900), Jesus Aguirre (1825-1902), Petra Soto (1855-1934) and Conception Gonzales (1842-1912)

Both Juan and Jesus migrated into this country from different towns in the northern Mexican state of Sonora, and their lives would mirror each other’s. Juan came from Rayon in 1854 and Jesus from Pitiquito in 1870. It is likely that they both worked for Camulos Ranch. Juan and his wife, Petra Soto, raised ten children, and so did Jesus and his wife, Conception Gonzales. Both Juan and Jesus homesteaded 160 acres up in Piru Canyon and died before their wives. Petra and Conception became landowners. In 1907, Petra sold her land (where Lake Piru is today) and built a house in Santa Paula. The Aguirre homestead was in the hills east of Piru Creek. Oil was discovered there and still produces small royalty checks for the Aguirre family.

THE BUILDERS: Juan De La Cruz Aguirre (1875-1964) and Dolores Fernandez (1876-1970)
Juan De La Cruz Aguirre (Cruz) began establishing a foothold in the Valley. He married Dolores Fernandez in 1899, becoming one of three Aguirre siblings to marry Fernandez siblings. Cruz and Dolores raised ten children. They lived at the base of where Piru Dam would eventually be, mostly to stay close to the Aguirre homestead. Cruz worked for David Cook, who built the Piru Mansion, and eventually started a business carting hay up and down Torrey Canyon. Cruz and his sons also hauled lumber to Santa Paula and Newhall. In 1921, Cruz purchased 14 acres from Edgar Goodenough and planted orange trees. He lived in a house on his land, which became the Aguirre Ranch. It was halfway between Fillmore and Piru on the south side of old Telegraph Road. Later, he purchased another six acres that were adjacent to the ranch from David Felsenthal. I’m not sure if the oranges they grew were profitable, except for one year when there was a freeze in Florida that caused the price of California oranges to skyrocket. Cruz and his sons ran the ranch until he died in 1964 and Dolores died in 1970. Both are buried in Santa Paula.

THE RANCHERS: George William Aguirre (1900-1996) and Lillian Nuñez (1905-1998)
My grandfather, George William Aguirre, was Cruz’s eldest son. He met Lillian Nuñez, my grandmother, when she was grading oranges at the packing house in Piru. He had been working as a muleskinner for his father, Cruz, since he was pulled out of Piru School in the seventh grade. He owned a car, which was rare, and he and Lillian went for long drives around the county and up the Grapevine on their first dates. Lillian had migrated with her family from Guanajuato, Mexico, around 1909. She married George William in 1924 and they had two children, George Benjamin (my father) and Evelyn (Ramirez). During the summers of the late 1920s, my grandparents packed my dad and his sister into their car and drove to the Central Valley to pick fruit. They lived in the car with two small children for weeks at a time, and I remember stories about the work, which was hard, plentiful and paid well enough. Eventually, in 1924, my grandpa found permanent work at a large ranch just west of the Aguirre land that was managed by Goodenough. He worked there for more than 60 years. My grandmother worked at the Sunkist packing house in Piru for almost the same amount of time. In the late 1940s, they built a house on the Aguirre ranch where my brothers and sisters spent many years celebrating family, playing poker and eating beans and tortillas. Both my grandpa and my dad loved sports, and they went to many sporting events. They even drove down to San Diego one Sunday to watch the Hollywood Stars play the San Diego Padres. They took me and my brothers to the LA Coliseum to watch the Dodgers and then, of course, to the new Dodger Stadium to watch the Dodgers and Angels.

THE HOMEMAKERS: George Benjamin Aguirre (1924-1994) and Marjorie Terrel (1928-2018)
George Benjamin Aguirre, my father, was born in 1924, attended the Buckhorn School, played basketball and baseball for Fillmore High School and graduated in 1942. In 1943, he joined the Army Air Corps and became a bombardier on a B-24 bomber. He served in western China starting in 1945 and told me that their main mission was to protect the Burma Road supply line from the Japanese. He attended Ventura College and Denver University. My dad was hired by the Fillmore School District in 1954 as a business manager and eventually bought a new three bedroom house on Walker Lane in 1962. He met my mother, Marge Terrel, in Denver and they married in 1951. She was raised in the Texas Panhandle, right in the middle of the Dust Bowl. It was a difficult childhood for her; both her parents died when she was very young. My dad’s love of sports washed over to his kids, as most of my brothers and sisters played football, basketball, volleyball and tennis for Fillmore High School. Notably, my sister Michele played volleyball for four years at Cal State Long Beach and my nephew Noah scored the most points for Fillmore High School basketball. My mom was an incredibly active woman, not only raising our large family but turning the yard into a beautiful rose garden. She made quilts, one for each of her ten children. She also won the Good Housekeeping magazine-sponsored great quilt contest in 1975. Her quilt was the winner for California, which had more than 2,000 entries.

