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JOIN US APRIL 25, 26 and 27, 2022 IN TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA

2022 Southern Trails Chapter of the Oregon California Trails Association (OCTA) Symposium

Gain an in depth knowledge of the history of Temecula, and all the trails that traveled through this area. We have a variety of events! Join like minded individuals as we explore the area together.

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Event Schedule

We have several activities scheduled to take advantage of Temecula and the surrounding areas. Join us for one event or all three. We’re offering the symposium at no cost, but hope to receive donations to the Southern Trails Chapter of the Oregon-California Trails Association. Help us keep the trails alive!

DAY ONE

Monday, 25 APRIL 2022

DAY TWO

Tuesday, 26 APRIL 2022

DAY THREE

Wednesday, 27 APRIL 2022

1:00PM - 4:00PM

ARRIVAL AND WELCOME

A welcome event is planned at the Temecula Valley Museum, 28314 Mercedes St, Temecula, CA 92590 from 1 to 4pm with access to the historical Saint Catherine’s Catholic Church Chapel of Memories located in the Sam Hick’s Monument Park.

We will have private access to the museum and the displays as part of our event.

At 4pm we’ll take a Walking Tour of Old Town Temecula led by a guide helping outline the history of the town and buildings, ending up at the Hotel Temecula for a tour and wine tasting.

A dinner at 1909 will follow at 5:45 for those that would like to join us.

Museum Photos

9:00AM - 5:00PM

HISTORIC ROAD RALLY

This is an exciting event driving your own car on a pre-planned route with historical stops and knowledgeable leaders. It will be a fun day starting at 9am when we meet for an orientation at the Little Temecula History Museum Red Barn and return to Temecula in the late afternoon.

We will be making stops along the way that include some walking on easy paths. Click Details for more information.

Day TWO Details
Download MAP & ITINERARY
Historic Road Rally and Directions Map

9:00AM - NOON

HISTORY CENTER TOUR

The Vail Headquarters and the Little Temecula History Museum will offer an exciting day with speakers in the morning in the Museum, lunch at the Vail Headquarters as well as a tour, displays and education as we turn back the clock to the 1800’s!

Local experts will share some of the history of Riverside County as we look back through time. We’ll share important facts and stories along with the chance to interact with the authors of a variety of books on the topics. Then we’ll enjoy Vail Ranch Headquarters for the afternoon. Learn more about that exciting facility on their website at https://www.vailhq.com/

Day THREE Details

DAY ONE

Monday, 25 APRIL 2022

1:00PM - 4:00PM

ARRIVAL AND WELCOME

A welcome event is planned at the Temecula Valley Museum, 28314 Mercedes St, Temecula, CA 92590 from 1 to 4pm with access to the historical Saint Catherine’s Catholic Church Chapel of Memories located in the Sam Hick’s Monument Park.

We will have private access to the museum and the displays as part of our event.

At 4pm we’ll take a Walking Tour of Old Town Temecula led by a guide helping outline the history of the town and buildings, ending up at the Hotel Temecula for a tour and wine tasting.

A dinner at 1909 will follow at 5:45 for those that would like to join us.

Museum Photos

DAY TWO

Tuesday, 26 APRIL 2022

9:00AM - 5:00PM

HISTORIC ROAD RALLY

This is an exciting event driving your own car on a pre-planned route with historical stops and knowledgeable leaders. It will be a fun day starting at 9am when we meet for an orientation at the Little Temecula History Museum Red Barn and return to Temecula in the late afternoon.

We will be making stops along the way that include some walking on easy paths. Click Details for more information.

Day TWO Details
Download MAP & ITINERARY
Historic Road Rally and Directions Map

DAY THREE

Wednesday, 27 APRIL 2022

9:00AM - NOON

HISTORY CENTER TOUR

The Vail Headquarters and the Little Temecula History Museum will offer an exciting day with speakers in the morning in the Museum, lunch at the Vail Headquarters as well as a tour, displays and education as we turn back the clock to the 1800’s!

Local experts will share some of the history of Riverside County as we look back through time. We’ll share important facts and stories along with the chance to interact with the authors of a variety of books on the topics. Then we’ll enjoy Vail Ranch Headquarters for the afternoon. Learn more about that exciting facility on their website at https://www.vailhq.com/

Day THREE Details

About This Year's Southern Trails Chapter Symposium

We care about the original trails that connected the United States at a time when communication and distance travel were not so easy. Learn about the early inhabitants of the area, and how those trails turned into wagon roads, before railroads came through and before highways and Interstates. You can see the Butterfield Stagecoach routes and remnants of the actual trail as we explore the area. Hear about Vail Ranch and the cattle drive from Arizona to Temecula.

With speakers, books, maps and adventures, you’ll want to be a part of this educational experience! We invite the general public to join us as we bring together the experts and the novice to learn more about local history.

Learn about Warner’s Ranch south of Warner Springs, CA as a way station for large numbers of emigrants on the Southern Emigrant Trail from 1849 to 1861 as a pioneering cattle ranch. The Ranch was a stop on the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line in 1857 and the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach line between 1858 and 1860. It was declared a California Historical Landmark in 1939. We have archaeologist Stephen Van Wormer and Chris Wray joining us an in depth look at the historical ranch and what we know about the history surrounding the ranch.

Temecula Event Speakers

Wednesday morning we meet at the Little Temecula History Museum with a variety of speakers to present interesting topics related to the Temecula area history. Join us for the morning session starting at 9am.
Steve Lech is the first speaker with a presentation on the Pioneers of Riverside County: The Spanish, Mexican and Early American Periods.

