Tickets Available For “200 Years At The Crossroads”

ossroads” is the theme of the day-long bicentennial celebration scheduled to be held at the Loma Linda Senior Center, Loma Linda Fire Station, and the new Heritage Park on Mission Road in Loma Linda on Sunday May 16, according to Jim Shipp, president of the Loma Linda Parks and Historical Society.
The luncheon will be a ticketed event, he says, but the History Fair and  the Tea will be free, according to the event coordinator. All San Bernardino County residents have been invited to attend the events and celebrate the Bicentennial.
The event gets under way at noon on Sunday with music from Bill Bell and Friends  and food service that begins at 12:30 noon. The speakers will be Tom Atchley, president of the Redlands Historical Society, who will tell the story of how the zanja, a 12-mile water ditch, changed the course of Valley history. Other speakers will include Father Ignatius Rodriquez, of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Loma Linda, Fred Ramos, “When This Was Mexico,” and Richard Schaefer, historian for Loma Linda University, among others.
Tickets for the event are now available and can be obtained by calling 796-9622 or in person at the Loma Linda Chamber of Commerce.
In announcing the special events for this area, Shipp said, “Two hundred years ago priests from the San Gabriel Mission traveled to our Valley to begin the process of establishing an inland mission. On May 20, 1810 this little party of Spanish missionaries renamed the valley San Bernardino. Thus began new agriculture procedures, buildings and industries were introduced, beginning a new community in Southern California.”
Two other events of the day are open to the public, continued Shipp. “Tea in the Park” will include light refreshments but the center of attention will be given to a native North American village presented by Jacque Tahuka Nunez and a pioneer encampment presented by members of the Heritage Trails Association. Free shuttle rides will be provided between the Loma Linda Senior Center and the Heritage Park in order to facilitate crowd movement. A highlight of the event will be the placement of a new plaque presented by the Daughters of the American Revolution.”
For celebrants who are history buffs, a special History Fair will be set up at the Loma Linda Fire Station starting at 2:30 p.m. and the display will include photos, family histories, and other attractions that will tell the story of the area’s past, Shipp says. He says that all residents are invited to display photos, books, documents, artifacts, and other historical items.
The special historical event has the backing of the local historical society, the Loma Linda  city council, and Loma Linda University Health Sciences Center.