St. Francis of Assisi Church is pleased to invite you to our annual Rosary prayers and Procession which will take place this year in the Church patio, with the Procession taking place once around Two Rivers Park. The event, on Saturday, October 14, 2023, will start in the patio at noon sharp, and, weather permitting, proceed to the park. Bring yourself, your family, your children, and be blessed as you all participate in the Holy Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. See you there! For information, contact Olivia Galvez at (805) 368-4944.

The Fillmore Police Station will be hosting a program to educate newly licensed and future drivers. This program will take place on Monday, September 18, 2023, from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the Fillmore High School Library. The “Start Smart” Program is a cooperative effort between California Highway Patrol, Fillmore Police Station, teenage drivers, and their parents/guardians.

In an ongoing effort focused on community outreach, this is a proactive, educational program
geared toward reducing potential risk on our roadways. Start Smart is designed to help young
drivers and their parents/guardians understand the responsibilities associated with driving a
motor vehicle. Start Smart will show how poor choices behind the wheel can change the lives of
everyone involved. Our goal is to raise awareness and reduce the number of teen-related
injuries and deaths due to traffic collisions.

Call the Fillmore Police Department at (805) 524-2233 for reservations. Space is limited to 20 students and their parents/guardians. There is no charge to attend the program.

Fillmore Civic Pride has announced the September 2023 Yard of the Month winner as Chris Webb who also received a $50 gift certificate to Otto & Sons Nursery. Photo credit Linda Nunes.

By Linda Nunes, August 29, 2023

Civic Pride Volunteers have selected the yard of Chris Webb at 625 Santa Clara St. for the September, “Yard of the Month” award. Otto & Sons Nursery has generously supported this program since it began in 2003 & now awards a $50 gift certificate to the nursery. Chris was very excited to receive the award & “loves” Otto & Sons Nursery!

Chris told us that she grew up in Ventura, but always loved Fillmore, so when she saw this home come on the market, 7 years ago, she purchased it. She showed us a framed photo of the yard with grass & large bushes hiding most of the house…”so I will remember what it looked like”, Chris said.

We learned that she has been a lifelong gardener & calls herself a “food gardener.” She also calls herself a “strictly” organic gardener.

Her vision was to have many fruiting trees & we saw loquat, two types of avocados, apricot, pomegranates, and several small citrus trees in wooden ground planters. Blueberry bushes, butterfly bush, a lovely red rose, snapdragons, & salvia along with strawberry plants grew in these planters.

Her son, Joe Anderson, of Joe Anderson Landscapes, joined his father in building a beautiful arbor entrance to the yard which has a black wrought iron fence around, created gravel walkways that surround the wooden planters, and set up a micro irrigation system with timers. Four varieties of grapes are at the front of the yard on a decorative wooden arbor. He helps maintain the yard & prunes the trees to keep them small, but Chris said she enjoys pulling weeds as a relaxing exercise.
Wildflowers are the favorite type of flower for Chris & she grows everything from seed. I saw old fashioned Cosmos & Honeysuckle Vine on a trellis. Near the porch steps, was a Europs (in Sunflower Family), plant with yellow daisy type flowers & Chris said she has this plant in every yard.

And for the first time in my life, I saw an Ashwagandha bush. I had heard of this plant from Asia being used for medical conditions. Chris said the leaves & roots can be used, but she is just allowing it to flourish. (WebMD does have some warnings about using it.)

Take a stroll along this portion of Santa Clara St. & enjoy looking into this beautiful yard with Craftsman artistry & love of gardening evident!

Frank Erskine
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

In 1927, thirty men met at the Piru Citrus Exchange to discuss nothing that had to do with citrus, but everything to do with their community. They met to form a building and loan association that would serve the needs of the Piru and Fillmore areas. They formed what would become Ramona Savings and Loan.

In 1963, Frank Erskine wrote to a new depositor who asked how the name was chosen. This is his explanation:
“Piru is a village of about 500 persons a few miles east of Fillmore. Back in 1926 a young preacher there had the idea it would be ice to organize a savings and loan, and applied to the state Commissioner for a permit. The Commissioner ruled that Piru was too small a town but if Fillmore would join he would consider the matter.
So those interested in Piru came to Fillmore and enlisted some of hose here, including a man named Erskine who was manager of the citrus association.

