Back Roads Press

My column for March 24 is about the upcoming 2026 Inland Empire History Festival, which everyone is invited and should be lots of fun!!
2026 Inland Empire History Festival
The third annual event is planned for April 18 at San Bernardino International Airport
San Bernardino County is getting ready for a massive party and everyone is invited.
In case you haven’t heard, San Bernardino International Airport will be hosting the third annual Inland Empire History Festival from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 18.
Located at 1601 East 3rd St., the free event will be great fun as well as an interesting way to learn about the region’s colorful past.
Presented by the efforts of the San Bernardino International Airport, the Highland Area Historical Society, the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society and the Norton Air Force Base Museum.
Activities will take place on the Norton AFB Museum parking lot and inside the museum itself.
Historically, Norton plays a huge role with this event.
From 1942 to 1994, the base was a cornerstone of San Bernardino County’s history, having participated in every conflict and skirmish from World War II to the Persian Gulf War. The base was a major employer in San Bernardino County and served as a vital Cold War logistics hub. It is named after San Bernardino native Capt. Leland Norton, who died during World War II.
When Norton Air Force Base closed its doors on March 31, 1994, after a half century of service, a major impact on the San Bernardino Valley came to an end.
The late Robert M. (Bob) Edwards, the first president of the Norton AFB Museum, shared with me during the time the museum was getting off the ground in 2013, how shutting the base correlated with San Bernardino’s economic situation for many years.
Fortunately, in recent years development surrounding what is now known as San Bernardino International Airport has brought Amazon, Stater Bros., Kohl’s and other companies, along with thousands of jobs.
Norton AFB Museum is playing a huge role in preserving the legacy of the former air base’s past.
Edwards was a 20-year Air Force veteran, who died in 2021 at age 74, and he proudly declared the museum’s motto: “To preserve, honor and promote the history of Norton Air Force Base.” He emphatically said volunteers who staff the museum take this very seriously.
This continues to be so today.
The inaugural 2024 history festival was held at the Santa Fe Depot in San Bernardino. In 2025, the vent was held at the Norton Air Force Base Museum.
This year’s Inland Empire History Festival will feature many historical societies from across the region, including Highland, San Bernardino, Yucaipa, Redlands and Rialto.
There will be a lot to explore that day.
And there are a lot of other venues to explore in the Inland Empire too. The A. K. Smiley Public Library, the Lincoln Memorial Shrine, Palm Springs Air Museum, Ontario Library, Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts and Crafts, Cucamonga Service Station and Route 66 Museum, Riverside County Archives commission, Old Riverside Foundation, the Horace Frink Adobe, Cal State San Bernardino’s Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum, Cooper Museum, General Patton Museum and representatives involved Calico Ghost Town and San Bernardino Valley College’s 100th anniversary.
Local authors will be there too, including Charles Hepperle, Kelli Shapiro, Steve L**h, Glenn Wenzel, Paul LaCanfora, John Atwater and Nick Cataldo.
There will be a table commemorating the history of professional baseball in our region.
Attendees will be treated by live music from Redlands 4th of July Band, Highland Pickers and Mountain Music Men.
And for those of us with fond memories growing up listening to local radio, there will be some familiar voices there too. Jim Ness, formerly of KMEN and many other stations, Lacey Kendall with KCAL-FM, Vic Slick from KOLA-FM, Evelyn Erves with KGGI, Daryl Norsell with KCAL, and Cassie MacDuff with KVCR.
For more information visit highlandhistory.org.
Contact Nick Cataldo at [email protected] and read more of his local history articles at Back Roads Press.

The 1970’s were exciting times for the city of San Bernardino. While 1977 was the year that this city was acknowledged as an “All- America” City, a year earlier as our country was celebrating its 200 anniversary, San Bernardino was selected as a Bicentennial City. This article, which appeared in the San Bernardino Sun (part of the Southern California News Group on February 24, 2026 is about this honor.

Innovation led San Bernardino to become Bicentenial City1976 was quite a year.
The United States celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a yearlong celebration designed to unite a nation fractured by the Vietnam War.
Our country’s “Bicentennial” fostered widespread patriotism to successfully restore national morale as well as prompting a shift toward a more inclusive narrative, encouraging the inclusion of women, minorities, and working-class people in the story of the American Revolution.

While 1976 marked 200 years of American independence, it also served as a moment for the communities throughout the country to reflect on its own deep, diverse history.

Two years earlier, the city of San Bernardino was honored as one of 370 cities in the United States to become officially designated as a Bicentennial City by the American Bicentennial Administration in Washington, DC.

Many new innovative events were unfolding in this town during the 1970’s, prompting the prestigious designation.

At that time there were two thriving malls. The first one was Inland Center, located at the site of the old Urbita Springs Park west of “E” Street and south of Mill Street. This totally covered retail-shopping complex opened in 1966. The anchor stores were Sears Roebuck, May Co. and the Broadway.

