I hope you think I am an old timer in the valley. I came to Palmdale in March 1923 and was in the valley 46 years. My first job was at Iklers General Store, I was clerk and delivery boy. Stroud McBride and Freda Ritter (Redman) worked there too.

    The town wasn't very large then, Ave. Q to Ave. R and 6th East to 10th St. East was about the size of it. I drove mules for Harry Keatley, worked in orchards for Hardpan Jones, lumber yard for Mr. Bruce and for Jack Starford in green rock mine up West of the Dam. I stayed with Jean and Myrtle Breslem. Jean and I were truck drivers we hauled the rock to R.R. Siding at Harold. The hoof and mouth epidemic was on, they had a check station on Barrell Spring Rd. Joe Martin's father was the guard there. He would make me walk thru the sheep dip every time I went by I smelled like a sheep all summer. Stanford would bring his family up to the mine from Glendale. Their baby was two or three months old. She is now Mrs. Spud Morton of Lancaster. I went to work for Evan Evans and the County Road Dept. in 1925 and worked until I retired in 1961. Some of the men working then were: Lyle Sadler, Sam Wells, Gus Guinthur, Homer Downey and Ernie West.

   We played ball in the desert, west of the old Union Oil Plant. Some of the players were: Max Godde, Mike West, Earl Jones, Fred Young, and Fred McAdams. We had a good pitcher one year, called him Nig. One Sunday before the game, we couldn't find Nig anywhere, someone said he was drunk the night before and was in Jail in Lancaster. Bill Shuffelton, our Manager, got Judge Buckley to let him out, he showed up for the game. He looked like hell and felt worse, but we won the game. Ha Ha.

    I am sure you are an old timer in the Valley Mr. Gordon, but I am sorry I never met you.

Jack Hill 1335
MacGregor Ave.
Bishop CA 93514

One of the first business establishments in Lancaster was the Leo Harris general merchandise store. The one story structure is shown in photo taken in 1909.