We held several meetings and there was much discussion as to whether we could make it pay in so small a town. Finally a permit was issued and we had to have a name. The majority of the organizers were in Fillmore, but the idea was born in Piru, so we hesitated about calling it Fillmore Savings, and did not think Piru was the proper name. The stream thru Fillmore is known as the Little Santa Clara River.

So we adopted the name “Little Santa Clara Valley Savings and Loan.” Plenty long.
The Commissioner objected as there was another association near San Jose, where there is another Santa Clara River, with a very similar name. So we were stymied.

Then I suggested Ramona. Many years ago Helen Hunt Jackson wrote a book which for many years was a best seller. It was the story of Ramona and Allesandro. 13 miles east of Fillmore, and in the Piru area, is an old adobe house that was built on a Spanish grant, and this house was the home of the servant girl Ramona. It has always been known since as the home of Ramona. As we were to be helping people acquire homes, I said one of the most famous homes in California was that of Ramona, and why not call this association Ramona Savings. No one had a better idea, so that is the story.”

The new business was capitalized with $75,000. It had a seven-man board of directors which initially included: Hugh Warring as president, W. H. Price, vice-president, David Felsenthal, Harry P. Brown, Charles W. Padelford, Frank Erskine and J. M. Horton (this J. M. Horton was a major rancher in the Piru area, not the principal of Fillmore Union High School).
They leased space in the Orange Leaf building at 350 Central Avenue and opened for business on April 15, 1927. Ramona made its first loan less than a month later to Mrs. Mary Jones in the amount of $2,300 to build a house on Clay St. In 1927, the directors authorized a 6% interest on passbook accounts and in December offered the public the chance to by certificates at 7% for a five-year term.

As of the Association’s 50 anniversary, in 1977, they had never missed an interest payment. By that time they had grown to over $30,000,000 in assets and were a major lender for home buyers in the area.
The Association eventually settled in the building on the southwest corner of Central and Sespe and in 1956 built a new building at 527 Sespe (now occupied by Bank of the Sierra).

Frank Erskine soon left his position as manager of the Fillmore Citrus Association to manage Ramona. He took a very hands-on approach, often inspecting the property involved in the loan himself. He did not hesitate to tell prospective customers exactly why Ramona would not be offering to lend the money. In at least one case he told the applicant the building should be condemned it was in such poor condition.

At the same time, there were many instances where a debt was carried as long as possible to allow the customer to catch up on payments. Solvency, however, was a prime concern especially during the dark days of the Great Depression.
It was not unusual for banks and other businesses to give our inexpensive items to its customers. Ramona was no exceptions. Match books, pen holders, coin purses, coasters, lighters all with the Ramona Saving and Loan logo were found all over Piru and Fillmore. Undoubtedly the most treasured item was the annual calendar with photographs of local landmarks on it. The Piru Mansion was featured several times over the years.
Ramona Savings and Loan had a presence in the community with floats in all the local parades, window displays and dressing up for Halloween and Fillmore Festivals.

Over the years there had been several offers to purchase the Association. Finally in 1984, Ramona was sold for $4 million to Donald Magano and John Molinaro. The headquarters was moved to Orange with a branch only in Fillmore. Under the new ownership, questionable loans were made and in 1986 Federal and State Regulators seized Ramona and transferred its assets to a newly chartered Ramona Federal Savings and Loan. It was too late to stop the downhill slide and in February 1988, the Association was closed down by regulators with no notice. There is more to the story than there is space here to tell it, but both Magano and Molinaro were convicted of more than 30 counts of bank fraud and conspiracy.

It’s a sad ending for something that was started for such good reasons and served its community so well for so long.

The Rotary Club of Fillmore enjoyed two speakers Susana Willeford, Executive Director and Howie Freedman, Assistant Director from the Santa Clara Valley Hospice. This is a non-profit Home Support Group who has been serving our area for over 40 years. They have an office in Santa Paula at 217 N. 10th Street Monday - Friday from 9am – 1pm and one in Fillmore at 642 Lemon Way. The Fillmore office is open on Tuesday and Thursday from 10am -12pm, by appointment the phone is 805-525-1333. They have many services from grief support, to caregiving training, to medical equipment lending program wheelchairs, hospital beds, adult diapers etc. Everything is free. They are also happy to receive monetary donations as well as used medical equipment in good condition. Their mailing address is P.O. Box 365, Santa Paula, CA 93061.

August 27, 2023

By Linda Nunes

Civic Pride Volunteer Committee will resume their monthly meetings, September 20, 2023, after taking a summer break. We meet at 1:30 pm in the Council Chambers until the elevator is repaired.

