Fallbrook Vintage Car Club continues support of Fallbrook Historical Society

The Fallbrook Vintage Car Club was one of the first to donate to the Fallbrook Historical Society’s Barn Building Fund. Proceeds from the 2004 annual car show have allowed a donation to the museum’s operating fund. A charter/patron member of FHS since early 1977, the club has a permanent exhibit in the museum. Annual car show posters are hung near a large cabinet that houses the club’s trophies and memorabilia. They are in good company with gifts of two Fords that belonged to charter/patron members of FHS. Arlyne Ingold and her husband Bob donated his ‘Model A’ Ford Roadster. Paul and Kathleen Stiles, who are also car club founding members, gave Paul’s ‘Model T’ Ford Phaeton to the society.

Both FVCC and FHS members gathered for the recent dedication of a rebuilt museum exhibit, a model train that everyone wants to run. Bob Baxter and his wife Sandy, who is FHS secretary, headed up the complex project to once again bring ‘a railroad’ to Fallbrook. A longtime enthusiast, Bob received the train as a donation for the society from the Bachmann Company. It is painted just like the real one that was brought up from the Santa Margarita River Canyon after the giant flood of 1916 and then pulled backward along Main Street to the rails that ran from Oceanside. Photos of this work caused many to believe it had run routinely on Main Avenue. Pictures can deceive!

Original Fallbrook building models were done to scale by the late Geno Somacal for the train display that he shared for many years with hundreds of children and adults. After Geno’s demise his trains and equipment were given to family members, but the buildings were donated to the society by Geno’s widow Babs, a charter member of the society. The buildings were re-wired by Bruce Dennett. President Lee Shaeffer and Past President Don Rivers helped with the construction of the train table. Sandy landscaped the exhibit and added interior décor. Edith Cornell donated many of the miniature figures. The display is so well done that anyone can operate the lights and the train. After St. John’s Rector Father Don Kroeger gave the invocation, Bob gave a brief history of the exhibit and thanked those who helped. An exhibit of Fallbrook’s real railroad history has been reworked and was finished in time for the dedication of the model train.

Board members had brought refreshments, under the joint chairmanship of Bev McDougal and Peggy Johnson. Bev caters through the Grand Tradition, which opened under her design and co-ownership. Peggy also has a successful catering business. Both are chefs and cooking teachers, and they are busy directors of the society. Peggy schedules docents for the museum and writes news releases and correspondence; Bev oversees museum exhibits and works on fundraising. Both have devoted many hours arranging for refreshments for local Christmas Parade guests, for museum docent teas and for other special events. Their gourmet offerings are recognized as very special, always delicious and beautiful.

FVCC is planning a driving tour of historic sites in Fallbrook soon, to end with a picnic at the museum. Members are getting ready for the 40th annual car show at the high school on Sunday, May 29. FHS members open the museum to the public Sundays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. and will hold their annual meeting on April 22 at the Grand Tradition. Camp Pendleton Historian Faye Jonason will be the guest speaker and will present the history of the Camp from 1942 to the present.

The public is invited. Reservations needed by April 15. Call (760) 728-7964 or (760) 728-3271 for more information.