Name: Tim McCandless ~~~~~~~~~~ Fri-Aug 20, 2010, 2:19 am - HHS Time
City & State: upland, ca

Message: My name is Tim, the great-grandson of Adolph Leuzinger, who sent the email to John Baker, who I want to thank for posting it on this site. Danny is right, it was Adolph who had his house built in 1907 near the later intersection of El Segundo and Aviation Blvds. You can verify this by going here, which gives a biography of Adolph. He married Emma Bollinger in 1893, which may contribute to some of the Bollinger confusion. My mother was the daughter of the Leuzinger’s oldest son John who passed in 1957. Their other two sons, Louis and Arthur were of course, my great uncles. I was born in 1952, so most of my memories of the ranch are from the 60’s. Adolph died in 1932, but Emma and Louis, who became crippled as a teen from serious illness, lived on in the house. Arthur married, but by the 60’s Emma, in her 90’s, was bedridden and Arthur living close in Inglewood, cared daily for Emma and Louis. I saw Uncle Louie’s shotgun in his bedroom and know he was outside a lot in his 1952 Chevy but our Uncle Art probably chased some off too. My memories at the ranch are fond, visiting in the “stood in time” house or playing down at the park with my brother and dad. The stories make sense and fascinate me. Time simply passed and passed and the thrifty Leuzingers chose to stay where they wanted to until Arthur and Louis passed away by the early 80’s. There were some efforts to have the house preserved, but financial profit won out and all that remains of my memories is Denny’s restaurant (then the Wooden Shoe). Questions, and certainly any more stories or info is much appreciated and I have plenty of old pictures.

Name: Britt Stonebraker ~~~~~~~~~~ Fri-Aug 20, 2010, 12:39 am - HHS Time
Class: 1978
City & State: Sacramento valley AZ

Message: I am normally wrong, But I remember the Leuzinger Farm being next to Rosecrans west of Aviation, I concur with the Bollinger farm location. We called that area Okie, My pride and joy is my 14yr old 6'1" 200lb Son declaring that he wanted to go out for Football during HS registration. He was an xbox soda pop junkie! Now after several practices where they have worked his butt off! He said He Loves Football!! His first scrimmage is tomorrow! It doesn't get any better for a Dad!

Name: Glenn Crist ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Aug 19, 2010, 10:52 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1964
City & State: Sonoma, CA

Message: O. K., far be it for me to be a myth buster (I guess the politically correct term today might be the dispeller of urban myth), but here goes… my family moved into the Del Aire tract in about 1950 when I was roughly 4 years old. My earliest memories, beside moving into a brand new 2 bedroom, 1 bath house and a new baby sister, was wandering off down the street (many of the new “tract” houses weren’t even built at the time) to the Leuzinger farm, sitting down among the plants and eating raw lima beans (if you’ve ever had really fresh raw, new green peas. you’ve had much the same experience). I don’t ever remember being chased off with a shotgun ala Mr. McGregor, but then I was never brazen enough to sneak up to the old ranch house. I was told the same stories about bachelor farmer brothers, but I never had the privilege of meeting them in the flesh, so I guess I can either believe the legend or not. Not mentioned yet, is a website I saw a while back (I think I saw it on a Leuzinger H. S. link): that explains the Leuzinger family history. So, it seems Adolph married Emma Bollinger. Perhaps coincidence, but might this be the same family that lived so close by? I knew Bollinger’s at HHS, but what I most remember were the absolutely heavenly strawberries and the sweetest of sweet corn, my mother used to buy from Mrs. Bollinger at the farm stand somewhere over by “Okie Fanokie Swamp” across from Dana school. Lest I digress, my favorite watermelon story is about my Modesto cousins, who literally filled Uncle Olaf’s hand-dug swimming pool, with same such fruit after a midnight raid to a “Westside” ranch and many pickup truck loads later. In similar circumstances, no wonder the Leuzinger lads came out of the house with dirt spinning off their tires. JB, I am truly glad your father was so fleet of foot, or alas, there would have been no Cougartown as we know it, just that sitcom that I’ve never watched and have any intention to.

