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This United States Postal Service building opened in 1940. Still in use today, it is located next to the Western Hotel at the northeast corner of Cedar Avenue and Lancaster Boulevard. It was part of the Federal Works Agency program and cost $75,000 to construct. This collection of photos shows the dedication of the post office with Judge McNeil is at the podium, and postmaster L.C.Rowe (second from the left). It also shows Lancaster pioneer, Susie Oldham Davis, retrieving her first mail at the new downtown post office. Lastly, there are modern photos of the post office as it stands today. "Gurba, Norma H. Lancaster. Arcadia, 2005. Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections"

Last week we mentioned Frank Zappa and his high school friend, Donald “Captain Beefheart” Van Vliet. Born in Glendale, and deemed an artistic prodigy, Van Vliet moved to Lancaster with his family when he was thirteen. As an intermittent student at Antelope Valley High School, Don joined the Blackouts. Van Vliet often helped his father, who worked as a truck driver for Helm’s Bakery, on delivery routes. During his time in Lancaster, he also liked hanging out at Gilbert’s 5-1-25 Cent Store, where he would buy records for ten cents, and meet up with his friend, Frank Zappa, and the Denny’s on Sierra Highway (now the Village Grille). The two tried to form a group called the Soots in 1964, however, they eventually ended up going their separate ways. Zappa went on to form the band Mothers of Invention, while Van Vliet returned to Lancaster to form the Magic Band and adopt the Beefheart stage name. In 1969, Van Vliet released a widely acclaimed album “Trout Mask Replica” featuring the Magic Band, which was made up of other talented local musicians. The album, produced by Zappa, was ranked No. 58 on the Rolling Stone’s 2012 list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Van Vliet retired from music in 1982, however, he could still be seen hanging out at the Valley’s Smokey Eye Lounge on jazz nights. "Gurba, Norma H. Legendary Locals of the Antelope Valley. Arcadia, 2013. Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections"

In celebration of last week's holiday, we wanted to pay another tribute to the Valley’s outlying turkey farms as Frank Zappa once did. In 1957, Frank Zappa’s father was hired as an engineer at Edwards Air Force Base. Zappa lived in Lancaster and attended both Antelope Valley High School and Antelope Valley College. During his time here, he partook in various activities including conducting the school orchestra, forming the band the Blackouts (appearing several times at the fairgrounds) and later the Omens (playing for the Lancaster Women’s Club and the fairgrounds), and working at the Record Den off Sierra Highway. Zappa rose to fame as part of the rock culture of the late 1960s and produced nearly sixty albums. Zappa also wrote and released the song “Village of the Sun” on his 1974 album “Roxy and Elsewhere” where he sang about Palmdale’s ruthless winds and turkey farms. Frank would often open the song by saying, “Does anyone know where Palmdale is? Ladies and gentlemen, this is a song about this place I used to live, where they used to raise turkeys.” The opening lyrics were: “Goin' back home to the Village of the Sun, Out in back of Palmdale where the turkey farmers run, I done made up my mind, And I know I'm gonna go to Sun Village, Good God, I hope the wind don't blow It’ll take the paint off your car, And wreck your windshield too I don't know how the people stand it, But I guess they do, cause they're all still there” Zappa’s high school friend of his was a fellow musician and local Donald Van Vliet, better known as Captain Beefheart. The two would often meet for late-night coffee at Denny’s (now the Village Grille) on Sierra Highway. For more information on Captain Beefheart, check out our upcoming Facebook posts! "Gurba, Norma H. Legendary Locals of the Antelope Valley. Arcadia, 2013. Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections"

Happy Thanksgiving from the Western Hotel Museum! For many years, big turkey operations could be found throughout the valley. By 1930, the local turkey population was estimated to be 40,000. In 1940, the valley produced 150,000 turkeys annually. Due to economic problems caused by the recession of the early 1980s, many turkey ranchers ceased production. Today, Lancaster has some local chicken farms, however, there aren't any local turkey ranches. "Gurba, Norma H. Lancaster. Arcadia, 2005. Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections"

This photo depicts some prominent Lancaster ladies wearing their “Sunday best” while attending a progressive luncheon in 1913, held at the Western Hotel. Shown, from left to right, are Mrs. Loomis, Mrs. Curt Henderson, Mrs. Olcott Bulkley (judge's wife), Mrs. Myrtie Webber (owner of the Western Hotel), Mrs. John, and three unknown women. Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections

