<VV> Santa Barbara Zoo / not any Vair..
TimogensTurbo at aol.com
TimogensTurbo at aol.com
Fri Jan 25 01:09:26 EST 2008
Tim Shortle mentioned this...
The Childes Estate...
Left to the city as a home for the Tramps / Hobos / early street
people...with $$ to run it!
When the $$$ ran out.. the city was allowed to take it over for whatever
they wanted..
In 1966 / Summer.. I had "surrendered" to the Draft....and expected to go
any day... so I stopped at SB.. to spend it with my Father and younger
brother.......
While visiting with old Family friends.. it was mentioned that they had been
given equipment..but nothing ran....and no $$$ in their mini budget..
We all wanted to check the place out.. as it had always been a "no mans
land"....
Place had been EATEN by the Hobos... nothing but the steps to the Home left
[stone!].
I jumped in and soon had all the trucks , tractors running and spent several
weeks there doing the earth moving / Water / Electrical for
contsruction.....and finally got my "invitation" to Uncle Sam's party...
After 2 years of service and 6 mths of Unemployment.. I returned to the
facilty and assumed the Supervision of Maintenance.
5 workers..mostly students who only worked the summers...so it was common to
see me in a Tie......out repairing things.. or washing down
enclosures...feeding....giving tours......helping our Vet...wrestling Wallabies, alligators [
5 ft] or prying a childs Purse from our Matriarch Female Chimp...who never
missed an opportunity [ someone over the guard rail ].and she could beat me
up! Repairing the train or it's tracks..
What's GREAT about this place....Operated by the JUNIOR Chamber of
Commerce......everything has been done by private donation and gate receipts! NO
Public funds!
The Manager / Curator from beginning to at least 1999 [ last time I
visited]... Ted Mc ToldRidge.... a Great person to know....he was on a small
tractor doing grading for a new small exhibit when I visited..
Did I mention it's right across the street from one of the most pleasant
FAMILY beaches.. grass / trees / clean sand....warm waters....
Fess Parkers Spa is just north...
And it is just 30 miles north of Ventura....
On the way back you can stop at Santa Claus Land [ childhood fav] and see
the "Rincon"..famous early surfing mecca..
Do Not miss it!
NOTE: before any smart remarks of why I didn't stay.....the Turbine
business offered ONE MONTHS pay.... every WEEK!...both Ted and I never saw the Real
Estate booms coming.....he advised me to take it...
In '99.. he laughed.. he had bought 2 homes in the 60's [ immigrated from
Australia for the position]..nearly went bankrupt 3 times making payments on 2-
$30k homes....unable to keep the one rented many times...
They were worth over a Million each....and he owed "0"
The "Luck of the Draw".....
Matt
**************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music.
(http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp003000000025
48)
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