Urban renewal during the Sixties caused the once center of town on Third Street to be gutted and replaced with the city’s second mega-shopping center.

In 1972 San Bernardino’s $2.7 million Central City Mall opened-- a two story-air conditioned mall with 90 stores and shops.

Harris Company, which started out small in 1905 and expanded with a beautiful edifice in 1927, was one anchor. J.C. Penney’s, Montgomery Wards and Woolworth's were the three other anchors.

With its new City Hall and Convention Center, San Bernardino was heralded as one of the most modern up and coming cities in Southern California.

On May 31,1974, there was a celebratory ceremony held at City Hall.

The program opened on the E Street upper plaza with “The Spirit of 76” fife and drum corps, the “Presentation of The Colors” by Explorer Scouts and the Pledge of Allegiance by Jeff Ehleres, the San Gorgonio High School bicentennial commissioner.

Bands from schools in the San Bernardino City Unified School District, choral groups and “The Singing Sixties” participated.

Mayor W.R. “Bob” Holcomb proclaimed that day as Bicentennial Designation day.

Albert Johnson, executive director of the State Bicentennial Commission announced the goals for the state commission. Meanwhile, Dr. William R. Coleman, chairman of San Bernardino’s commission explained how his city would participate.

In 1974, San Bernardino's Bicentennial Commission was actively planning local commemorations for the nation's 200th anniversary, focusing on local and community projects. Led by Executive Director Robert Phinney and later by Thelma Press, the commission coordinated with state and national efforts to organize patriotic events, historical, and cultural activities CSUSB archives.
The Bicentennial Commission--chaired by William R. Coleman and featuring prominent historic-minded civic leaders such as Thelma Press, Christian Harris, John Lowe, Charles Obershaw, Dave Light, George Webster, Warner Hodgdon, Art Nelson, Penny Holcomb, Hazel Olson and Fred Coops--produced a booklet entitled A Tour of Historic San Bernardino.

During the year-long celebration, a two hour stage show called The Pageant of the San Bernardino Valley-- a live outdoor play commemorating the period from 1849 to 1856--was held near Shandin Hills in the north end of town. The performances ran from June 29 through July 3.

Juanita Wilkinson of Lake Arrowhead wrote the script, Rowan Taylor composed the music and V. Dennis Wardle, the pageant association president, wrote the lyrics.
Directed by Douglas Merrill, the historical pageant blended music, dance and dialogue to dramatize life in the San Bernardino Valley during the 1840’s and 1850’s.
Three hillside stages were constructed at Blair Park and folding chairs were set up on the ball field below.
The music and dialogue were taped and, despite some occasional glitches during the performances, they were synchronized with the live action on stage.
Each performance started with the local the culture of the Indigenous tribes. Then came the Don Antonio Lugo family, owners of the Rancho San Bernardino, which was recalled through music, song and dance.
The program highlighted Captain Jefferson Hunt and the Mormon settlers arriving by covered wagons and horseback commemorating the settling of San Bernardino in 1851.
After a recreation of a harvest festival and a typical school party of the 1850’s, the pageant concluded with a celebration of the 4th of July.
Local historian, Richard D. Thompson as an informative literary companion for the pageant, produced a booklet featuring biographies of important pioneers entitled Pioneers of San Bernardino.

The 1976 Bicentennial signified a vibrant, pride-filled era for San Bernardino. The following year, the city was recognized with an even more prestigious award as it was recognized as an “All –America City.”

Unfortunately, in the decades following, San Bernardino has suffered significant economic challenges, which included the closure of major, defining employers.

Today, the “spirit of 1976” can be used as a model for San Bernardino as the city strives to capture that same sense of community pride in rebuilding its downtown and strengthen its economy.

You can contact Nick Cataldo at [email protected] and read more of his local history articles at Facebook.com/BackRoadsPress.

Here is my local history column written for the San Bernardino Sun (part of the Southern California News Group) that appeared on November 25, 2025.

Summit Valley in the Cajon Pass has rich land — and history
Before settlement by Europeans, Indigenous village was there

Summit Valley is a beautiful area. Located east of the 15 Freeway and along highways 138 and 173, this region offers a mix of rugged mountain scenery, panoramic views and a fascinating history.

The valley’s fertile land and water sources, including the West Fork of the Mojave River, have historically made it a significant passageway for myriad travelers.

Long before European settlement, there was a large Indigenous village near today’s Silverwood Lake in Summit Valley belonging to the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, called Wáꞌpeat (Hispanicize: Guapiabit). This was near the intersection of two ancient Indian trails. One was the Mohave Trail, which extended from the San Bernardino Mountains along the Mojave River and continued on across the desert to the Colorado River. The other trail followed the creek bed paralleling the 138 toward the 15.