Through the years, the Western Hotel fell into disrepair and was condemned in 1974. Many concerned Lancaster residents, especially students, refused to let this historic structure be razed. The Western Hotel Historical Society (WHHS) was formed in 1974, with goals to acquire the property, restore it, and develop a future museum. The “Save the Western Hotel” movement started, and the WHHS was able to fundraise enough money to allow them to buy the mortgage from Stuart Lank. A local eighth-grade class also helped to save the Western Hotel with their teacher, Tri Robinson. In the early 1980s, the City of Lancaster took over the Western Hotel and they were able to organize many larger renovations that included getting the ceilings up to code and adding modern plumbing to the building. During the widening of Lancaster Boulevard, the hotel was moved back approximately twenty-five feet. However, if you look closely at the center of the Boulevard, you’re able to see two palm trees in the original location of the building (see photo). Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections

Louis “Rocky” and Anna Maria Von Rockabrand bought an empty lot from James P. Ward (recorded December 3, 1889) and built the Antelope Valley Hotel, which later became the Gillwyn Hotel and eventually the Western Hotel in 1895. Rocky was also a restaurant owner, farmer, and shoemaker. In addition to owning land in the Antelope Valley, Rocky and his wife bought and sold lots in Redondo Beach. This photograph shows them outside what we believe to be their residence in Redondo Beach. "Gurba, Norma H. Lancaster. Arcadia, 2005. Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections"

When AV pioneers wanted to have their portraits taken they would usually visit a traveling photographer at their “studio,” which would be set up at the Western Hotel or Lancaster Hotel and available for about two to three weeks at a time. Newspaper offices were also able to take photographs. When a local photographer was not available, residents would travel to one of the studios in Los Angeles. One of the earliest photographers to capture Lancaster on film was G.L. Albertson; later ones included L.F. Bautier and the Rowland Studio. Famed pioneer photographer Carleton Watkins traveled through this region taking photographs of Acton (the Joshua tree paper mill), Kern County, and Tehachapi (the Tehachapi railroad loop) in the early 1880s. "Gurba, Norma H. Lancaster. Arcadia, 2005. Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections"

As early as 1892, “three strikes, you’re out!” could be heard across the Antelope Valley. Baseball has been a great national pastime and happened to be the most popular team sport in old Lancaster. Few recreational activities existed for young men to pursue, therefore many would play ball for hours to pass each day. With so much practice, they became great players and formed various local teams. Baseball games and barbecues would regularly take place in Rawley Duntley’s Oak Creek Ranch (near Willow Springs). People did not want to miss these entertaining events and would travel from all over the Antelope Valley to attend. After graduating from Antelope Valley High School and Antelope Valley College, James "Jim" Slaton left the Valley to become a major league pitcher. He played in the American League with the Milwaukee Brewers, the Detroit Tigers, and the California Angels. Slaton represented the Brewers, and the American League, in the 1977 All-Star game and was the winning pitcher for the Brewers in the 1982 World Series against St. Louis. He's earned 151 major league victories during his major league career. After retiring, Slaton became a coach. For more than two decades he worked with minor (Lancaster Jethawks) and major league teams (bullpen coach for the Mariners and the Dodgers). In 2010, Slaton was named the pitching coach at Camelback Ranch, the Dodgers and White Sox Spring Training facility. "Gurba, Norma H. Lancaster. Arcadia, 2005. Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections"

In the late 1880s and early 1890s, Georgia-native Mace Mayes served as a constable in Lancaster. Mayes also owned and ran a saloon on Antelope Avenue where illicit and unlawful activities were often conceived. Mayes and his nephew, Newton Morris, and several other accomplices were accused of running a cattle-rustling and raid ring within the Antelope Valley. Mayes was later arrested by a fellow constable, Eli Cammer. The case of cattle-rustling was dubbed the “Crime and Trial of the 19th Century,” and was supervised by Judge Olcott Bulkley. The trial lasted ten days and it’s rumored that half of the Valley’s population attended. Mayes was found guilty and convicted of grand larceny in 1895. He was sentenced to six years in San Quentin, while his nephew later became chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. After his release, Mayes’s life of crime continued, and he later returned to San Quentin for counterfeiting in 1902 "Gurba, Norma H. Legendary Locals of the Antelope Valley. Arcadia, 2013. Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections"