Name: Danny Litton ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Aug 19, 2010, 10:00 am - HHS Time
Class: 1968
City & State: Atlanta GA

Message: Wayne Dickey was almost right. The Leuzinger ranch was that broken-down, abandoned house on the northeast corner of Aviation and El Segundo; the Bollinger "Farm" was located between Aviation Blvd. and Sepulveda Blvd. on the south side of the street. It is where Hughes is located today. Their house actually was set back several hundred yards off of El Segundo Blvd. The Leuzinger ranch was a classic property and probably should have been preserved for its historical value. I remember the rusting, antique farm equipment scattered around the old clapboard house. It stood directly behind Del Aire Park and I believe was still there when I left California in 1973.

Name: Lillian Parra ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Aug 19, 2010, 9:27 am - HHS Time
Maiden: McDonald
Class: 1963
City & State: Havasu Lake, CA

Message: That "Ranch" was right at the end of my street (126th St. & Isis) and we use to try and sneak all the way up to the farmhouse but we never made it because here would come the farmer in his pick up truck as fast as he could with the dirt scattering behind him and we'd run like heck! Scarey business! :-)

Name: Barbara Duran ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Aug 19, 2010, 9:02 am - HHS Time
Class: 1972
City & State: el segundo

Message: Waynes stories about "Old man Bolinger" put a smile on my face. What fun memories I have of hiding in Old man Bolingers fields. We'd see him come out, shotgun in hand, looking for us. It was great! Every little kid needs an Old Man Bolinger in their memories of childhood adventures. I would tell my Mom about it and she'd just shrug it off. None of us ever worried about it. It was just fun. Can you imagine that happening today? It would have been a great Stephen King novel. Here's to you, Mr Bolinger wherever you are!

Name: Wayne Dickey ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Aug 19, 2010, 8:33 am - HHS Time
Class: 1969
City & State: La Palma, Ca.

Message: After reading about the "RANCH" on El Segundo & Aviation, I can only think of one name "BOLINGER". When refering to the man with the shot gun, that would have been "OLD MAN BOLINGER". I don't know what year the "BOLINGER" family bought the ranch, but they were from, I think the mountains of Tennesse. Back woods type, if you know what I mean. They had different ways of dealing with people that came around. If you didn't know them, you just stayed away. I was fortunate to know Rick (67), who was a member of the wrestling team at HHS. They were interesting people to be around. The "BOLINGER" boys road motorcycles and had some nice cars, but there was a stigma about the ranch, that lives on today. I'll never forget, during one wrestling match at Hawthorne high, one of Ricks brothers showed up with half is beard shaved off. Yes his face was clean shaven on one side and a full beard on the other. I remember thinking, how would you like to be the other wrestler who was to wrestle Rick? And yes, Rick's brother was loud when cheering for his brother. Rick did win the match. Maybe in the forties and fifties the "ranch" was owned by the Leuzinger family, but we at Hawthorne, from the sixties, remember it as the "BOLINGER RANCH". A place you didn't go, unless invited! Wayne Dickey (69). P/S John! See you at cruise night!

Name: Howard Paco Duran ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Aug 19, 2010, 8:29 am - HHS Time
Class: 1961
City & State: Lake Forest

Message: Today is the 50th Anniversary of my first date with Sharon. See ya at the 23rd "Cruise Night" Saturday!

Name: John Baker ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Aug 18, 2010, 12:12 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Lomita

Message: Here is something you might like. I just heard from the Great Grandson of Adolph Leuzinger. In an email, Tim writes:

In researching my Great-Grandfather Adolph Leuzinger and his family, my Great-Grandmother, my Grandpa, and my two Great Uncles, on Google I've often come across items, stories, and questions at your website Cougartown about what our family still refers to as "the ranch" that was at the corner of El Segundo/Aviation Boulevards. I often visited when pretty young my Great-Grandma Emma Leuzinger at the ranch with my parents on Sundays and after her death in the late 60s, I have a much better memory of times at the ranch with my two Great-Uncles. I love the interesting, sometimes amusing, comments on Cougartown about the ranch, but don't know how to reference them all because there are so many pages. Perhaps you can help me. If some of your members have questions (for example, was old man Leuzinger the man with the shotgun), I can probably provide some truth.

I would prefer all questions to be asked here, as I'm sure it would be very interesting to all. Thanks Tim for the email and if you'd like to search the Feedback pages go to our Cougle page and type in Leuzinger, Adolph Leuzinger, etc. Looking forward to some interesting questions from our Ctowners.

Name: Sharon Branigan ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Aug 18, 2010, 11:48 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Bierman
Class: 1976
City & State: San Clemente, CA

Message: Does anyone recall Steve Papa (or something similar) who went to Leuzinger, probably grad around mid-late 60's. I think he lived around 141st between Hawthorne and Inglewood. Not sure which elementary school he went to, but wouldn't that be HIS middle school? I met his son at the Laguna Niguel dog park... told him to tell his folks about Cougartown. Hope we hear from them!

