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| THE COLONY NEWS | AUGUST 2023 | 17 At this time of year – the Dog Days of Summer – many people and groups ease up to survive the heat. Not so for CATCOM. For it, this time of year is very busy as a lot is going on in the Colony. First, on July 6 there was a Town Hall meeting. When it ended, for residents it was over. But not quite for us. We recorded the meeting and then posted it to YouTube for online viewing. e HOA Board did not meet in July, but we will be there on Aug. 17 for its next meeting, recording and posting for livestream viewing. Second, the committee supported the Board by conducting interviews with the candidates who are running in the September election. Aer preparing a list of interview questions and submitting them to HOA management for approval, we: • Created the interview setting. • Verified that the equipment was ready to record them. • Conducted the interviews. • Posted the recordings (all unedited), which residents will be able to view beginning Aug. 1. ird, one of our subcommittees is working on a revamped Colony website. Many hours have been spent writing the words, taking pictures, and creating a format that reflects all that is good in e Colony. e website is under final review and waiting approval from legal and the Board. Residents will be notified when the launch is scheduled. Lastly, CATCOM celebrated the "Dog Days of Summer" with the Pup Parade on July 4. is is always a fun event enjoyed by the entire community and this year's was no exception. e committee has open positions and would like to hear from residents who want to be a part of this dynamic group. See Kara for an application and come join us. COMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY By Ken Luekens OUTREACH TO HISTORY By Lennie Martin Colony Residents Tour Historic Laurel Cemetery Nestled at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains, the gently rolling hills of Laurel Cemetery are the final resting place for many of Murrieta's pioneer families and notables. Our group of 10 Colony residents and two guests met Jeffery Harmon, President, Murrieta Valley Historical Society, for a walking tour and to hear stories of early settlers, local leaders, and colorful entertainers. When the 10-acre property was bought for a $1 gold coin from the Temecula Land & Water Company, it was just dirt and tumbleweeds. e first graves were marked by wood crosses, but records of early burials were lost in the Methodist Church fire. In 1915, the cemetery was deeded to the Murrieta Historical Society, and in 1938 the Murrieta Cemetery District was formed. e cemetery holds over 1,000 graves. We visited 20, starting with the Tarwaters. Benjamin Tarwater, an early settler, lived in a house on Plum Street that was built in 1888 and he operated a general store. Generous and kind, he wanted an unmarked grave. e Tarwater obelisk is for his father, Robert, and Benjamin's wife, Nancy, and their child. E. Hale Curran (Sykes) was a strong, independent woman who owned the Fountain House. Her photographs document early Murrieta history (collections at the public library). Her son Marvin Curran, "father of the Murrieta fire department," transitioned it from volunteer to paid firefighters. Abram Burnett built a house in 1885 (demolished in 2022) next to Ray's Murrieta Cafe. He established the first historical society and is the only cemetery founder buried there. John McElroy was president of the cityhood drive to found Murrieta in 1991. Builder of many communities, he was perhaps the last dry farmer using land that's now e Colony. Victor and Arlean Garrison owned the Machine Shop, operating it for over 37 years, and is the oldest still operating business in Murrieta. Arlean wrote a history book about Murrieta, My Children's Home. Douglas Fowley was a Hollywood actor in 200 films, playing Doc Holliday in the Wyatt Earp series and a role in Singing in the Rain. Jerry Palmer (Jon Serl) was a dancer, writer, and artist who painted 1,200 "California primitive" works on wood and metal. Tour sponsored by Colony Cousins Genealogy Club. If you are interested in genealogy or history, give me a call at 503-269-9987.

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