Ten acres of choice property on Old Woman Springs Road were donated by Mr. Orlando Jacobs for a park and in 1947 the local Lions Club formed and inaugurated the Lucerne Valley Park, Recreation and Parkway District. Later it was voted in as a County Park by the people and supported by taxation.

Because it is under the jurisdiction of the County in all matters of finance and authority it is called a County Park. However the local Park Board is the director of its administration. The County Auditor has charge of all money and the Park Board keeps a financial record for their own use in order to keep the budget straight. Before any money can be spent a requisition must go in to the County for their approval.

Every year the Park Board makes out a budget to cover the necessary expenses of administering the Park funds to the best of their ability with an economic point of view toward the best interests of the community. This budget they submit to the Board of Supervisors in San Bernardino for their approval.

It takes time and patience to develop a park. In the early days there was little money from taxation as our community was then much smaller than it is now and the valuation of the property much less. However through the spirit of co-operation and generosity of our citizens who gave of their time and skills the park began to grow slowly.

Those who came to the aid of the Park were the following: Roy Clark who donated his service of surveying the land and Pete Pederson who cleared the land. Then many willing hands did the work; John Koehly, Ed Miller, Lloyd Blackwell, Jim Taylor, George Knowlton, Jim Goulding, Jim Foster, Mr. Wyatt, Mr. Sayton, David Michaels, Bob and Steve Blakeney and Bert Braumchen, John Hutson gave aid with his truck, George Jenkins with his tractor and Ed smith with his pipe vise. June Gobar witched the well for its location and Cliff Steele donated his service in drilling the well.

In 1950 a 5 h.p. Johnson pump was installed at the cost of $1,118.82. In 1952 a surplus army shed was bought for a pump house and a new motor was purchased for the pump as the original one was stolen. Then the irrigating pipe lines were installed in preparation for the planting of trees and shrubs which were soon to follow. These were obtained from the County gardener at no cost, however it meant a great many trips to San Bernardino with a truck to procure them. All those trips were taken by Lorraine Knowlton who was chairman of the Board and a most enthusiastic and tireless worker.

In 1953 when the shrubs and trees were young and tender they make excellent food for the rabbits and ground squirrels. Roy Clark donated some old fencing with the hope of preventing future destruction but it proved unsuccessful. The damaged trees were replaced several times, therefore it was necessary to fence the entire area. This was done by transferring the fund from rest rooms toward a fence fund. A link chain fence was installed at the cost of $1,882.00. Mr. Lloyd Blackwell was hired to irrigate the trees at the small salary of $25 per month. He complained that families of rabbits were fenced in and were feasting on the trees. With the aid of poison grain and the Marvin Bantz dogs the pests were finally eradicated.

In 1954 the irrigation system was enlarged by installing new pipe lines. Joe Uhlencott donated his services for trenching the ditches. Jim Goulding and Lloyd Blackwell laid the pipe. Ed Root worked on a sign which was to be placed on the fence with the name "Pioneer." Because of the interest of the pioneers in the development of the Park, such men as Orlando Jacobs, John Koehly, James Goulding and others, the Park was appropriately named "Pioneer Park."

In 1955 while Pioneer Park was still in the development stage with its trees too young to give protection from the sun for public use, your Park Board bought the old Midway school property with the idea that it would serve a real purpose to the community. The building with its large rooms could be used for recreation and organization meetings and the grounds for picnics, games and playground equipment. The terms of the transaction were: Cost price $7,000. Down payment $1,000 and $1,000 per year with interest at three per cent on the unpaid balance. In the same year an added attraction to the Park was the erection of a "4 bubbler" drinking memorial fountain built of stone to the memory of John Koehly, one of the valley's early pioneers. Credit goes to Jim Goulding and Les Mayfield for the beautiful rock work which they did for the fountain and to Ed Smith who donated the cement.

In 1956 upon the death of Lloyd Blackwell the Board felt that the scope of care given to the park should be enlarged and that an experienced gardener be hired. Mr. Joe Van Butsel who had 40 years experience as a nursery man was engaged for the Park at a salary of $100.00 per month.

The rest rooms of Pioneer Park are completed thanks to the Lions Club, and this is the magic key to the open gate which your Board has long sought but could not find. And this brings the record up to date.

The Park Board is grateful to the many business organizations which contributed generously to the building of the rest rooms. At a later date the names of these companies will be given along with the names of the men of our valley who contributed their time and labor to this project.

In connection with the rest rooms there will be a drinking fountain erected to the memory of the late Hiram Osborne. This will be paid by donations received in place of flowers for Mr. Osborne's funeral services according to his final request.

Most of the information regarding the formative period of the Park was given by Lorraine Knowlton who was secretary and later chairman of the Park Board from 1951-1955.

In planning for the future the Board wishes to do their best for the good of the community. To aid in the physical and mental fitness of our youth through recreational activities; to provide for old and young; to beautify both parks that they may be a source of pleasure and pride to all our citizens and to the travelers who might visit our valley.