And what is Civic Pride Volunteer Committee? What have they done in our Fillmore community? What do they do?
Civic Pride Volunteer Committee began in the late 1990’s, when the city cast a vision for 2020 with the formation of 9 committees that would promote: Quality Education, Civic Pride in the
Community, Volunteerism, Connecting Community Through Communication, Strengthening Public Safety, Maximizing Recreation & Social Opportunities, Preserving Agriculture in the Santa Clara River Valley, Balanced Economic Growth, and Managing Growth in the Community.

Would you be surprised to know that the only surviving committee that has continued to serve & function, would be Civic Pride Volunteer Committee?

Our group has worked over the years to beautify the downtown, Central business area, by refurbishing all the large cement pots & stucco planters, with watering systems, new soil & plants, beginning in 2012, involving many different community groups & placing a plaque with their names on each pot. We continued to fertilize, weed & prune these until the city landscape crew took over.

We refurbished the weed-filled planters in the east & west side of Central parking lots with succulents, weed barrier & watering timers on the west side.

We have encouraged homeowners to keep their yards, attractive & well maintained by awarding a “Yard of the Month” gift card provided by Otto & Sons Nursery, who have supported this project since its’ inception.
We have joined with other groups in discouraging litter & graffiti-picking up trash. We participate in the Annual Coastal Cleanup event coming each September. We planted California Poppies & Lupines along the bike paths & paid to hydro mulch these seeds at city entry points.

In the past, we put on Artwalks downtown to high light local artists & businesses with musicians playing.
And we brought back a wonderful Fillmore Flower Show that began in 1919, ended in the late 1990’s and started again in 2009. Except for Covid closure, this show has continued to involve all ages, live music, and an opportunity for youth to showcase their artwork, & poetry/essays. This event is returning April 14, 15, 2024 & remains free for the publics’ enjoyment on Saturday, Sunday from 1-4pm.

It takes many volunteers to grow & propagate plants for the boutique, handle all the publicity, gather donations for the drawings, put out signage, set up the show on Friday, & be ready at 7am with tables, Saturday morning to receive all the entries, provide treats for the Café refreshments , and then take it all down until next year.
Come to our meeting at City Hall, September 20, at 1:30pm and express your civic pride with involvement!

In observance of the Labor Day holiday, employees of Santa Clara Valley Disposal will be taking the day off on Monday, Sept. 4. As a result, Fillmore residential customers will have their trash, recycling and yard/organic waste collected on Saturday, Sept. 9, one day later than usual. The regular Friday collection schedule will resume the following week.

Remember that Harrison’s residential customers can place all three carts curbside every week, as Harrison collects all waste weekly – including food waste, which is now recyclable. All food waste should be put into paper or plastic bags, and the bags should be closed tightly and tossed into the yard/organic waste cart.

Harrison Industries serves the cities and surrounding unincorporated areas of Ventura, Ojai and Camarillo as well as the unincorporated areas of El Rio, Somis, Ojai Valley, the Channel Islands beach communities and the city of Carpinteria as E.J. Harrison & Sons; Fillmore and surrounding unincorporated areas as Santa Clara Valley Disposal; and the unincorporated areas of Newbury Park as Newbury Disposal.

For more information, visit www.ejharrison.com.

The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) and the Santa Paula Branch Line Advisory Committee held a joint meeting on Tuesday, August 15th to discuss future plans for the graffiti-covered railcars now parked on the tracks west of Fillmore. The caption referenced another meeting to be held on Friday, September 8 at 9am. That will be the regular commission meeting, not specifically related to the railcar issue.

9.A RECOMMENDATION That the City Council: 1. Adopt Resolution 23-3950 to extend the declaration of a local emergency arising from the collapse of a sewer manhole which rendered the downstream pipeline unusable; 2. Adopt the Designation of Applicant’s Agency Resolution for Non-State Agencies; 3. Approve the First Amendment to the City’s contract with Toro Enterprises, Inc. (“Toro”); 4. Approve the Second Amendment to the City’s contract with Ferreira Construction Co. Inc. (“Ferreira”); and 5. Appropriate additional funds for the contract amendment with Toro in an amount not to exceed $50,000 and not to exceed $500,000 for the contract with Ferreira, as further described in the Fiscal Impact section below.

