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Community Corner

In 1956, La Mesa Councilman Made Pitch to Absorb Lemon Grove

In Nov. 29, 1956, edition of the Lemon Grove Review, former Mayor Mike Nagel told the Lemon Grove Men's Club: "This is not annexation, but a co-partnership."

A look back at Lemon Grove, 55 years ago this week.

Become (Gasp!) Part of La Mesa? La Mesa councilman and former mayor Mike Nagel sang the siren song of annexation to the Lemon Grove Men's Club in a bid to ace San Diego's plea to the home of the “Big Lemon” to be absorbed into the county's biggest city.

Nagel said Lemon Grovians would be taxed $8.54 per capita by San Diego, but only $7.80 by La Mesa, and that Broadway would be improved at just $7 per capita under gas tax aid.

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“There would be no loss of identity,” wooed Nagel. “Lemon Grove would remain as such, sharing in the election of councilmen and having a proportionate share in government.”

Cops and firefighters? Nagel said two cars and six patrolmen could “do the job” for both communities and the Lemon Grove Fire Department would be retained at a lower insurance cost of $13 to $15 per thousand in the business section.

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Schools? Lemon Grove elementary schools had a population of 22,000, meaning $164,000 would accrue at no tax increase to local residents, said Nagel.

“This is not annexation, but a co-partnership,” asserted Nagel. “Lemon Grove has nothing to lose.”

But Lemon Grove fought for cityhood four times, winning the brass ring in 1977 to become California's 414th city.

Shades of Things to Come: The Lemon Grove school board voted to petition the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to create a recreation commission supported by county sales taxes. Dr. Robert Burns, the town veterinarian, and Mrs. Paul Louer, publicity chair of the Lemon Grove Swimming Pool Association, gathered the 577 petition signatures needed for the request.

At stake was $60,000 in sale tax revenues from unincorporated areas earmarked for recreation purposes. Lemon Grove's county supervisor, David Bird, said, “If Lemon Grove residents want recreation, I'll vote to get it for them.”

Dr. Burns served on the first city council in 1977 and later became mayor.

In the Swim: The Lemon Grove Swimming Pool Association got a $200 donation from the Lemon Grove Chamber of Commerce in support of building a local pool at Green Spot Park on Washington Street (today, Lemon Grove Park). The money came from proceeds of the annual rodeo.  

For the record, Lemon Grove's famous rodeo and horse show was started in 1941 by Msgr. O'Donoghue at St. John of the Cross Church and continued into 1957. By then Msgr. O'Donoghue had left to lead another parish and the Chamber of Commerce took on sponsorship of the event that drew thousands of spectators and competitors.  

And the yearned-for swimming pool?  It never materialized, so the pool association gave the money to Mount Miguel High School to build a pool—one that thrives to this day.

Is Nothing Sacred? The town's legendary Grove Pastry Shop, 7815 Broadway, was burglarized by “an experienced safe cracker or someone who had the combination,” said deputy sheriff Hal Johnson.  

The thief didn't damage the safe and made off with a princely $26 after breaking down the back door. Not a single cupcake was swiped and the morning staff hadn't yet reported in for the 4 a.m. firing up of the ovens.

$150 Goes A Long Way: Frank Brunner, Sheri Lane, a state traffic signal technician, received a $150 award from Jacob Dekema, district highway engineer, for his modification of a traffic signal that would save the state $62,000 a year.  

Brunner pondered that pesky three-way signal that kept drivers desiring to make a left turn waiting for a fixed time span.  

“The left turn light should turn green based on how many cars are actually waiting to turn left,” asserted Brunner. He received the highest award available to state employees under the “merit suggestion program.”

Stogies OK: Lemon Grove Jaycees smoked cigars at their monthly board meeting in honor of member Carl Herder, a first-time father. His wife, Peggy, produced a nearly nine-pound boy, 21 inches long, “almost as big as his mother.”  Carl was a draftsman with National Steel Company while Peggy was a graduate of Helix High School.  

Square Dance News: They twirled their way to local fame at the Thanksgiving dance in the Women's Club, Olive Street, when Wayne Hendricks of the Forky Woolery and H & H Tunemasters played for the likes of the Mountain Whirlers, Hoofers 'n Goofers, Buoys 'n Belles, Bobbin' Robins, Convair Hoedowners and Levis 'n Laces.  

Lemon Grovians alive and well today recall learning to square dance to the virtuoso calling of Stan Bryant, the “voice of the Old West,” in the big room at the 1909 Women's Club, also alive and well today at 2010 Main Street.

Prosperous Fifties: In those pre-shopping mall days, Lemon Grove sported a notable business district during the 1950s. Specialty shops for men, women and children, sporting goods, hardware, drugstores, lumber, furniture, toys, cameras, beauty shops and more. The car-related businesses that dominate the town today were barely evident. Shopkeepers sponsored a variety of annual civic events and monthly shopping deals. The Christmas rush was heralded with a full page ad in the Lemon Grove Review sponsored by 32 businesses.  

“Shop in Lemon Grove! Part of your sales tax comes back!” proclaimed the ad in a time when the state wasn't swiping sales taxes, property taxes and redevelopment funds.

Compiled by Helen Ofield, president of the Lemon Grove Historical Society, from newspapers archived at the H. Lee House Cultural Center.

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