AV Rural Museum opens to fanfare
More than 100 volunteers participate in festivities at Fairgrounds landmark
LANCASTER — The words that kept being shared about the newly expanded and revamped Antelope Valley Rural Museum was “labor of love.”
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger embraced the phrase on Saturday as she prepared to cut the ribbon on the new space at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds. She was joined by more than 100 museum volunteers and donors.
A key sponsor for the long-term project, Barger was joined at the podium by Museum Board Chairman Giovanni Simi and Bill Rawlings, officially the museum’s finance officer, but generally the ramrod for the project.
“Today is really about you,” Barger told the audience. “This is what all of you have done.”
The project, years in the making, dramatically expanded the square footage and galleries of the AV Rural Museum, transforming it into a spacious walking experience.
The galleries honor the Antelope Valley’s rich agricultural heritage ranging back to the early 20th century when the Valley had almond orchards, hay ranching was a common livelihood and most of the Valley’s residents knew how to handle livestock.
All of this was celebrated annually at events such as the Almond Blossom Festival, and particularly the Rural Olympics, which remains a mainstay attraction event of the Antelope Valley Fair.
Most members of the Lancaster and Palmdale city councils turned out for the event, which took place outdoors in cool, breezy weather, but under blue skies that provided a break from the previous weeks’ heavy weather of rain and snow that blanketed the surrounding Tehachapi and San Gabriel foothills and mountains.
In addition to celebrating the rural history of the Valley, the walking museum in a cavernous, barn-like structure featuring galleries that display the Valley’s rich aerospace and military
history. Additional galleries tell the story of the Antelope Valley’s founding schools and of its art and culture.
“I am so proud of our art wall and grateful for this space to share the work of local artists,” Lynn DuPratt, the Board member overseeing the art gallery, said.
A vintage windmill relocated from the Simi family’s historic ranch in east Lancaster stands outside the museum.
“I feel grateful,” Rawlings said. “Supporters, donors and especially volunteers who put in around 50,000 hours.”
The Rural Olympics Hall of Fame and Museum was born in 2005 and four years later, the AV Rural Museum was founded as a nonprofit. Now the museum even features a gallery recognizing community queens, all who turned out in force Saturday.
“We started with 25 Rural Olympics photos in 2005,” Rawlings said.
In the galleries displaying aerospace and the military, heroes of World War II are recognized and respect is paid to the Valley’s veterans in conflicts ranging from World War I through World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the wars waged by Americans in the Middle East before and after the terror attacks of 9/11.
One display reproduced an annual Valley Press page that recognized each of the troops from the region killed in action in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Local historian Dayle DeBry curated the military history and added a display of dog tags recognizing the 7,000 troops killed in action after the attacks of 9/11.
The museum gives ample display to vintage farming vehicles, machinery and trucks that were used to till the fields and harvest the crops in the early decades leading up to the mid-20th century.
The project, Barger noted, could be achieved only by a community of volunteers who donated their work, materials, wealth and wisdom to the enterprise. Then, it was time to cut the ribbon and swing the doors open.