9.B APPROVAL OF THE VENTURA COUNTY STORMWATER PERMIT IMPLEMENTATION AND COST-SHARING AGREEMENT

RECOMMENDATION That the City Council approve the attached Ventura County Stormwater Permit Implementation and Cost-Sharing Agreement (Agreement) and authorize the City Manager to sign the Agreement on the City’s behalf.
All items passed 5-0

After completing Dental College, Parker Hubert, DDS set up a practice in Fillmore in 1926, and in 1927 married Bessie Garton. They soon built a home at 973 Central Avenue which was later renumbered to 975 Foothill Drive and was their home for 20 years while raising three children, Parker Jr., Robert and Judy. Above is the Hubert family, c. 1945. Photo courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum. See photos in color online at www.FillmoreGazette.com.
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Above is Parker Hubert on Lady with sheriff’s posse, May Day Parade, 1940. Photo courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

We’ve used the term “polymath” before when we wrote about A. J. Lamberg, a horologist. Polymath means “a person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning.” This term might be used to refer to some of our early dentists. Ira Hinckley was not only a dentist but also a pharmacist, violinist and served as the secretary of the Masonic Temple Association. A later dentist, Dr. Jim Bliss, was not only a dentist but also a songwriter. In 1954 his song “Santa Clara Valley” was played at the May Festival with country music legend Tex Ritter sitting in.

Between Ira Hinckley and Jim Bliss, another dentist plied his trade in Fillmore, Dr. Parker Hubert.
Parker Hubert was born on December 14, 1903, in Stearns, Minnesota to Robert J. and Anna Hubert. Robert was a physician. According to the 1920 census the family was living in Downey. Parker had two older brothers, Robert and Conrad. Robert W. became a dentist and practiced in Southern California, passing away in 1973. Conrad, the oldest brother, was a physician who lived in Pasadena and died in 1949.

Parker attended Northwestern University School of Dentistry. After graduation, he set up a practice in Fillmore in 1926 and in 1927 married Bessie Garton. They soon built a home at 973 Central (later renumbered to 975 Foothill Drive). That would be their home for twenty years while raising three children, Parker Jr., Robert and Judy.
Bessie found a job at the Sespe Grammar School where she was paid $1443 for 9 ½ months. As was the custom, she resigned when she had children.

At the time they built the house there were no other homes around them. Parker was an avid equestrian, riding with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Posse. Soon his sons would have ponies of their own and home movies show them riding Sally and Minnie on the hillside behind their home.

Parker Hubert’s first dental office in Fillmore was at 334 ½ Central Avenue, just south of the theater. He later moved his office in the early 1940s to 448 Sespe Avenue, on the north side of Sespe between Central and Fillmore St. He was a family dentist and offered credit to his patients during the Depression. We have a letter written in 1932 from Lawrence Hinckley about an outstanding bill he had with Dr. Hubert, offering to settle the bill for a painting. Lawrence’s father, Ira, had retired from the practice of dentistry, so no more free dental care for Lawrence.

Besides dentistry and horses, Parker Hubert had two other interests – hunting and home movies. He got his first deer in 1928 and had the local taxidermist, Charles Law, mount the head which held pride of place in his home in San Marino.
The Museum has been given several home movies made by Dr. Hubert. Some are the expected family home movies of vacations and children’s birthday parties. Others are of community events such as the 1931 and 1936 May Festivals, the 1932 snow fall and the 1938 flood. Perhaps the most spectacular movie is of the 1937 fire which destroyed the Junior High School building. One can imagine him looking out the large, arched window down Central and seeing the smoke and flames coming from the school. Little wonder he grabbed his movie camera and captured the event. To see some clips of the films he took go to https://www.fillmorehistoricalmuseum.org/parker-hubert-dds and scroll down.

In May 1943, Parker Hubert successfully ran for a position on the Fillmore Elementary School Board. He was not to serve long as he entered the US Navy in August 1943. By May of 1944, he was serving as Senior Dental Officer at the Navy Hospital in San Diego.

Hubert soon qualified in oral surgery. Since there was limited need for an oral surgeon in Fillmore, in 1946 the family left Fillmore for Pasadena where he opened a practice in oral surgery.

Parker practiced in Pasadena until his retirement. He passed away in 1992 and Bessie died in 1994.
Why do we know so much about Parker Hubert and his family? Although Robert, the younger son, left Fillmore when he was only twelve years old, he always considered Fillmore as his hometown. He stayed in contact with many friends, especially his kindergarten teacher, Iona Ritchie.

Robert donated several family items to the Museum, most notably the home movies already mentioned but also one of his father’s saddles and his student dental cabinet from his time as a student at Northwestern University. Our most recent intern from California State University, Channel Islands, cataloged all the items in the cabinet. He had spent several years as a dental technician, so it was a natural fit. Stop by the Museum if you want to see this unique item.