The following article first appeared in the SPRING 2021 (VOLUME 39 NUMBER 2) issue of “Ojai MAGAZINE” on pages 122-123. The magazine was published by the “OJAI VALLEY NEWS”. It is reprinted here with their permission.
LOOK BACK IN OJAI
with Drew Mashburn
Contributed on behalf of the
Ojai Valley Museum
OJAI VALLEY Memorable Trees
TARZAN had nothin’ on me and my buddies!
In about 1966, Mark Madsen — Viking descent, not raised by apes, but kinda ape-ish — and I decided we’d build a tree fort. Mark’s parents had moved to Modesto, so Mark moved in with me to finish out the school year at Matilija Junior High School.
Read the rest of the story directly from the Ojai Magazine.
Drew,
As an elder of 85 near 86 so enjoy the memories. Myfamily ( the Bergs) lived on Matilaja between 1953-57 if my memory holds up. Went to rival Villanova class of 1955 with some other day dogs! Some very special memories. Used to go every Saturday to the Ojai theater. Graduated from Villanova and then Santa Clara University and then taught at Thousand Oaks High School for 30 years in the Social Science department. By the way I married old man Mercer’s nice Marilyn Nordhoff Class of 1956. Thanks again for your posts as they are meaningful. Bill Berg
Mr. Berg,
You were only around 14 years old when I was born. I was born in Ventura at the Foster Memorial Hospital because there wasn’t a hospital in the Ojai Valley. But, I’ve resided in the valley my entire life. My paternal grandfather (Clyde) moved to the Ojai Valley in the early 1920’s. My Dad (Harold) was born in 1925.
I’ve known quite a few folks that attended Villanova Preparatory School. I graduated from Nordhoff High School in 1969. You Wildcats are okay, but……..GO, Rangers!
Since you married a Mercer girl, you may know Judy Mercer. Judy is a longtime volunteer at the “Ojai Valley Museum”. My buddies and I used to sneak up a road that ran along the West side of Old Man Mercer’s citrus groves. We had our wooden-handled “Wham-O” slingshots and could shoot the eye outta a rattlesnake with ’em!
Thank you for your comments!
Sincerely,
— T. Drew Mashburn
(“Ojai Valley Museum” volunteer)