LANCASTER — POW! WOW! AV 2018 concludes today with a block party along Lancaster Boulevard and the chance for the public to meet the artists of POW! WOW! AV and The New Vanguard II exhibition. The New Vanguard II opening is scheduled from 2 to 6 p.m. to celebrate the culmination of POW! WOW! AV 2018, and the addition of 19 new murals to the BLVD Cultural District and immediate surrounding areas. POW! WOW! AV artists including Tina Dille of Tehachapi, Nuri Amanatullah of Quartz Hill, Mikey Kelly, and Scott Listfield, painted their murals last week. “I think it’s so cool because everybody can see the artwork and it’s all different types of artwork; it’s not all one type,” Dille said. Dille’s raven’s head is on the side of a building at 759 Lancaster Blvd., in the rear off Fern Avenue. “It goes fast when you spray paint,” Dille said during a break in painting. Dille is a contemporary animal artists who has worked with watercolors and fluid acrylics on synthetic paper and canvases. Her husband Mike filmed the progress of Dille’s work for a time-lapse video. “We’ve been like fast-forward filming, like the whole three hours is like five minutes,” Mike Dille said. Dille took the opportunity to watch how other artists painted their murals. “I guess everybody’s painting differently; I’ve been talking to a lot of the mural artists. They’re all doing it differently,” Dille said. The POW! WOW! Block Party festivities will include workshops such as the POW! WOW! Print Lab hosted by this year’s artist-in-residence, Amy Kaps, at MOAH:CEDAR; an additional workshop which will take place at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center; special tours held at the Western Hotel Museum; a car show along Lancaster BLVD; and musical performances on the museum’s outdoor stage, by Vultures of Vinyl, Lazy Beam, Thanks, Weird Puppy, Jimini Picasso, New Character, and Witchin Alleys; as well as delicious tacos from 1800. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to meet the artists of POW!WOW! AV and The New Vanguard II. The 2018 artist line up for POW!WOW! AV includes artists Hueman (Cal­if­or­nia); Super A (Netherlands); Lauren YS (Cal­if­or­nia); Ekundayo (Cal­if­or­nia); Jeff Soto (Cal­if­or­nia); Christopher Konecki (Cal­if­or­nia); Emily Ding (Texas); Amir Fallah (Cal­if­or­nia); Mikey Kelly (Cal­if­or­nia); Scott Listfield (Massachusetts); Carly Ealey (Cal­if­or­nia); Nuri Amanatullah (Cal­if­or­nia); Andrew Hem (Cal­if­or­nia); Tina Dille (Cal­if­or­nia); Aaron de la Cruz (Cal­if­or­nia); Amy Sol (Nevada); Tran Nguyen (Vietnam); Julius Eastman (Cal­if­or­nia); Dan Witz (New York); Jaune (Belgium); Slinkachu (Great Britain); Spenser Little (Cal­if­or­nia); Darcy Yates (Cal­if­or­nia); Craig “Skibs” Barker (Cal­if­or­nia); and MOUF (Texas). The exhibition, The New Vanguard II, is curated by Andrew Hosner of Thinkspace Projects in Los Angeles. The exhibit will include four solo shows by artists Sandra Chevrier, Brooks Salzwedel, Seth Armstrong, and Craig “Skibs” Barker. Additionally, the exhibition will feature site specific installations by HOTXTEA, Laurence Vallieres, Andrew Hem, Dan Witz, Jaune, Isaac Cordal and Spenser Little, along with a group exhibit in the main gallery of more than 40 international, new contemporary artists. The Lancaster Museum of Art and History is dedicated to strengthening awareness, enhancing accessibility, and igniting the appreciation of art, history, and culture in the Antelope Valley through dynamic exhibitions, innovative educational programs, creative community engagement, and a vibrant collection that celebrates the richness of the region. The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday with extended hours until 8 p.m. Thursday.

Dr. Hugh “Greg” McDonald (1951 – present) was born in Orange, California, to Leslie and Dorothy McDonald. In 1959, the family moved to Palmdale where young Greg went on field trips with the Palmdale Gem and Mineral Club and became especially interested in petrified wood and invertebrate fossils. While attending Palmdale High School, Greg participated in classes at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History and became a volunteer in the department of vertebrate paleontology. Here, he was able to participate in excavations for the museum’s hall of dinosaurs, which allowed him to be part of a team that discovered the fourth known Tyrannosaurs rex skeleton, along with other specimens. As an undergraduate at Idaho State University, Greg worked on a project that required the preparation of an extinct giant ground sloth (Megalonyx) skeleton. Ground sloths eventually became his primary research as a paleontologist, along with their relatives and other Pleistocene fauna. After receiving his doctorate from the University of Toronto, Dr. Greg McDonald continued his research and became a curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History. He then joined the National Park Service, serving as a paleontologist at Hagerman Fossil Beds and the Paleontology Program Coordinator for the Geologic Resource Division. In time, he also became the senior curator of natural history in the National Park Service Museum Management Program. As a graduate of Palmdale High School, Dr. McDonald returned to the Antelope Valley in 2000, as a guest lecturer for LMAG’s (Lancaster Museum/Art Gallery) exhibition “Dinosaurs in the Desert,” which featured a robotic ground sloth he designed for Kokoro Exhibits. Currently, Dr. McDonald is a Regional Paleontologist with the Bureau of Land Management. "Gurba, Norma H. Legendary Locals of the Antelope Valley. Arcadia, 2013. Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections"