A Look At The Past

The grassy rolling hills of the San Fernando Valley were chiefly used as cattle and sheep ranches until the 19th century. The Franciscan Fathers chose San Fernando Valley as the location of a mission that was to fill the gap between San Buenaventura and San Gabriel.

Issac Lankershim purchased one-half of the entire valley in 1869, and used the acreage to plant wheat. In 1887 the Lankershim Ranch Land and Water Company was organized by a group of settlers who had purchased twelve thousand acres of land. Roads were cut through the fields and even a hotel was erected. The Lankershim Land and Water Company had not planned on erecting a town, but the community continued to grow. It was decided that the village would be called 'Toluca', which means 'fertile valley'. In 1887 the Southern Pacific company laid tracks through the southern parts of the valley. Much to the displeasure of the people, the railroad station was named Lankershim. The procedures for the annexation of Lankershim to Los Angeles were completed on December 29, 1923. When the city became a part of Los Angeles in 1927, the name was changed to North Hollywood.

A Pioneering Spirit

With the increased population the existing parishes of St. Charles in North Hollywood and St. Finbar in Burbank had become extremely overcrowded. To alleviate the problem Archbishop J. Francis McIntyre decided that a new parish should be erected for families from both areas. After looking at several locations it was decided that the nine acre farm covered by vineyards and an onion field on Cahuenga Blvd. would be the best.  Until a church could be built, Father Bauer rented Eagle Hall for sixty dollars a month and for the next fourteen months Mass was to be celebrated in the Hall. During the same period, confessions were heard on Saturday afternoons in Butzke's Tavern on Cahuenga Blvd.

Father Joseph Bauer celebrated his first Mass of thte parish at Eagle's Hall on the first sunday of August, 1948, served by the late Michael Mangus. About 600 families attended Mass on that day. The following months passed swiftly due to the many concerns of the new building. The spiritual needs of the people during these pioneering days were not overlooked. Baptisms, Marraiges and funerals took place. August 15, 1948 was the date of the first Baptism. The first Marraige in the parish took place on September 11, 1948. cosmo forgia married Catherine Teresa Oborger. Mrs. Martha Bonnifield was buried from St. Patrick's parish on August 30, 1948. She was the first of four hundred and eighty seven to be buried from the parish.

The old farm has that had been on the property was renovated inside and became the rectory. When this job was completed Father Bauer moved in with his assistant, Father Cyril Navin. Time marched on and the day finally came when Father Bauer was happy to announce that the first Mass in the new church would be celebrated on October 30, 1949. Pride filled the hearts of those who had spent the last fourteen months at the hall, when they saw their pastor come out to celebrate Mass in a real sanctuary and give his sermon from a pulpit.