Julian Historical Society Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Vision
by Bobbi Zane

The Julian Historical Society celebrates its 40th anniversary this year with an eye to the future, according to John Mattias, treasurer of the group, who outlined the society’s accomplishments during the last four decades in a letter to members.

The Julian Library, currently housed in Witch Creek School on Fourth St., figures prominently in both this historic chronicle and the look ahead. The society was instrumental in moving the classic one-room schoolhouse from Witch Creek to Julian to serve as the county library in 1972. Now the society is looking forward to setting up headquarters in the school building, after the library moves into its new facility on Hwy. 78. The society is currently negotiating a lease on the property with the county.

The schoolhouse will house the society’s archives, a collection of artifacts, books for sale, and serve as a meeting place. "We hope that scholars will be able to access our records, "Mattias says, and continue to tell the story of Julian.

Mattias also points to other accomplishments. Visitors to Julian can make historic discoveries by taking the plaque tour. Since 1996 the society has researched the history of 18 significant buildings and placed plaques relating the story in front of each of the buildings.

In 1978 the society led the way as Julian sought designation as an historic town site from the state of California and County of San Diego. The designation led to an active interest in restorations of historic properties, including the two-cell cinderblock Julian Jail.

From the mid-1990s to the present historic transportation has occupied the interests of members of the society, some of whom found portions of a 1912 Mack Stage, which had run between Julian and San Diego, buried in a hillside and begging for restoration. Three years later using grants from the county, the group had restored the old stage, and had it up and running in parades and ceremonial events.

Next came construction of a small transpiration museum, perched on a hill above the Pioneer Museum, in which to keep the stage. The new museum is nearly finished now. Officials hope to be able to open it as a viewing museum so visitors can see how Julian residents got around during the early 1900s.

Now, they’re working on a second vehicle restoration to join the stage in the museum. Mattias says, "the chassis is nearly complete on the 1924 Cadillac stage that we have."

The society currently has about 150 members dedicated to preserving and telling the history of Julian. For information regarding membership contact John Mattias at (760) 765-0436.