Heralding the season, Fall Fest at the San Timoteo Canyon Schoolhouse is Saturday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free event is open to the public and will feature a flag-raising ceremony, Native American blessing, self-guided tours of the schoolhouse hosted by the resident “school marm” and costumed docents, free pumpkin painting, scavenger hunt and crafts for kids, a maypole, live music, food truck, and a local history exhibit.
The fully restored San Timoteo Canyon Schoolhouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was built in 1883 west of Beaumont and still stands in the same location as a public park managed by Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District. It’s open to visitors on the first and third Saturday of each month.
All are welcome, and the Oct. 5 festivities will begin with the 10 a.m. flag-raising ceremony by the Banning Schools California Cadet Corps color guard followed by the Native American blessing by Elder Ernest Siva (Cahuilla-Serrano), president of the Dorothy Ramon Learning Center and Morongo tribal historian and cultural advisor. The Malki Museum of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians Reservation will also host a display and information.
The popular “Southern California’s Singing Cowboy,” Skeeter Mann, will perform western and old-fashioned tunes. The Gilman Ranch Hands will also display their beautiful stagecoach, which is often the setting for family photos. In addition to its traveling local history exhibit, the historical society will offer a historical display of the local railroad families and a dedication to Jerry Cody, who led the charge for the schoolhouse’s careful restoration completed in 2011.
Hosted by the San Gorgonio Pass Historical Society and the Riverside County Parks and Open-Space District, the event is designed to familiarize area residents with this local park and historic site. The schoolhouse is located at 31985 San Timoteo Canyon Road, just west of Beaumont.
For more information about the historical society’s programs, visit sgphs.org or visit the San Gorgonio Pass Historical Society Facebook page.