Joe Vaniman, of La Verne, bought his 1930 Model A Roadster in 2004 and restored it with help from friends, including Stephen Salazar of La Verne, in the Pomona Valley Model A Club. As a final touch, Joe painted his Model A forest green and affixed the Los Angeles County Forestry Service insignia to its doors to honor his 35 years of service to the department as fire fighter and fire captain. / photo by Christian Uriarte

by Jason D. Cox and Lauren Creiman
photography by Christian Uriarte

­­Weathered and dented, a relic of a past few can remember, she stood at the side of the road. She seemingly waited and hoped for someone to give her a home. She was a 1930 Ford Model A Roadster, and she had no way of knowing that she would soon find love.

Eight years ago, Joe Vaniman and his wife Stemmie were taking a friend home from church when they saw the forgotten beauty on Wheeler Avenue in La Verne. Parked with a “For Sale” sign, the Model A beckoned to Joe. He gave in to temptation and stopped to investigate. Soon, he made arrangements to bring her home. “It was everything I could do to steer the thing,” he says about driving the “A” up the twisty Live Oak Canyon Road to his home. Joe, well acquainted with engineering, joined the Pomona Valley Model A Ford Club of America for help in restoring his roadster. He reworked the steering system so that it handled “almost as if it had power steering.” He replaced the wiring, installed a Model B engine, put in a lighter flywheel to make the clutch more manageable and did countless restoration details.

Today, his roadster pick-up is painted a deep green and bears an insignia on the driver side door that reads, “Los Angeles County Forestry Service.” Joe has driven his Model A in many parades, including the La Verne Independence Day parade and the San Dimas Western Days parade. He has won numerous trophies in the San Dimas car show. These shows and parades, Joe says, are important because “you get the chance to talk to people and tell them about a different time.” For Joe, his Model A is not only “just a really fun car to have and work on” but also a relic of his eventful past.

Elvo Joe Vaniman was born June 27, 1923, in Pomona Valley Hospital. At a young age, Joe was taught the value of hard work and raised to be self-sufficient. “My father left our family when I was 1 year old, and my mother went back to school at UCLA to get her teaching credential so she could support us,” Joe says. “For as long as I can remember, if we wanted anything, we had to work so we could get it ourselves.” His mother taught at the Lincoln and Roynon grammar schools for 30 years.

Joe joined the workforce early, washing dishes in the cafeteria of Bonita High School until he graduated from there in 1941. He then bussed tables at Wilson’s Café while he attended Chaffey Junior College. It was there that he met the chief of the Los Angeles County Forestry Service, a frequent diner. The two often talked, and eventually the chief convinced Joe to take the exam to become a forest firefighter. He began work June 1, 1942, and was initially sent to Pine Canyon near Elizabeth Lake to complete his six-month probationary period. Later, he bid for transfer to the San Dimas Station and won approval but was soon drafted into military service Jan. 7, 1943. “I received Army training, even though I ended up being a pilot,” Joe says. During World War II, the U.S. Air Force was called the U.S. Army Air Corps. “Once the Army found out I studied aeronautics at Chaffey, I was automatically placed in pilot training.”

Joe Vaniman’s Model A has several custom parts, including a Weber down draft carburetor (at left) and a Model B engine. He purchased the Model A with existing modifications but also added his own to make the car easier to drive in traffic. Joe says the basic design and simple parts of the Model A bring the car within reach of owner restoration and maintenance. This is the second Model A he has owned, the first bought for $95 when he graduated from Bonita High School. Joe later sold that “A” to the owner of Wilson’s cafe, where he bussed tables. / photo by Christian Uriarte

Flight training began at Ryan Field in Hemet, Calif., with the Ryan PT-22. Following, came basic training at Gardner Field in Taft, Calif., where he mastered the PT-13. On a weekend leave, he hitchhiked home to La Verne, gathered his bride-to-be Marilyn, pastor Newt Balch, his mother and her mother, and the couple was married that night at the pastor’s Third Street home. A friend’s bungalow in Corona del Mar afforded a one-night honeymoon. Joe hitchhiked back to Gardner Field to report for Monday morning flight school. “It really gets me how people today spend so much money on a big wedding,” he says. “I was able to get married for only $20, and we were married for 57 years.” Eventually, Joe landed in Pecos, Texas, honing his skills as a Cessna AT-17 Bobcat twin pilot. Soon, he was relocated to Arizona “to fly gunners in worn out B-17s.” Then, it was on to Lincoln, Neb., where he and fellow pilots assembled their nine-man combat crews. “We had a lot of free time while in Lincoln, so I got to have Marilyn with me there, and that made things a lot better,” Joe says. His scenery changed yet again; in Sioux City, Iowa, the crew practiced missions before overseas combat deployment.

