PHOTOS: San Fernando Valley History Digital Library

Harold “Hap” Rogers of Yerington, Nevada lived in Los Angeles from 1926-1963 and sent me this email about some of his memories:

“Hello Andrew:

I have just read one of your articles my brother-in-law
e-mailed to me. I have not read all of it yet though. I am now 79 years old, be 80 in May, and remember most of your
things mentioned in your article.

I was born in West Los Angeles, (Sawtelle) in 1926. My dad
worked for Pacific Electric Railroad, the Red Cars at the old
Venice-Ocean Park Car Barn. We moved from Venice out to Northridge in
November 1935, which at that time was North Los Angeles.

Barbara Stanwyck and one of the Marx Bros had a horse ranch up at the
corner of Reseda Blvd and Devonshire, and talked the city into changing the
town’s name to Northridge Village. The people living there got to
vote on the name change and settled on just “Northridge”.

We lived on Jellico Ave., which at that time went north from Saticoy St, just one
block and ended at Stagg St. which was a dirt street. The street one
block west of us was White Oak Ave, one block east was Texhoma Ave and
next to it was Encino Ave, also a dirt street at that time.

I went to Reseda Grammar School and later attended Van Nuys High School, class of Winter
1944.

I very well remember the Red Cars going up Van Nuys Blvd to
Sherman Circle at Van Nuys Blvd & Sherman Way and from there going West
to Canoga Park along Sherman Way, then the next car coming out from the
Subway Terminal in Los Angeles would go on North to San Fernando.

After getting out of the service in 1946 I also went to work for Pacific
Electric in the West Hollywood Car Barns in the late 40’s. I made many
trips to Cahuanga Pass for repairs to cars that had
mechanical problems there and in the Hollywood area around Highland Ave
& Hollywood Blvd.

Later in the 40’s I went to work in the oilfields on a
drilling crew for TideWater Associated in and above the Porter & Sisnon
Estates in the Chatsworth Mountains.

I can remember back in the early days of WW2 when they closed
Saticoy St between Hayvenhurst and Woodley in order to extend the runway
at Van Nuys Airport and brought in the P38’s. The closure was only to be
temporary until after the war and was to be opened again, but that was
never to happen.

There are many fond memories of San Fernando Valley for me and
I never thought I would leave there, but in 1963 it had grown to much
for me and we sold our house in Reseda and moved to Nevada.

If you need more information I would be happy to help with
what I can remember.”

Sincerely,

Harold C. “Hap” Rogers
Yerington, Nevada