A PROSPEROUS 40TH FOR PALMDALE, THE LITTLE CITY THAT COULD.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

PALMDALE - As its 40th anniversary as a city approaches, Palmdale can boast of quarter-million-dollar tract homes, a shopping mall, Starbucks cafes and status as Antelope Valley's biggest city.

It is a far cry from 1962.

``We were a scrubby little town; there was no further down for it to go,'' recalled Larry Chimbole, Palmdale's first mayor. ``The aerospace industry was going through a downturn, one of the worst ever. Parts of the Palmdale looked like it was hit by an atomic bomb. Houses were abandoned.''

In 1962, Palmdale had a JC Penney, a drug store, one supermarket, about 11,500 people and not much else.

When its citizens voted for cityhood, Palmdale was in the midst of a severe economic downturn after the departure of Convair, one of its largest aerospace companies, as well as in the shadow of neighboring Lancaster. That town had more people, more government services and more stores.

Palmdale's birth is a story of people determined to give their community the means to control its own destiny - and a story of political guile, an early leader says.

``One of the motives was jealousy - Lancaster was a great community,'' said Chimbole, 83, who after being Palmdale mayor went on to represent the Antelope Valley in the state Assembly. ``Lancaster was always going to be a success. Palmdale has had to work at it.''

Chimbole, owner of a small hardware store, became involved in the incorporation effort because he was president of the Palmdale Chamber of Commerce.

At the time, Chimbole was a relatively recent arrival. Raised in Connecticut, Chimbole came to California after serving in the Pacific during World War II. He moved to the Antelope Valley in 1957 - when the local aerospace industry and population growth were booming - and set up a hardware store.

Along with Chimbole, other prime players in the incorporation effort were businessman Domenic Massari, who had helped charter the Chamber of Commerce; George Kartozian, who would later become city attorney; Marlin Gilbreath, a transplanted Texan who helped keep the idea of incorporation in everyone's minds despite previous failed efforts; and Johnny Johnston, a political consultant who helped guide the effort.

It was Johnston who told the leaders of the incorporation drive that they would need at least $5,000 for the cityhood campaign.

Chimbole and newspaper publisher Lamont Odett were selected as co- chairman of the fund-raising campaign. After a bit of struggle, the money was raised through $100 donations made by 50 contributors.

There had been at least two previous campaigns to incorporate Palmdale prior to 1962. The last incorporation campaign, in the mid-1950s, was too grandiose and ran into too much opposition early on.

The proposed boundaries took in too much territory, including the Desert View Highlands neighborhood, which to this day has as resisted all annexation efforts.

It also ran afoul of the Air Force and the aerospace companies who feared encroachment on Air Force Plant 42.

There was a simple strategy for the 1962 incorporation effort - avoid opposition. The incorporation plan was smaller and efforts were made to get the press on board and to keep the Air Force off their backs.

``It was a stealth campaign - very political,'' Chimbole said. ``We held only one public meeting - can you imagine trying to do that today?''

Pledges were made to protect Air Force Plant 42. The installation's commander at the time, Col. Whitey Hurlburt, agreed to stay out of the fray.

The leaders of the incorporation effort drew lines for the proposed city that took in as many businesses as possible - to generate revenue - and as few roads - which cost money to maintain - as possible.

When it was discovered that the proposed boundaries did not include Chimbole's home near Palmdale Boulevard and 20th Street East, the boundaries were redrawn. Chimbole said he did not request the change and believes that it was done at the request of Johnston.

``They gerrymandered out to my home,'' Chimbole said. ``It was justifiable because there was a shopping center at Palmdale Boulevard and 20th street.''

In August 1962, voters approved the incorporation of Palmdale and elected Chimbole, Gilbreath and Massari to the first City Council along with Dick Linaker and Lester Nichols. Chimbole, having received the most votes, was selected to be mayor.

Initially a city of only 2.1 square miles, Palmdale quickly grew through a series of annexations. Palmdale officials hit on a successful strategy for annexation - go after uninhabited areas because there's no or little opposition.

After each annexation, the city would put out a new Palmdale city-limits sign.

One day, Chimbole got a call from an attorney wanting to know if his office had been annexed into Palmdale. The attorney said he was afraid that he would lose business if people thought his office was in Palmdale.

Chimbole was put off by the comment, but it gave him an idea.

``I told the city manager to take down the city limit signs so Lancaster never knew where the hell we were,'' Chimbole said.

Forty years later, the city of Palmdale covers more than 100 square miles. Once the smaller city of the Antelope Valley, Palmdale last year passed Lancaster in population, each boosting of more than 120,000 people.

``We are what we are today because of those efforts,'' Mayor Jim Ledford said of the 1962 incorporation campaign. ``We wouldn't be here without his (Chimbole's) efforts.''

Palmdale's growth has surprised Chimbole.

``None of us had a vision,'' Chimbole said. ``We thought maybe we would get a couple more stores. We set a great foundation.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Larry Chimbole, the first mayor of Palmdale, stands in front of the landmark that bears his name.

(2) LARRY CHIMBOLE

Helped Palmdale become a city