He completed 22 missions over Germany, the fifth of which involved an unplanned landing. “We were bombing Kassel, Germany, and you could see the Swiss Alps, it was so clear,” Joe recalls. “In the distance, we could see thick black smoke, and we all said, ‘They’re really getting it over there.’ Then our formation’s course started to aim itself in that direction, and we knew we were headed that way.” While passing through the intense anti-aircraft fire, their number four engine was hit. Their “Georgia Peach” made a safe landing in Liège, Belgium, which was a U.S. P-47 base. Another terrifying moment came with a premature explosion of high explosive bombs from another B-17 600 feet below them that knocked six planes out of the air. Somehow, the damaged wings stayed on their plane. “The ground crew told us rough air would have been our end,” he says.

Joe has the distinction of flying in the Army Air Corps’ very last World War II mission, a bombing run personally ordered by General Dwight Eisenhower over Pilsen, Czechoslovakia. On that April 25, 1945, day, the Germans knew they were coming to bomb the Skoda Armament Works, and six U.S. bombers were shot down.

Joe outlasted three B-17s (only one had a name) and logged more than 250 hours of combat flight time. At war’s end, he flew the plane home over the Atlantic.

Back at the San Dimas forestry station, his job was waiting for him, and leadership roles came his way: He passed his engineer’s exam to drive the fire trucks, then he was named captain. His prolific career included leading stations in Malibu, Padua Hills (Claremont), San Dimas and Via Verde, from where in he retired in 1977. Joe says he always had a second job, whether it was working at a couple La Verne tire shops or the family’s 1887 era San Dimas orange grove, inherited in 1969. The grove was “taken away by eminent domain when the 57 Freeway came in.” Other days were spent enjoying time with Marilyn and exploring hobbies, including salmon fishing. While Joe did not attend the University of La Verne, his brother Ralph did. Uncle Harper Frantz was a La Verne chemistry professor of distinction. And the Landis Academic Center is named after his cousin Beth Landis.

Marilyn passed away in 2001, and Joe later married his current wife Stemmie, whom he met at the San Dimas Community Church. The two enjoy the perks of retirement, which currently centers around Model A Club activities. And, although it does not offer the complexity of a B-17 bomber, his Model A has straight forward technology that reminds him of a simpler time. For Joe, his roadster is the time machine that lets him relive his history.

Joe Vaniman parks his Model A Ford in front of the historical San Dimas Walker House and looks down the road at the San Dimas Mountain Rescue and Los Angeles County Forestry Service. It was in that building that Vaniman started work June 1, 1942, as a forest service firefighter. / photo by Christian Uriarte

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Jon Blickenstaff, the former mayor of La Verne, restored a 1930s Ford Woody after buying it as a pile of parts. The maple siding of the car was a custom installation by Blickenstaff’s friend, a carpenter. / photo by Rhiannon Mim

by Jaclyn Mittman
photography by Rhiannon Mim

Stepping into the garage of Jim Thomas makes you feel like you are in the 1950s. Three hot rods in a row fill the garage, but against the walls are shelves filled with jars, cans, trophies, plaques, vintage oil cans, old tools, coffee mugs, light-up Budweiser signs, posters, framed articles, soda bottles, carburetors, thermometers and magnets. Old lanterns hang from the ceiling in a row. It is almost impossible to keep your eyes from wandering with so many nostalgic items on display. There is even an antique milkshake mixer. This is the ultimate hot rod garage.

Thomas, a retiree from the General Telephone Company and a La Verne resident, is a collector of everything antique. There are old boat and car motors on the floor along the walls. Thomas tells stories of his travels and everything he’s collected along the way.

