When Suncrest was virtually “sold out,” 1928 shows the beginning of the La Cresta subdivision. It was during this year that Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius sub-divided La Cresta, and sold 700 lots and several tracts of land, a total of 145 acres. The dividing line between Suncrest and La Cresta was at the fire station on North Lane with La Cresta to the north and Suncrest to the south. The subdivided La Cresta was part of the original Cornelius Ranch. Three wells were already on the property that served the homeowners.

On Sundays, Dollie Cornelius sat in Nancy Jane Park near the road selling those lots. She sold her lots for $59.95 each according to Eugene Wilcox. “This was done without high powered salesmanship or advertising.”

In June 1928, this ad from Harry Warburton Co., a local real estate office sold cabin site lots at $50/up with terms as low as $10 down and $5 a month.

Eugene Wilcox remembers, “I lived on the north side of Jarrett Lane. (Jarrett Lane was named after Jud Jarrett.)  I bought the one room cabin lot for $15 down and $6.50 a month. The cash price was $250. Dollie Cornelius developed the La Cresta section of Jarrett Lane so it would be laid out right. The streets on the south side of Jarrett were laid out crooked and there was a lot of confusion over survey markers which she did not want repeated.” La Cresta had its own set of guidelines.

Land for a park was donated to the La Cresta community by Dollie and Barney Cornelius for a community park. Nancy Jane Park, consisting of 1.84 acres, was named for the youngest Cornelius child and was dedicated and recorded on February 8,1928

The first store in the La Cresta Community was the General Store and Service Station. On December 12, 1930, the Standard Oil Company opened a service station at the corner of La Cresta Blvd. and Burdett Way. It is said to have filled a long felt need. Mr. O.V. Jarrett had charge of this station.

The La Cresta General Store, on the same property, was owned by “Pappy” Challand in the early 1930s. Later it was owned by Alma & Al Rice. The photo of the store shown was taken during a rare snow storm in 1949. The original building was torn down and rebuilt into the present cinder block building. Other owners and operators of this property included the Elias Brothers and Paul and Jim Odish. Mark Mirza has operated the now Rainbow Market since 2001.

The First Rural Mail Delivery Route Comes to La Cresta/Suncrest . In 1930, the first rural mail route on the Crest hill was started with Harry Wright as the carrier. Before that time, the mail had to be picked up at the El Cajon Post Office, where J.H. Dodson was Postmaster. The El Cajon News reported that on August 1, 1930 “The route will increase by seven miles. The up trip will be made by the new Forester Creek County Highway with the return down the old Suncrest grade. About 35 new patrons will be served. There were more than 50 names on the petition requesting the establishment of the route. The people are jubilant over the fact that they are receiving this service.”

In March 1933, the La Cresta Women’s Club was founded with a membership of 32. In the beginning, members of the La Cresta Women’s Club were very active in helping circulate petitions to get the La Cresta streets oiled, the park improved, did charity work, and later sponsored the building of the La Cresta Clubhouse. They accomplished much in the way of civic improvement. 

In 1939, the La Cresta Clubhouse was built by residents of La Cresta at what is now 113 North Park Drive. Land for the clubhouse was provided by the Cornelius family. It was the main meeting place for the new community. The flooring in the clubhouse was later replaced with maple that came from the Crystal Palace Dance Hall at Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach, CA. Martin Ettel, Mr. Dikerhoff, and Barney Cornelius went down to Pacific Beach, removed the nails from the flooring, loaded the boards, brought them up the hill, and laid them in the clubhouse.  The original La Cresta Women’s Club burned in the 2003 Cedar Fire.  A new clubhouse was built in 2005 and resides on the original property under the name of the Cr Suncrest and La Cresta Merge – 1950s and 1960s

The Crest Civic League notes reflected that as of November 1950, “There are now approximately 1,200 residents based on a total of 275 water meter users in the Crest Public Utility District. The District is connected to the La Mesa-Lemon Grove-Spring Valley Irrigation District water mains as of May 1950. The climate is good. We have less fog than El Cajon Valley, San Diego, and all its neighboring cities. We have all the conveniences of a healthy community – stores, a café, two churches, utilities, excellent fire protection, the services of a good doctor living in this community, and registered nurses.”

The communities of Suncrest and La Cresta were beginning to share common goals: fire protection, water, and education for their children. Thoughts of merging the communities was starting to be discussed. Crest archives showed that our residents were busy improving our community by these notations:

• Mr. Dave Allabough, president of the Crest Civic League, reported that a white line will continue from the present line on the black top on the Crest. The cost will be very little, and each property owner will be asked to pay it. The State is to improve where the Crest traffic enters from Highway 80.
• A revision has begun to determine whether the present fire insurance rates in the Crest area can be reduced some; we have good water facilities and an excellent Fire Department.
• The Cajon Valley Union School District has asked Suncrest Inc. if they will consider selling part of the Suncrest Park, if so, what price. This matter is to be brought before the membership.
• County Park Department has begun the job to make our South Lane Park a really attractive place. Already, undesirable trees and stumps have been moved. Various buildings are to be painted and a horse court with spectator’s seats, various shrubs, and grass is to be planted.est Community Clubhouse.