The village name was derived from waꞌat, the tribe’s word for juniper, which grew abundantly in the area. Wáꞌpeat had deep ties with other villages along the Mojave River and the southern Antelope Valley and was the site of community gatherings.
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The first documented European contact occurred in 1806 with the arrival of the Father Jose Maria de Zalvidea while traveling to the San Gabriel Mission from Santa Barbara. In the trip’s diary it was noted that four leagues to the south from a cienaga, a marsh or swamp, above today’s Victorville Narrows was the rancheria of Guapiabit, where 44 people lived.

The Rev. Joaquin Pasqual Nuez, minister of San Gabriel and chaplain of a punitive expedition against the Mohave Indians for their raids on local Indigenous populations stopped at the village in 1819. Although not given any information about the inhabitants, he recorded the following:

“November 25, At about seven in the morning the expedition set out in a cold north wind, and passing the Cajon, in spite of a large rough hill, we arrived at about 12 n in the day at the village of Guapiabit, distant from the Cajon about nine and a half leagues without anything unusual having occurred. After the Rosary I named the place Our Lady of Guadalupe of Guapiabit.”

A survey of mission records transcribed in 1982 indicated that over a period of 30 years (1785-1815) more than 70 individuals were noted as naming “Guapiabit” as their village.
Although he didn’t specifically mention the Indigenous village, fur trapper Jedediah Smith and his group of mountain men passed through Summit Valley in 1826 and again in 1827.

Two years later in 1829, Summit Valley became part of the mule caravan passage for travelers on the Old Spanish Trail … a significant trade route connecting the Spanish/Mexican settlements of Santa Fe with Los Angeles. The course facilitated the movement of goods and people, contributing to Southern California’s development.

Sadly, with the influx of European presence in the region, the Indigenous village of Wá’peat was soon abandoned.

As the demand for horses grew greater in the southwest during the 1830s and 1840s, horse rustling became prevalent in Southern California. Chaguanosos, thieves and rustlers eager to profit from the economic situation, stole horses from ranchos and drove herds to Utah and New Mexico for sale. One of the favored routes was through the Summit Valley.

Horsethief Canyon, just south and west of Guapiabit, supposedly received its name because herds of stolen horses were grazed there before starting the long trip across the Mojave Desert.

The area continued to be used as a pack trail for prospectors until 1848 when a group of honorably discharged soldiers from the Mormon Battalion became the first to bring a wagon through the Cajon Pass — a pivotal event that opened the way for future wheeled traffic.

The following year, Capt. Jefferson Hunt led a large gold-seeking wagon train through along the Old Spanish Trail, further cementing the route’s importance for westward expansion. The men eventually found out how arduous it would be to take wheeled vehicles along a pack trail.

John Brown Sr., a San Bernardino pioneer, established the first graded road through the Summit Valley in 1861. Known as the Brown Toll Road, much of its course followed the creek bed and was subject to numerous washouts.

The rich, grassy slopes of Summit Valley made it ideal for cattle ranching and soon the region became home to several large ranches.

Originally owned by E.K. Dunlap and Ed Parrish, the ranch was established around 1860, was one of the earliest stock ranches along the Mojave River and occupied most of Summit Valley along the lower end of West Fork. This well-watered fertile valley was also approximately where the former Indian village had flourished for centuries.

The ranch played a role in an episode in Southern California’s past when so many innocent bystanders met horrific deaths.

Fear of annihilation between the Indian and White man escalated over the years and was getting even worse. In March 1866, three young men working on the ranch were found brutally slain in Grass Valley. The consensus was that they were killed by an Indigenous tribe from the Mojave Desert in retaliation to the gruesome murders of their tribe by settlers shortly before.

Dunlap and Parish eventually sold their ranch to James and Amos Houghton in 1870. Ranch manager John Burcham and his sons leased the property in 1881. After Burcham’s death in 1890, the ranch was returned to Houghton, who sold it to John Cole in 1897. It was during this time that the ranch adopted the name Las Flores.
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Meanwhile, the California Southern Railroad. later to be called Santa Fe and now known as BNSF, built a line through the pass in the 1880s, and a station called “Summit” was established there.

In 1882, the Brown Toll Road became a county-owned free road. Eventually automobiles followed the road and in 1913 the route became known as the Santa Fe-Grand Canyon-Needles Highway, which soon became part of the National Old Trails Road.

Sometime before World War I, Summit Valley became home to Cedar Springs, a community near the San Bernardino Mountains that was settled by families who farmed and raised strawberries. The one-time community was flooded in 1972 to create Silverwood Lake and was ultimately displaced by the construction of the Cedar Springs Dam as part of the California State Water Project to provide water for Southern California.

In 2020, the Indigenous village of Wá’peat was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the Guapiabit–Serrano Homeland Archaeological District.