This is my grandfather Salvador Garcia Gutierrez Sr. He was born in Colton, CA in 1918 to Mexican immigrants. They moved to the valley shortly after and he went to Reseda Elementary and Van Nuys High. He spoke flawless English and Spanish and was a proud American with his two older brothers having served in the military. Here he is working on the farm where Balboa lake is now located. I believe this photo is from the early 40s. His parents opened what was one of the very first local Mexican restaurants called Ponchitos in Van nuys on Vanowen near the Van Nuys Airport. It closed around 1980. In the 50s and 60s he worked for the city doing road construction and was promoted to foreman. He paved many of the streets around the valley, the Reseda park pond at one time and Dodger Stadium parking lot when it was first built! He bought our family home in Reseda in 1953 for a whopping $12,000. My grandfather passed away in 1990. We miss him dearly. My dad and I still live in his house. =)
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 03:29:23 +0000
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