He takes the cover off each car, and the garage begins to glisten as the sun hits the mirror-like paint. Thomas owns a blue 1941 Graham Hollywood, which he jokingly refers to as “the gangster car,” a burgundy 1932 Ford Roadster, and an heirloom that has been in the family since 1950: a purple 1939 Ford Coupe.

“I actually drove this car in high school,” Thomas said, referring to the 1939 Coupe. “I even had my first date with my wife in this car.”

It’s not uncommon, cruising the streets of La Verne, to catch a peek of a beautiful classic car sitting in a driveway. There is something about these classic beauties that draws your attention. The beautiful, shiny coat of paint or the details in the car can leave one breathless. Classic cars, or hot rods, are quite popular in La Verne.

The expensive and time-consuming hobby of collecting and restoring classic cars has become a passionate hobby for many La Verne residents. Many people who are into classic cars either keep cars through generations as heirlooms, such as Thomas’ Ford Coupe, or they get into it later on as a hobby.

California is well known for its classic car culture and is a haven for many car sports and car enthusiasts. Pomona plays a huge part in the cars and automotive sports, so it is no surprise that La Verne would follow along with this trend. Classic cars are popular nationwide, but Southern California is the heart of the car culture, and La Verne is a big part of that.

Former La Verne mayor and vintage car enthusiast Jon Blickenstaff says it may also have to do with the large number of people more than 50 years old living in La Verne. Blickenstaff, a classic car collector himself, also says the California weather plays a part.

The car culture in La Verne starts as early as high school. La Verne’s Bonita High School has always had auto shop and a strong automotive program.

Blickenstaff also recognizes the importance that neighboring Pomona plays in the car culture in La Verne. He says that being so close not only to the Pomona drag race facility but also to the NASCAR track in Ontario are advantages for the local car culture. The National Hot Rod Association Motorsports Museum is conveniently located in Pomona. This museum houses many vintage and historical hot rods, customs and race cars. This is also the location of one of the largest classic car swap meets in Pomona, which draws thousands of people from near and far.

Blickenstaff told La Verne Magazine in a 1994 interview that he didn’t get enough time to restore antique cars, and that if he were not working or serving as mayor, he would be spending a lot more time doing so. Fifteen years later, that time has come, with the retirement of Blickenstaff as mayor in spring 2009.

The former mayor owns four classic cars: a black 1934 Ford Woody station wagon, a red 1940 Ford Woody station wagon, a red 1952 Ford pickup, and a 1965 Chevy El Camino which, according to Blickenstaff, is still under construction.

“I’m always looking for the next car. It is a passion that I have never outgrown,” Blickenstaff says.

Another major part of classic cars in La Verne is the Cool Cruise Car Show that is put on annually by L.D. Johnson, former maintenance operations superintendent for La Verne. According to Johnson, this event is huge and is one of the biggest events the city has to offer. The car show brings together many car collectors. Johnson said there have even been participants that come to the show from as far away as Louisiana.

Johnson, who grew up in California, says being from California meant you grew up cruising around in cars “looking for chicks.”

He got into car shows several years ago. The first car show put on in La Verne, according to Johnson, had only 124 cars and had very limited time and a small budget. The purpose of the show was to boost downtown La Verne business through the car shows and to bring all the car enthusiasts in the area together.

Johnson said he is now busier than ever with his 13th Cool Cruise show and is expecting to have 800 or 900 cars participating.

“A lot of people have discovered La Verne through the years by coming to these car shows,” Johnson says. “This show has helped put La Verne on the map.”

Johnson told about an incident that made him realize the impact the car show has had on the La Verne community.

About six years ago, he received a call from a woman who was clearly not a “hot rod person.” She assumed that “downtown La Verne” was somewhere around Foothill Boulevard and was concerned about how traffic would be affected, since they close down the streets. Johnson said he wanted to meet her after speaking with her because it was clear she had no idea where downtown La Verne was located, even though she had lived in La Verne for four years. Her son was even a student at Bonita High School. Johnson met with her at the car show, and she finally discovered where downtown La Verne was located. If not for the car show, Johnson says, she might never have discovered where downtown was.

