The Communities Merge – Crest, CA 1960

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.

Crest Continues to Develop – Mountain View Estates and Cornelius Ranch- 1980s-1990s
Crest continued to grow throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. Two large developments built during this period was Mountain View Estates (located off Rios Canyon Road) and Cornelius Ranch (located off Horsemill Road). These developments are located near the area where Barney and Dollie Cornelius raised their family on their 324 acre Circle A Ranch. They are located close to the present day Crestridge Reserve.
Today, John Gibson, developer of Mountain View Estates, is quite familiar with this area because in 1962 when John was a young boy, his dad purchased 600 acres, including much of the Circle A Ranch, from Barney Cornelius. John remembers that cattle were in abundance on these hills and the entire Cornelius property was fenced. John states, “They didn’t pay much attention to property lines back then since the land was used mostly for grazing.” John pointed out that the Cornelius Truck Trail is today’s road called Montana Serena and also pointed out the McClain Ranch Truck Trail on the back side of Montana Serena. During a tour of the area with John, he indicated the remains of the old Cornelius homestead within the boundaries of today’s Cornelius Ranch development. While only portions of the foundation remain, it was amazing to see how remote the location was. When Mr. Cornelius wrote about transporting the kids to school down the old Suncrest grade (the original road to Crest that terminates down by Shadow Mountain Church), it really brought to life the hardship of living in such a remote area.
In the early 1980s, John purchased the property from his father and began developing it into what is now known as Mountain View Estates. On a tour through the area with Mr. Gibson, John also pointed out sites of two deserted quartz and granite quarries off Mountain View Road as well as pointing out the old stagecoach trail which ran through Flynn Springs to the Chocolate Summit area. The dried up remains of an old lake, known by locals as Frog Pond, brought back memories of the several water resources which once stood in this area.