I arrived in Palmdale during the month of Jan. of 1945 with my wife and one year old boy. Last part of 1944 I had looked over several areas with the idea of opening a Grocery Store in some small country town of Southern California. J chose Palmdale as a "Good" town to settle in, open my store and raise my boy. There was only one store in the area, a Safeway Store. A new building and location for them at the corner of Q-7 and Sierra Hwy. North East Corner. Safeway had moved from their location of the Southeast corner of Q-9 and Sierra Hwy. There were several wooden buildings on this block, which later burned down one Sunday a few years later.

    During the last of 1944, I used to come up the narrow, winding old Sierra Hwy. from Los Angeles to look for a store building to rent for a store, but had to buy an old Block bidg (condemned by the county) on the corner of Q-7 and Sierra Hwy. (southeast corner). Was one of the original garages with pumps out in front on Sierra Hwy. The County had let the local U.S.O. use it during the War. Bought my home on Q-7, south side, middle of block between 8th St. and 9th St. East (still standing next to the present Goodyear store). I will not say what prices I paid at this time as it would make the present real estate salesmen faint.

    I will try and give you a picture of how Palmdale looked at this time to me when I arrived in town to live. The Business area of Palmdale was from Safeway's new store at Q-7 on Sierra Hwy, south to Q-10. Three blocks long and only on one side of the highway as on the west side of the street was owned by Southern Pacific Co. with their station at Palmdale Blvd. and Sierra Hwy then from about Q-7 to Palmdale Blvd. there was a lumber yard. Starting from Q-7 )on the south side, going south) the building which I bought to remodel for my future store. A large vacant building (now a T.V. store) that was used by local people for dances and meetings... then came a small building with a notions (10 cent store) store, then a group of buildings used as apartments for service men stationed at the old Palmdale Airport; then on the Northeast corner of Palmdale Blvd. and Sierra Hwy. was the old Hotel with the fine eating place on the corner (the buildings from the present T.V. Store to the corner have been torn down and new buildings and a Service Station where the Hotel was. Moving on across the Palmdale Blvd. to the southeast corner of Palmdale blvd. and Sierra hey you have a Service Station (as now is) but with old style buildings and pumps. I might mention at this time that all along Sierra hey the buildings as they had then, had over hangings built to curb, as old Spanish buildings used to be built. Part is still up on the buildings between Palmdale Blvd. and Q-9. All were torn down a few years after I came except those still standing. The buildings as now standing on Sierra Hwy between the service station and Q-9 and Sierra Hwy was our only Drug Store, Liquor Store, Old Fashion Ice Cream Counter. Next to it in going north was the Post Office then came two vacant stores and then the present businesses as now handled. Milt Wolf, owner of Radio Palmdale, came back from the service and opened his first radio store (I mean radio store, no T.V. as yet) with a Gordon Taylor who bought out the old 10› store next to me and expanded the items which he handled. I might mention that every morning around 10, all store owners in the town would meet for coffee and talks to wait for the mail to be sorted out which had just come in on the train from L. A. (I forgot to mention that the Radio store was opened up next to the Post Office). Going on South from the Drug Store, on the southeast corner was a large store build- ing (former Safeway) which was later remodeled and our first hard- ware store was opened up by Mr. McBride. Going on south was several small stores in which was our first Barber Shop, the A.V. Press as then known which came out once a week, real estate offices. All this along with the Hardware store and where the present Press is, was burned to the ground in one big fire on a Sunday. With our local fire department (local business men), it was more than what we could handle and equipment from Edwards Airforce Base and L. A. came to help us.

    The present White Spot Hotel and Cafe was the next building and is still standing. Now that was our business district. up

    To the east of Sierra Hwy. were a number of homes built. Old time homes which have now been torn down. On the corner of Q-7 and 8th St. East, northwest corner was the old Blacksmith and repair for farm equipment. On the southwest corner was a vacant building which had been years past the Grocery store for the area (the name is still on the back of building). This building has been remodeled into a doctor's office. On the southeast corner is still standing the Pear- land Hotel. At this time, wonderful home-cooked food used to be served there and board and room could be had. A number of your present civic committees and organizations had their start at this location.

    During this period, we had only two churches, Presbyterian (corner of Palmdale Blvd. and 9th St. E., southeast corner) presently a service station and the St. Mary's Church on the northwest corner of 9th st. E. and Q-10. The spirit of this period was wonderful. It did not matter which church you belonged to. When need arose, fun and money raising projects came up, all towns people and merchants went together and put the project over.

    Another item that few people know about is that Palmdale had an Airport in the center of town, on 6th St. E. (as now known) west side about where Q-7 would be. Small planes came in there. Farmers used to fly in from outlaying ranches and land there, and come across the R.R. tracks and shop in my Store.

    A ranch, which had a few cows where you could get fresh milk, was at the corner of 9th St. E. and Q-6, where the Safeway store is now. An old time motel and service station was on the present location of Penny's and the shopping district. The owner raised wonderful fruit and grapes. Wine, out of this world was also made here. I wonder how many people would now come to this area if they had to put up with what we did in those days. They were good days. Some of the things which we had then, which you don't now:

1. The old hand crank phones. One-two-three rings you called the operator by name and said you would be over at so and so's place for the evening and your calls would be transferred over to you.
2. Never locked your doors. Nobody ever bothered you or your things.
3. Wanted to go fishing. Start of season, hunting, etc. merchants would put signs on doors,"gone fishing" back at noon...No business would be lost.
4. No banks in town - had to go to Lancaster to the bank there. Safeway and my store kept enough change for other businesses in town.
5. No show - one in Lancaster but had to stand in line an hour or more to see one showing. We had no T.V. during this period Your fun and etc. was visiting other friends homes and social gatherings at one of the two churches.

    A few of the other things I remember: the first Lilac show put on in Palmdale in my store "Morse Market" by myself, Mr. Harris and Mrs. Wilson of Palmdale Women's Club; the women of Palmdale walking back and forth across Sierra Hwy. at Palmdale Blvd. to get the first signals in Palmdale, stopping traffic for several hours; later part of the 40's when my wife and other mothers walked from home to home trying to get enough children of kindergarten age to start the first class in Palmdale; the long talks had by us merchants with the officials of the State and Bank of America to get a Bank in Palmdale (now look at it, one on every corner). Well, it is still a good town, though l miss the old days.

Sincerely,

Gilbert E. Morse