from the fine folk at the OV Museum…
What was the original name of the Ojai Playhouse in 1914 when it first opened? How were prisoners in the Ojai jail kept in line without a guard ever being posted? Where can you find the largest collection of fountains in the valley? If questions like this intrigue you and you enjoy history, you may be interested in working with the Ojai Valley Museum docents, a group of volunteers that are the glue holding the daily museum operations together.
They meet every other month at the museum, and their recent gathering on Monday, December 7th, featured a slide presentation by Elise DePuydt, author of “A Photo Guide to Fountains and Sculptures of Ojai.”
Elise began with the ancient history of fountains in the Near East, and traced this tradition up to the present in Ojai. Although her passion for fountains was the original inspiration for her book, she eventually became interested in the history and architecture of Ojai. The docents heard about the opening of the Isis Theater in 1917, later to become the Ojai Playhouse. The old jail in Libbey Park, now opened regularly on Ojai Day, kept track of its inmates by an intercom device wired though the trees. The Ojai Valley Inn was remodeled to look like an Andalusian village, with a multitude of fountains and patios throughout the structure.
Elise showed slides representing the scope of her book, designed to take the exploring reader from west to east, from the Lake Casitas fountain to the Dennison Grade Ojai Valley Overlook. Photographs of public art and fountains tucked away in surprising corners of the valley included beautiful shots of outdoor sculptures in the Ojai industrial park and mosaic fountains in local motels.
In addition to Elise’s presentation, Ellen Hall of the Ojai Green Coalition gave a brief overview of the upcoming “Go Green Ojai” exhibit, opening Thursday December 10th and running through February 14th. This interactive and kid-friendly event features a breakaway house that allows hands-on exploration of green building supplies and construction.
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Thank you Tyler for this article highlighting our wonderful Ojai Valley Museum docents, Elise and her book and Ellen and the Go Green Ojai exhibit now at the Museum. Truly worthy recognition.
The Ojai Valley Museum docent program is currently accepting new volunteers, who select their own hours from the museum’s Thursday through Sunday schedule. If you are interested in this rewarding opportunity, please call 640-1390, extension 1, and leave a message with your name and phone number. Museum staff will call you back and arrange for an interview.