Michele Fischer’s letter, “Was a Chumash area destroyed?” in the March 4 Acorn , is just another example of the lack of concern by the state park system for the concerns and history of the local community. Malibu Creek State Park is notorious for destroying the history of its property. 

The most recent threat came when a state park interpreter said the 1863 Sepulveda Adobe might be torn down due to economic problems in the state. Since 1981, community groups have tried to get the California State Park System to preserve this structure. 

In the late 1980s, many civic organizations worked hard to raise $77,000, which they sent to the State Parks Foundation for the restoration of the Sepulveda Adobe. There were bake sales, plant sales, the auction of a handmade quilt and personal donations.

When the community requested that the State Parks Foundation consider some repairs, it was told that the entire sum had been spent on operating expenses. 

Also in the late 1980s we were encouraged to vote for Proposition 70 in order to get funds to restore the adobe, but nothing came of that. 

In 2002 we were requested to vote for Proposition 12, which did bring enough funds to retrofit the Sepulveda Adobe, but not to restore the interior. We had been told that the state still owes over $1 million to repair the historical building, but on Feb. 23 we were told that that was paper only and there were plans to destroy it.

Other instances where history has been destroyed at Malibu Creek State Park are:

•The destruction of the Eugene Foxon House. Eugene’s grandfather was the one who informed Gen. Fremont that the Mexican Army were lying in wait for the American forces as they made their way north to Santa Barbara in 1848. He showed Gen. Fremont an unknown pass, now known as Fremont’s Pass. The American troops were able to get to Santa Barbara and victoriously raise the U.S. flag there.

•One of the Crags Mountain lodge cabins, which was for campers who were members of the Lodge, was used as the original kiosk to the park. It was destroyed when the new entrance to the park was constructed.

•An historic grove of eucalyptus which was used by the Foxon’s for a wind break and was later used for filming the jungle scenes in M*A*S*H, has been removed.
Robin G. Mitchell
Calabasas