About this site
Arthur Chapman's 1917 poem "Out Where the West Begins" captures the essence of life in Agua Dulce, over the past centuries through today.
(Artwork from Agua Dulce pioneer Kay Finley Clawson (circa 1970s) with poem text added by Sarah Thompson).
|
This site is meant to serve multiple functions:
- To place Agua Dulce's history in the context of the larger Californian, Western, and overall American experience.
- To tell the story of Agua Dulce through various documents, photographs, and other historic information provided by members of the community as well as from larger historic archives.
- To encourage participation (on any level) from the public to continue to help build this project. The beauty and curse of doing small-town history is that books have not been written on it: we must utilize our resources and get creative in finding and documenting the story of our history. This can mean participating in casual interviews, sharing photos, albums, letters, newspaper clippings, or any other historic documents that pertain to the area, or just sharing any information you would like.
Dear visitors,
First of all, thank you for visiting the site! My name is Sarah Brewer Thompson and I welcome you to the Agua Dulce History Project. This project has been something that has been a long-term dream of mine, as a local kid who simply grew up in Agua Dulce and as an adult has come to admire this area for everything it has to offer. From the unbelievable sense of community and support among residents, to the long and rich history of this little town, Agua Dulce truly is a gem in the desert. Though every small town or big city is unique, there has always been something about this area that makes residents and visitors alike feel something more.
Having grown up in my family's hardware store located in the center of town, I have heard over and over again over the years from visitors that they did not know places like this even existed: places where everyone really does know everyone else and the bonds of neighbors and families are held dear; where the highlight of the year is the Country Fair and Parade, where native plants and wildlife are an everyday staple; where alfalfa grows on the corner and only occasionally does a buffalo get out and sit in the middle of Agua Dulce Canyon Road. Where friendships and small businesses span generations, and you can always count on those around you for help.
I have been actively collecting, cataloging, and writing about Agua Dulce's history extensively for about five years, but have grown up absorbing and appreciating our history since I was very young. My parents showed my sister and I early on the value of contributing time to the community, where the more effort volunteers put in, the more the town grows. My father played a major part in my passion for history and archaeology. An avid fan of history for his entire life, he spent countless hours as a volunteer for nearly every organization in town, with his favorite place being Vasquez Rocks. He left us too soon in 2003 after battling cancer, but his impact will forever reverberate throughout the town. From his efforts starting in 1992 to build an Interpretive Center at Vasquez Rocks (which finally came to fruition in 2012), to his and my mother's purchase of the Agua Dulce Hardware Store in 1991, to the sign he installed for the elementary school that still stands on Agua Dulce Canyon Road; his spirit and influence are still strong in the town that he loved so dearly. For him and all those people who have lived and loved in Agua Dulce, I invite you to participate in building the story of our past.
Aside from spending many hours as a volunteer myself through various community organizations, I have received extensive academic training in the fields of history and archaeology. I received my Associate's degree in History from College of the Canyons in 2008, a dual Bachelor's degree in history and anthropology from CSUN in 2011, and I am currently set to graduate in a few semesters with my my Master's degree in history from CSUN.
Please accept this invitation to take a step back in time and enjoy the story so far. There is much room to grow and learn, and the story needs your help in order to expand. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in participating in the project, or have any concerns or feedback you would like to contribute.
With affection and gratitude, I am looking forward to the future of our past.
Yours in adventure and history,
Sarah Brewer Thompson
First of all, thank you for visiting the site! My name is Sarah Brewer Thompson and I welcome you to the Agua Dulce History Project. This project has been something that has been a long-term dream of mine, as a local kid who simply grew up in Agua Dulce and as an adult has come to admire this area for everything it has to offer. From the unbelievable sense of community and support among residents, to the long and rich history of this little town, Agua Dulce truly is a gem in the desert. Though every small town or big city is unique, there has always been something about this area that makes residents and visitors alike feel something more.
Having grown up in my family's hardware store located in the center of town, I have heard over and over again over the years from visitors that they did not know places like this even existed: places where everyone really does know everyone else and the bonds of neighbors and families are held dear; where the highlight of the year is the Country Fair and Parade, where native plants and wildlife are an everyday staple; where alfalfa grows on the corner and only occasionally does a buffalo get out and sit in the middle of Agua Dulce Canyon Road. Where friendships and small businesses span generations, and you can always count on those around you for help.
I have been actively collecting, cataloging, and writing about Agua Dulce's history extensively for about five years, but have grown up absorbing and appreciating our history since I was very young. My parents showed my sister and I early on the value of contributing time to the community, where the more effort volunteers put in, the more the town grows. My father played a major part in my passion for history and archaeology. An avid fan of history for his entire life, he spent countless hours as a volunteer for nearly every organization in town, with his favorite place being Vasquez Rocks. He left us too soon in 2003 after battling cancer, but his impact will forever reverberate throughout the town. From his efforts starting in 1992 to build an Interpretive Center at Vasquez Rocks (which finally came to fruition in 2012), to his and my mother's purchase of the Agua Dulce Hardware Store in 1991, to the sign he installed for the elementary school that still stands on Agua Dulce Canyon Road; his spirit and influence are still strong in the town that he loved so dearly. For him and all those people who have lived and loved in Agua Dulce, I invite you to participate in building the story of our past.
Aside from spending many hours as a volunteer myself through various community organizations, I have received extensive academic training in the fields of history and archaeology. I received my Associate's degree in History from College of the Canyons in 2008, a dual Bachelor's degree in history and anthropology from CSUN in 2011, and I am currently set to graduate in a few semesters with my my Master's degree in history from CSUN.
Please accept this invitation to take a step back in time and enjoy the story so far. There is much room to grow and learn, and the story needs your help in order to expand. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in participating in the project, or have any concerns or feedback you would like to contribute.
With affection and gratitude, I am looking forward to the future of our past.
Yours in adventure and history,
Sarah Brewer Thompson
Contant information:
Email: SarahLynnBrewer@gmail.com
Phone: (661) 435-6490
Email: SarahLynnBrewer@gmail.com
Phone: (661) 435-6490