Around 1912 when the Anza Thimble Club was founded, residents of the Anza Valley would get together at various locations to socialize. Dances, Church Services, voting and public meetings were held wherever a place could be found, someone’s barn or the school or any available location.
By the late 1940’s it was determined that a community hall was needed for community events. All residents agreed to raise the funds to build one. All residents did not agree on the location to build it.
Some residents wanted the hall to be in the eastern end of the valley, another group wanted it in the western end, and still another group wanted it in the Terwilliger area. It probably depended on where you lived, where you would like the hall to be built.
The Terwilliger group, determined to have the hall in Terwilliger, raised their own funds and started building their hall on Bailey Road. This hall was ready and being used by the early 1950’s. The other residents of the Anza Valley were still debating the size and location of the hall. The Terwilliger Hall is now the home of the VFW and is still
a community center. Members of the board are currently working toward making this hall a relief center for our current residents of the Terwilliger area. They are currently looking for board members. If you live in the Terwilliger area, please come to Friday dinner or Sunday breakfast at the VFW and find out how you can help your community center thrive.
The other location was decided upon, when the Litchwald Family donated the property for the hall to be built on. The property was centrally located and on the main road. The Litchwald Family stipulated that liquor never be served there, but it was not put in writing. Soon that request was forgotten.
The next consideration was the size of the hall to be built. One group thought the hall should be smaller than the proposed size, the other thought it should be larger. It was built in between those two sizes. In 1952 the Anza Community center was completed and ready to use.
Both halls were financed and built by the residents. Fund raisers, almost identical to ones that the Anza community continues to use today; Bake sales, raffles, dinners and bazaars. These money
raising events continued during the entire time of construction and continued after that.
The residents, friends and family did most of the actual construction of both halls. Working together was the common lifestyle since the first settlers in this area. The ladies who feed the workers were involved in friendly competition with whoever could provide the most and the best food. Using recycled materials was also a trend, as resources were scarce. March Air Base allowed the residents of the Anza area to retrieve discarded building materials that were found at the base. Volunteers hauled these materials in their own trucks down many a dirt road.
Both halls are still in use today after almost 75 years. I hope today in 2025, the Anza community can continue to support both halls. A small donation of time and/or money can do a lot to help us achieve this. The book in which I found this information I purchased at the Hamilton Museum. It is called “Looking Back” Anza and Garner Valley by Margaret Wellman Jaenke. Come by the Museum and get your own copy and much more information about the settlers of the Anza area.
Nancy Yarrow