The car show also does wonders for the downtown businesses. The restaurants get busy because people who come to the event need to eat, and the stores receive much more traffic than usual. Johnson says one man, who was not from the area, actually went into Segal Diamonds and purchased $20,000 worth of jewelry. The barbershop also gets much traffic during the show because there are usually a lot of men who do a lot of sitting around during the day of the show – a perfect time to get a haircut.

“Many merchants would say [the car show] is the biggest event of the year,” Blickenstaff says. “It is a very positive, strongly supportive event.”

Blickenstaff has attended every Cool Cruise car show, and has even had his cars featured in a few of the shows. Blickenstaff adds that, as time allows, he would like to be more involved in these events. “It’s fun to mingle, talk about the good ol’ days and reminisce.”
The show has even inspired some people to move to La Verne. One family purchased a home in La Verne after visiting the area for the car show. This means that it also has an impact on the La Verne real estate market.

“People come and enjoy the show, discover the community and [buy] homes,” Johnson says. “The intent of the show is working.”

The La Verne community not only has a popular hot rod culture, it also relies on these enthusiasts to bring business to the city. Whether it is based on the history, geographical influence, or a passionate hobby, classic cars are here to stay in La Verne.

Jim Thomas finished restoring his 1932 Ford Roadster two years ago and has built most of the parts by hand and purchased other parts at both the Pomona and Long Beach swap meets. Aside from his two 1930s Fords, Thomas also owns a rare 1941 blue Graham Hollywood. Only 900 of these cars were made because the manufacturer was only in business for nine months. / photo by Rhiannon Mim

photo by Rhiannon Mim

photo by Rhiannon Mim

photo by Rhiannon Mim

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photo by Lauren Pollard

by Galo Pesantes
photography by Lauren Pollard

Millions of people across the region and beyond have been able to connect with it for the last 86 years. It’s known for providing a unique experience of diverse food, attractions, concerts and amusement rides. It seems like whatever the weather, or whatever you feel like doing, you can find your fun at the Los Angeles County Fair, one of the largest county fairs in the world.

But the Pomona Fairplex has grown into so much more than a county fairgrounds. In fact, it is one of the most prolific venues in the area, hosting more than 300 events a year and attracting more than 2 million tourists, fans and enthusiasts. These events range from major year-round activities to day- or weekend-long events. Among them is the birth of the National Hot Rod Association, a prominent sporting event that has called the Fairplex home since 1953. It holds two major races every year at the Pomona Raceway: the Winternationals and the Auto Club of Southern California Finals.

“There’s no question, Southern California is the home of drag racing,” says Michael Padian, public relations manager for the NHRA. “There is a lot of history here. A lot of our drivers know that because they grew up around the area. (Pomona Raceway) is a special place for sure.”

In addition to the Raceway, the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School is held at the Fairplex to train future drivers and up-and-coming stars on the circuit. When the racing is over, people can visit the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, which pays tribute to Parks and the history of the sport. The NHRA Twilight Cruiser events take place at the Museum the first Wednesday of every month and feature pre-1970 vintage vehicles, including hot rods and muscle cars. If that is not enough, the Grand National Roadster Show, the longest running indoor hot rod event in the world, exhibits thousands of exclusive and custom-made hot rods. Auto fanatics have also been able to experience events like the California RV show, the Off Road Expo, the Pomona Auto Swap Meet and the L.A. Roadsters Show.

Along with the RV show, the Fairplex has it own KOA/RV facility as part of the Kampgrounds of America Inc. network, which serves as a camping location for hundreds of tourists and visitors. On the east side of White Avenue, the area offers a mini-market, spa, laundry and shower facilities as well as a clubhouse, recreation room and kitchen. It not only provides convenience to those enjoying the sights and sounds of the fair, but also gives easy and comfortable access to other amenities offered at the Fairplex.

For horse racing fans, Fairplex Park rivals many horse racing venues like those at Hollywood Park, San Anita and Los Alamitos. It hosts several races during the Fair season and serves as a site for thoroughbreds to be trained all year long.

