SOCIETY NEEDS A HOME HISTORICAL HOUSE MAY BE THE SPOT.Byline: Angie Valencia Staff Writer MOORPARK - Garments, photographs, early farm implements, an old mule mule, in zoology mule, hybrid offspring of a male donkey (see ass) and a female horse, bred as a work animal. The name is also sometimes applied to the hinny, the offspring of a male horse and female donkey; hinnies are considered inferior to mules. saddle. These and other artifacts artifacts see specimen artifacts. , owned by the Moorpark Historical Society, are kept in airtight air·tight adj. 1. Impermeable by air. 2. Having no weak points; sound: an airtight excuse. airtight Adjective 1. containers in storage because there is no place to display them for the general public. ``It would be nice to show people what we have,'' said society President Debi Ryono. ``We have been looking to have a mini-museum, but don't have the resources.'' For years now, the Moorpark Historical Society has envied neighboring neigh·bor n. 1. One who lives near or next to another. 2. A person, place, or thing adjacent to or located near another. 3. A fellow human. 4. Used as a form of familiar address. v. cities with thriving thrive intr.v. thrived or throve , thrived or thriv·en , thriv·ing, thrives 1. To make steady progress; prosper. 2. museums such as Strathearn Historical Park and Museum in Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. and the Stagecoach stagecoach, heavy, closed vehicle on wheels, usually drawn by horses, formerly used to transport passengers and goods overland. Throughout the Middle Ages and until about the end of the 18th cent. Inn Museum in Newbury Park. ``This place wasn't just put up here yesterday,'' said Charles Schwabauer, 76, one of the society's founders. ``We have always tried to preserve and maintain articles of historical nature for the benefit of education and the future population. ``From a historical perspective, Moorpark was the hub of activity at the east end of the county.'' The city's rich history includes Moorpark as the site of the region's first high school, its first dance hall. And it was the first town powered by nuclear energy back in the late 1950s. Despite numerous attempts, the society's bid for a museum showcasing the city's past has gotten nowhere. However, word of a proposed development could mean good news for the organization. Developer Comstock Homes plans to build up to 50 homes on an 8.8 acre parcel north of the Moorpark Town Center. The area is vacant with the exception of the Birkenshaw estate, a Georgian-style home built in the 1920s by one of the city's pioneering families. The home would be preserved for public use if the project is approved. The downtown landmark remains in its original condition. The residence is on the site of a former orange orchard orchard, generally an area on which fruit or nut trees are planted and cultivated. The words grove and plantation are often used when the fruits are tropical, e.g., a "citrus grove" or a "banana plantation. . Dave Bobardt, the city of Moorpark's planning manager, said the Birkenshaw family is offering to donate the home for public use, such as a meeting place or museum, but ``nothing has been decided or ruled out yet.'' ``Most people in town are familiar with it. It's in the heart of downtown,'' Ryono said. ``The society would love to have it restored as a museum. Right now, it's just a dream.'' Ryono said if the project moves forward, the organization would consider renting out two or three rooms, and have it open on the weekends and for special events. And while it would be nice to have a museum all to themselves, it is not feasible for a group of their size; the historical society has about 150 members. ``There hasn't been a sugar daddy sugar daddy n. Slang A wealthy, usually older man who gives expensive gifts to a young person in return for sexual favors or companionship. ,'' Schwabauer said. ``We have worked on three locations, but nothing. ``We just don't have a lot of dollars. If I could sit down and write a check, I would.'' Just last year, county Supervisor Judy Mikels worked with the group on a lease, said Jacquie Richardson, an aide to the supervisor. The 50-year lease was for $1 per year for a 23-acre portion of Happy Camp Canyon Park to be used as a repository (1) A database of information about applications software that includes author, data elements, inputs, processes, outputs and interrelationships. A repository is used in a CASE or application development system in order to identify objects and business rules for reuse. . However, the group withdrew its interest because the parcel of land required road work, sewers, water service, and required funds to build the museum and maintain it. ``It became a bigger project than anyone anticipated,'' she said. Angie Valencia, (805) 583-7604 angie.valencia(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) The Birkenshaw estate, a Georgian-style home built in the 1920s by one of Moorpark's pioneering families, would be preserved for public use if a housing project is approved. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
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