Trapped in Valley History
By Judd McIlvain, Broadcast Journalist�2007

We all know the movie scripts about a couple getting locked in a historical museum and the ghosts they encounter.� On Sunday September 30, 2007 a couple from the east end of the San Fernando Valley, Ca. found themselves locked in with the ghosts that live in the� Miguel Leonis Adobe, in Calabasas, Ca. The Miguel Leonis is a historical 1845 ranch that is now a museum. � This couple in their 50s were real history buffs and were busy reading the information inside the Adobe house.� They did not understand that the chiming of the triangle was the warning that the museum was closing.� They said they thought it was just some kids playing around.� The couple kept reading all the history notes in the house and continued looking at the historical pictures.� When they finally walked out into the yard they found that the iron gate to the parking lot was �locked.� They asked a parking attendant where the caretaker was, and she said he left and the museum did not reopen until Wednesday morning, it was now Sunday evening and the sun was dropping slowly behind the western hills of Calabasas.� The couple did not have a phone and the parking attended, who worked for the Sagebrush Restaurant did not have the number for the museum director or caretaker.

Now, I come on the scene, I was out for a little historical walk, and I saw the man near the iron fence, and I said "howdy, and how are you doing?"� He replied "not well, my wife and I are locked in this museum and they can't find anyone with a key".� I said well, we have to find a way to get you out.� He and I tried to pick the main lock on the iron gate, but it was a deadbolt and we could not get it to move.� So, I called the Sheriff's office dispatcher for the City of Calabasas.� You guessed it, the dispatcher was new on the job, and when I said we needed a unit at the Leonis Adobe Museum, she said where's that?� She said I can't send a unit unless you have an address.� I told her there were no numbers on the Adobe but it had been in Calabasas since 1844 on Ventura Blvd.� She said she needed an address.� I told her to call the Calabasas Sheriff's unit and they would know where the Adobe �was.� She said she would send a unit. �� I waited with the couple a little time but they were becoming disturbed about still being locked in the museum.� So I said I will find you a way out, wait here.

I walked around the fenced area to where the animals are kept.� There were about four sheep and a longhorn steer.�� I suggested that the man come to the side of the property and climb the wooded fence into the sheep pen.� He looked at the sheep, and then he looked at me and said OK, I will try it.� He climbed the wood slats of the fence like a latter, up and then down into the pen.� The sheep looked at both of us as to say, you have no food why are you here.�� Then I told him to walk to the far side of the sheep pen and climb the other slats of the fence.�� But, you had to be extremely careful because there are two strings of barbwire at the top of the wooded rail.� (By the way this is not historically correct, because they did not use barbwire at the Adobe at that time.)� The historical prisoner climbed up the wooded slates and then turned to a side fence before he got to the barbwire.� I then guided his feet down the other side of the wooden slates.�� Now he was no longer a prisoner of history.� But his wife was still locked in the Adobe grounds.� She tossed her purse over the iron fence and then followed her husband�s trail over the wooden fence into the sheep pen and then back out again.� They thanked me for my help and went on their way.�� About five minutes later three LA County Sheriff's units droved up.� There were five deputies.� We had a good chat. The parking attendant told us how the caretaker bragged on a new alarm system that had been installed recently.� You guessed it again, the alarm never sounded. �If we had been burglars we could have taken many valuables and even the sheep.

� I continued my evening walk, just another sunset in the History of the San Fernando Valley.

�� PS:� I have a feeling that the Indian Princes Esperitu, who lived at the Adobe in the late 1800s, was watching our ever step.� Her ghost is said to still be a resident at her Adobe.� ����

filed Oct. 18, 2007