Rusted, but good as new, Frank Walker’s restored 1935 Ford V-8 made its debut during the Placerita Canyon Nature Center open house on Saturday.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. residents and children came by for storytime, crafts and games, panning for “fools” gold and animal presentations.
As attendees walked toward each booth set up, they could enter the heart of Placerita Canyon, the Walker family cabin, and admire the revitalized truck.
Rooted in Santa Clarita Valley history, Walker, his wife Hortense, and their 12 children, seven boys and five girls, lived in the “second cabin along the present-day Heritage Trail near the Nature Center. [There are] present restoration with furnishings, tools and other items that are representative of life in the early 1900s, including a large dining table built by Frank Walker,” according to SCVHistory.com.
“[Walker] sold cement and clay blocks. He tried to make a living doing whatever he could to earn money for the family. He was a cattle rancher, panning for gold, he tried to have a good life for his family,” said Placerita Canyon docent Denise Allen.
Danny Fisher, Walker’s great-grandson, reflected on his grandmother’s, Melba Fisher, memories as a child in the cabin.
“She used to tell me about the days growing up here. This was their winter home, and there’s another cabin that was up farther where they stayed in the summer, but they had to stay here in the wintertime because of the snow,” Fisher said. “She talked about climbing all the oak trees. All they did all day was go out.”
Fisher reflected on the dichotomy of Melba’s experience as a child.
“She lived a good life, but she said it was hard. They were happy to eat beans and have enough to go around. Back then, you had to work hard for what you had and you were proud of what you had,” Fisher said. “She’s talked about not having shoes, the dangers of rattlesnakes.”
Engaged in conversation, Allen discussed with Fisher her thoughts on the truck.
“I can’t believe the truck looks so good,” Allen said. “I was just so excited because I love all things Walker now. I always come home and tell my family, ‘Guess what I learned today.’”
Herb Broutt, a docent at Placerita Canyon, discussed the ways in which the truck made its special appearance for the day.
“Bob Walker, one of the Walkers, had the truck. He was the keeper of all family stuff. Bob lives in Ojai, and we all got to go up [three years ago] and visit him because he has a lot of stuff and he had the truck there,” Broutt said.
According to Broutt, Bob was moving and wanted to get rid of the truck, even offering to pay to bring it down.
“The truck was in a fire, so we rebuilt it. We brought it here for open house, and then it’s going to go back to Hart Park,” Broutt said. “It’s amazing having it here, we’re all very excited. In fact, when Bob saw it here, he almost cried because it sat on his property for years. It didn’t even have wheels.”
