Meadow
Vista: A Charming Village
by
Victoria Beninga
While gold panners were rushing to the Sierra Nevada Gold Country towns of Auburn and Colfax, one town halfway in between was being populated by asthmatics and cattle.
The original inhabitants of Meadow Vista were the Native American Nisenan Maidu, including Lizzie Enos, the subject of the biography Ooti: A Maidu Legacy, by Richard Simpson. Lizzie spent much of her time making water-tight willow baskets and grinding acorns into flour to make porridge and bread. Many of her descendants still call Meadow Vista home.
Several Native American grinding stones were destroyed years ago during construction of roads. One, which was unearthed, was spared and can be seen in front of Sierra Pacific Real Estate on Placer Hills Road. Local school children stop by to see the grinding stones, and the staff at Sierra Pacific Real Estate warmly welcomes visitors who want to view this piece of history.
In the 1850s, pioneer settlers established homesteads and set up ranches. The first library began in 1919. In the 1920s, the citizens built a one-room schoolhouse for their children, electricity was made available, and Lake Van Giesen, now known as Lake Combie, was created.
During the 1940s and 1950s, people began subdividing, and Meadow Vista got its name from one of the subdivisions. The population increased in the 1960s and 1970s, and houses were being built on smaller parcels. Although the homes were and still are attractive, the citizens who wanted the town to remain rural circulated a petition to require one-acre minimum building sites. In 1963, Meadow Vista made history when it became the first town in Placer County to implement official zoning.
Meadow Vista was once home to several health retreats because of the climate, and many families settled in Meadow Vista for health reasons. The Merlin Lay family bought a cattle ranch on Cole Road after World War II so their son Herb, who had asthma, could breathe easier. Another brother, George Lay, is still active in the community, and founded The Society for the Preservation of the History of Meadow Vista.
Meadow Vista also used to be the winter home of cattle from Sacramento. Each year when the low-lying land flooded, the cattle were brought to Meadow Vista to graze. These days, residents and visitors can enjoy the park, which includes a huge playground, ½-mile paved trail, tennis courts, arboretum, pond, and under-construction Community Center. If you're hungry, Meadow Vista offers several tasty options: Mountain Mike’s Pizza, Vista Café, Chevron Gas Station sandwiches, and the Holiday Market deli.
Bikers, hikers, and equestrians enjoy the network of trails maintained by the members of the Meadow Vista Trails Association. The 6.5-mile moderately difficult Sugar Pine Loop Trail meanders around the exclusive community of Winchester Country Club, once the Marty dairy ranch. The easier 2.5-mile Meadow Vista Arena Trail follows Combie and Hillsdale Roads to the Meadow Vista Riding Arena. A key to the arena can be obtained from the Meadow Vista Trails Association for a nominal fee.
Each
year on the first Sunday in June, this year on June 1, thousands flock
to Meadow Vista for Pioneer
Day. At noon, the siren at Placer Hills Fire Station #1 signals the
start of the parade. After the parade, there is a celebration in the
park filled with music, food, children's activities, crafts, and good
clean fun. The weather in Meadow Vista is typical foothills weather – unpredictable. George Lay recalled, “One time the snow came up to here,” as he held his hand up to his neck, then added with a sly
smile, “Of course I was only in second grade at the
time.”
Some winters, to the disappointment of the local children, produce no
snow. In 1990, one storm dumped 36 inches of snow. The summer brings an
occasional 100-degree day, but highs are usually in the 90s followed by
refreshing nighttime cooling. Spring boasts daytime highs in the 70s
with lush greenery and blossoms to accompany the pines and oaks. Fall
brings the same temperatures, along with yellow, gold, and red foliage.Meadow Vista may not have the bold, colorful history of its gold rush neighbors, but fortunately for its residents and visitors, its more pastel-colored subtle history contributes to its current charm. Take the Meadow Vista/Clipper Gap exit 125 off I-80 and meander 2 miles into town on Placer Hills Road.
For more information:
The Society for the Preservation of the History of Meadow Vista
George Lay
P.O. Box 10
Meadow Vista, CA 95722
(530) 878-1927
Meadow Vista Trails Association
http://www.mvtrails.org/
Ó 2008
Victoria
Beninga