By Vista Historical Society
The Days of ‘49 was an annual celebration held in April or May from 1932-1939. The event was a fundraiser for The American Legion Post 365 that formed in 1930. They were raising funds to build a legion hall. The celebration became more elaborate as time went on. Included was a parade, beard contest and a celebration area named Grizzly Gulch. Everyone, even the parade audience, dressed in western or Spanish garb. The celebration area included food, booths run by local clubs, dancing, and other things. The celebration each year lasted from one to three days and changed parade routes and Grizzly Gulch locations.
The event attained regional significance with an attendance of over 10,000 in some years, an amount of people greater than the local population. In 1937, 38, and 39, Leo Carrillo, a local resident and well known film star was declared as Vista’s Mayor as part of the Days. The Carrillo Ranch House, his home, is now a City Park in Carlsbad. Construction of the legion hall was completed in 1939. In 1940, the American Legion dropped the event, because the fund raising had succeeded and because of the increasing effort to manage the growing attendance.
The hall located where Chins Restaurant is today, was too small to accommodate World War II veterans. It was sold in 1945 and replaced with a larger facility in the 300 block of South Santa Fe Ave in 1948. No known photo of the first Legion Hall exists.
The front-page photo is of Grizzly Gulch in an unknown year. The wooden booths were built each year by legion members. Today we use aluminum and cloth or the equivalent at outdoor events.
COME VISIT THE Museum
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE
By Jack Larimer
What would you like to see at the Vista Historical Museum? Our museum has a mission to educate about Vista history. We have 5 rooms of displays in our museum doing just that. We would like to know what aspects of Vista history you would like to see on display at the museum. Examples could include pictures of early agriculture, the history of downtown Vista in the 1950’s, the biographies of famous people that had something to do with Vista, what it was like to live here 100 years ago, or great buildings that are no longer here. If you wish us to feature some aspect of Vista history, please call us at 760-630-0444 or email us at vistahistorical@gmail.com