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The History of the Vail Ranch

Rebecca Farnbach

Rebecca is one of the go-to people for the history of the Temecula Valley, and an early champion of the Vail Headquarters. She will share the history of Vail Ranch and the famous brothers that it is named for. She authors and coauthors books and articles about historic people, places, and events. She is a regular columnist for Valley News, and has co-authored six books in the Arcadia Images of America series.

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Researcher of the History of Riverside County, California

Steve Lech

Steve Lech will share the history of early Riverside County with us and the preservation efforts to keep the history alive. His book, “Along the Old Roads” is referred to as the definitive history of early Riverside County. Steve Lech was born and raised in Riverside, California. He has been interested in local history for more than 35 years. When he began working for Riverside County, he became increasingly interested in the county as a whole, which has led him to research and write 7 books of various topics.

HISTORY GUIDE

Doug Hocking

Doug Hocking was raised on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation in New Mexico, and retired from the US Army after serving in Military Intelligence and as an officer in Armored Calvary. He is an accomplished author and speaker and member of the board of the Southern Trails Chapter of the Oregon-California Trails Association. His story of the Vail Brothers and the Empire Ranch cattle drive from Arizona to Temecula will be an exciting addition to our Symposium.

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OCTA Trail Guides

Melissa and Christopher Jones

This year the 1846/1847 Army of the West and the Mormon Battalion celebrated the 175th Anniversary of their famous march from Iowa to San Diego. Learn more about this incredible journey and how the efforts of the Mormon Battalion made significant contributions through Cooke’s Wagon Road as part of General Kearny’s thoroughfare for emigrants on the southern trail to California.

Event Pricing

Would you like to join us? We look forward to meeting you! Our Southern Trails Chapter of the Oregon-California Trails Association would like to sponsor this event at no charge to the public, but a donation to the Southern Trails Chapter will be appreciated.

$10 Donation
$25 Donation
$50 Donation
$100 Donation

Hotels and Accommodations

We have chosen the Hilton Garden Inn as our headquarters.
28210 Jefferson Ave, Temecula, CA 92590
They have a block of specially-priced rooms available. Please click the button to reserve your room(s), or call 1-951-296-2288 and request the OCTA $119 room rates.

Book the HILTON GARDEN INN

Be sure to EDIT your stay to reduce the number of days you will be staying when booking. We look forward to seeing you there!

Other Local Hotels

Temecula Creek Inn
44501 Rainbow Canyon Road
Temecula, CA 29592
1-951-401-1135

Signature Temecula
28890 Old Town Front St
Temecula, CA 92592
1-951-676-8770

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Copyright © 2022 Southern Trails Temecula | Web Development by Dan Turner.

DAY ONE | Monday, 25 April 2022

Arrival and Welcome

We will have private access to the museum and the displays as part of our event.

DAY TWO | Tuesday, 26 April 2022

Historic Road Rally

Join us for a historical Road Rally in your own car as we caravan through history.

We meet at 9am at the LITTLE TEMECULA HISTORY CENTER to pick up your map, goody bag and instructions for an exciting day of living history. We have speaker Steve Lech an authority on the history of Riverside County to help enlighten our knowledge and history of the day’s events.

This adventure will last several hours as we cover a little over 100 miles.

Starting in Temecula we head east of town on Highway 79 towards Oak Grove where a privately owned Butterfield Station still exists, and old wagons are visible. We will pull to the side of the road to view the property.

As we continue on Highway 79 we pass the old adobe at the Mission Chapel which was an extension of San Luis Rey Mission.

Continue on Highway 79 to S2 and turn left at the white Ranch House as we head to Warner Springs which was a Butterfield Station and stage stop, now renovated and we’ll hear from an expert Stephen Van Wormer who helped excavate the site, along with Chris Wray for a more in depth discussion of Warner Springs, and to tour the Ranch House along with a restroom break.

We proceed through San Felipe Valley on the Emigrant Trail, and head south to Vallecito for an Adobe restoration of the historic Butterfield Stage Station.

We head back on S2 and pass Box Canyon where the Mormon Battalion cut stone to create a wagon road. This is a nice place for a talk and an hour walk to see Cooke’s “great rock” if you would like.

We head back north on S2 and turn west at Scissors Crossing to go to Julian, CA for a visit to their old town where the famous Apple Pie is always worth finding. There is also a wonderful museum in Julian that requires at least 30 – 45 minutes minimum to tour if anyone wanted to spend more time there before returning to Temecula.

We return to Temecula to wrap up the days events at the Little Temecula History Center or you head back on your own at your convenience.

DAY THREE | Wednesday, 27 April 2022

History Center Tour

9am to Noon: Little Temecula History Center is the location for the morning speakers as we learn about the trails that led to and through Temecula and how this land was inhabited by the natives and early settlers. We’ll learn about Riverside County and the early history. The Oregon-California Trails Association and Southern Trails Chapter will have several speakers able to talk about Warner’s Ranch and the Carrizo Creek Stage Station and an opportunity to learn about Kearny’s Army of the West (1846) and the Battle of San Pasqual. We will learn about the early cattle drives as well as the early travelers, and more displays and history in the History Center.

Lunch will be available at the Vail Ranch Headquarters where there are several dining options available, including the old cook house where the cowboys ate!

The afternoon will be spent touring the Vail Ranch Headquarters with an opportunity to experience history firsthand. Learn about the original Vail family and their 80,500 acre ranch.

Vail Ranch Headquarters has been the heart of Temecula since 1867. Thanks to decades of preservation and restoration efforts, it is now a living historic park and destination for specialty restaurants, boutique stores and special events. Join us for an exciting afternoon!