“We are in the perfect place to attract people to horse racing,” says Paul Ryneveld, equine manager for the Pomona Fairplex. “We offer similar racing to those other places and have pretty quality horses.”

The park itself is able to hold over 10,000 visitors. A renovated clubhouse provides inter-track wagering services for races at other venues. Fans can also visit the Top of the Park Restaurant for lunch and dinner and enjoy a panoramic view of the racetrack. Barretts Equine Limited supplies most of the action for the races at Fairplex Park. Their facilities include auctions, shows and a complex for the sale and training of horses. The complex, Hinds Pavilion, is able to seat more than 700, and offers nine barns with room for nearly 500 horses. During Sept. 5-22, racing fever returns to Fairplex Park, as it will again host races in the day and nighttimes.

“We had a really good season last year from a racing standpoint,” Ryneveld says. “This year, we may see some of the better riders in the nations during the final weekend of the season.”

When not catering to events at the raceway or park, the Convention and Exposition Complex sees the majority of trade and consumer shows that travel across the nation. Among these is the Computer Fair, which is held eight times a year, along with competitions, specialty shows and expos, collectible and merchandise shows, dog shows, agricultural and livestock fairs, wine shows, boat shows and various auctions. It also plays host to several festivals, including the Irish Fair and Music Festival, which brings thousands of performers and guests, and the Asian American Expo, which had more than 50,000 people in attendance last year for their festival featuring food, music and art.

The Fairplex also has its share of charitable foundations and causes for children and young people in Pomona and other neighborhoods. The Millard Sheets Center for the Arts offers educational programs and exhibits helping to enrich the meaning and purpose of arts in the lives of children. It holds several events annually, including a gallery that incorporates themes in art and investigates cultural understandings to better serve the community. It intends to reach a broad audience, continuing to carry the advancement of arts in society and culture and teach a diverse program of art, film, music and more.

Another foundation is the Child Development Center, which works with the University of La Verne in providing educational services and child care for children, including those with disabilities.

“Education is a large focus of ours at the Fairplex,” says Wendy Talarico, Fairplex communications and public relations manager. “We partner with area school districts to create these educational programs for children.”

These programs have been especially helpful for low-income families and young people in the surrounding communities. Some of the activities include a literacy program, developmental and parenting programs, childhood experience programs and other workshops. It also boasts the world’s largest classroom, as children are able to explore all the different parts of the fairgrounds.

If you need a bite to eat, look no further than the Fairplex’s oldest restaurant, the Avalon. Originally known as the cafeteria, the original structure of the Avalon was built in 1937. It can accommodate up to 500 people in its meeting and banquet rooms, in addition to its food services. The Avalon serves as the fair’s year-round center for food and beverage operations and offers top quality food and drinks at affordable prices.

Finally, if you are looking for a place to stay overnight while at the Fairplex, look no
further than the Sheraton Suites Fairplex Hotel. The facility has more than 11,000 square feet and offers 247 suites. It also has a business center, fitness center and complimentary breakfast service for all guests. The suites are full-size rooms with bedroom and living rooms equipped with kitchens, TV/VCRs and phone services. The hotel can host business meetings and functions in their ballroom and banquet rooms. It’s conveniently located near the Red Gate of the Fairplex’s entrance.

Overall, the Fairplex serves as much more than the place where the Fair is held. It is able to brings thousands of people together to watch an NHRA or horse race, invites RVs to stay the week, offers hundreds of varying shows, expos and conventions, serves the community with many programs and provides facilities for eating and sleeping. The founding members of the L.A. County Fair could have never anticipated that the Pomona Fairplex would grow as much as it has today. Who knows what the future may hold? One thing is for sure: the Fairplex is much more than meets the eye.

The Fairplex is home to the Pomona Swap Meet, where people travel far to see the West Coast's largest antique auto, Corvette, Porsche, street rod and Volkswagen swap meet and car show. / photo by Lauren Pollard

photo by Lauren Pollard

photo by Lauren Pollard

Portraying the court of James I, Mary Keller and Ryan Schafar participate in the Fairplex’s annual Irish Fair. The Fairplex is transformed into a pre-St. Patrick’s Day party with music, dancing and more. / photo by Lauren Pollard

photo by Lauren Pollard

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