Name: Judy Blomsterberg ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Aug 17, 2010, 1:59 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: DeGrazia
Class: 1964
City & State: Torrance

Message: Soooo -- How come Jan is not working hard & making lots of money for his "mama" instead of playing on the computer in the middle of the day!!? I know we're not suppose to use CT to converse, but indirectly it's CT related. I'll make a public announcement that "I want a divorce!!" Married thru CT/Divorced thru CT.... unless he was just noodling around on his break, if that's the case then "never mind!" (can't hurt to keep them nervous)

Name: Jan Blomsterberg ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Aug 17, 2010, 11:51 am - HHS Time
Class: 1963
City & State: Torrance, CA

Message: Yes, John boy, I was the one who went to beauty school...and it was Judy who was in the Marine Corps! Semper Fi...

Name: Dennis Kilroy ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Aug 17, 2010, 11:39 am - HHS Time
Class: 1977
City & State: OC CA

Message: Hi to all have not posted for sometime. But I am excited and looking forward to Cruise Night in Hawthorne. I hope alot of 70's People show up! I can taste that Dipped Cone already.

Name: Bob And Karen Fraser ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Aug 16, 2010, 4:48 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1960
City & State: Hawthorne, Ca
No E-mail
Message: Cougar Sighting! While shopping at Albertson's this afternoon in Redondo Beach we ran into Mike (c/o '60) and Helen Teague (c/o '61) Sciurba. It was good to see them and hope we'll see each other again at Cruise Night this Saturday.

Name: John Baker ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Aug 16, 2010, 9:41 am - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Lomita

Message: The Cougartown turnout at the VFW yesterday was very good. We filled about 3 tables with Ctowners, their spouses and friends. Thanks to all for being there. Next month we are expecting more Cougars, so please plan on being there September 19th for another fun breakfast. It has been added to the Events Calendar under "Happenings" so you won't forget.

Name: Marilyn Ross ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-Aug 15, 2010, 11:30 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Wisham
Class: 1956
No E-mail
Message: Wow, the 7up candy bars. I had forgotten about that one. I do remember them. Chocolate covered. Little square bites you broke apart. We used to go to Ellers Liquor store on Prairie between 115th and Imperial to get comic books. We loved all the super heros, Archie, Nancy, Disney. My Dad was always generous with the dimes. Mom wasn't too happy about that. We did get to take pop bottles back and spend the deposits on candy and comic books. Times were tough in those days.

Name: Ricki Farrell ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-Aug 15, 2010, 8:21 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Valencia
Class: 1961
City & State: Tucson, AZ

Message: Cougartown is really family. Thanks to those of you who responded to my requests. You've been incredibly helpful. Best of all are the connections we've all made with friends. Thanks again John for this wonderful site.

Name: Jan Blomsterberg ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-Aug 15, 2010, 5:50 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: DeGrazia
Class: 1964
City & State: Torrance CA

Message: I do remember the 7-up candy bars. When I was in Inglewood beauty college with Maureen Manning and Susan Loche, Susan and I use to take the Eucalyptus bus home every day and stop at a store on Manchester just east of Market St. It's there that we got the 7-up bar and played a game all the way home to 118th and Sundale. Every few blocks we ate one of the 7 flavors until it was gone... I think there was a jelly, an almond, a coconut, a white choc and now I've forgot what else. As for Felton Market, I read all my teen magazines there and never paid for one. Phil and Bess use to own it at one time. They had the usual push up sticks and popsicles right next to the magazine rack. I wonder why we kids never got shooed out. It also had a butcher shop in the back. Good memories. Felton market is now a church. 7-up bars don't exist anymore.

Name: Jean Caldwell ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-Aug 15, 2010, 3:02 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1968
City & State: Abq NM
No E-mail
Message: Hi John...You mentioned a Cup o Gold candy bar earlier....those were one of my favorite. Every once in awhile I will still see them around. I remember Imperial Farms. Used to go there with my ex when he lived near by. My favorite corner store was Solomons on 119th and Inglewood Ave and Felton Market. Got my goodies and comic books at both. Does anyone remember the candy bar called Seven-up? It had 7 bites in it, each a different flavor. I don't think it was too popular back then. I think I would like them now though.