1910-1920: The Growing Community

1910 - Mrs. Sally Rotherie of the Los Angeles Evening Herald staff conceived the idea of acquiring lots in Lancaster and giving away a free lot (25' x 125') with each year's subscription of the Herald. It helped make people familiar with the name of Lancaster and a street named Herald.

1912 - The Antelope Valley Union High School was established, with Mr. Epperson the first principal. Before this in 1908, a ninth grade was started in connection with the grammar school, for four girls and a boy, with A.H. Ridell as principal. The high school occupied the second floor of the Woman's Independence Hall on the southwest corner of Tenth Street and Cedar Avenue. There were seven girl students and one boy at this time. The first trustees of the new high school were: O.S. Bulkey, Lewis Tillman, Joe Holland, J.A. Searing and E.B. Cameron. In 1915, the high school moved to its present site after a $60,000 bond issue for construction had been passed.

A destructive fire occurred in the spring of 1912 when Henry P. Specht's saloon on the northeast corner of Tenth and Antelope Avenue caught fire. This was the fire remembered by the old-timers for Mrs. A.V. ''Susie'' Oldham's ''bucket brigade." In 1914, the old Hannah Hotel burned. A more serious fire from a historical point of view was the destruction in 1912 of the Antelope Valley Ledger Gazette building on the west side of Antelope Avenue between Tenth and Eleventh. This building contained files of the early newspapers so that the valuable records of the early days of Lancaster and the Valley were lost.

This year the Bank of Lancaster was started by Mr. J.W. Jeal on the east side of the railroad tracks. One year later, the Farmers' Merchant Bank was organized by George Fuller.

1913 - A branch of the County Free Library was established in the drug store. Also in 1913, the people voted for a new grammar school on a site on Cedar Avenue. The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, which was organized in 1902, voted to spend $1,700 to advertise the valley in Sunset Magazine. In 1913, the Baptist church was erected on Tenth Street and Herald Avenue. This land was donated by Earl Roberts, and Robert C. Fleisher was the first minister in charge.

1914 - Electric power had been introduced into the Valley with far-reaching results. Toward the end of August the question of whether or not a lighting district should be formed was put to a vote. According to the local paper, ''the election held Saturday last resulted in a majority of forty-five votes in favor.'' By the fall streets and homes were lighted by electricity. By 1925, eight hundred and seventy-eight homes were under electric light and two hundred and twenty-two stoves connected.

1915 - The first fraternal organization also began this year with the establishment of Lodge 437 of the Masonic order. Wesley Mumaw set up his undertaking establishment this year. Previously (1890-97), Sam McCracken, who acted as local barber and justice of the peace, procured caskets from Los Angeles at the request of relatives and friends.

1916 - Lancaster boasted of two paved streets. Tenth Street was paved from the high school west to Date Avenue and Antelope Avenue was paved. In February, 1916, the Woman's Independence Club rented part of its hall to a moving picture operator. The new Valley Theatre on antelope Avenue was built by Whit Carter in 1926 and later rented to Frank Gumm (father of Judy Garland). It was here that Judy Garland, then known as Baby Frances Gumm got her start when she and her sisters entertained local audiences.

1917-1919 - Many Lancaster and Antelope Valley young men were called into the forces at this time. It was a common sight to see troop trains passing through Lancaster. The Armistice was signed November 11, 1918.

1919 - An election was held for the formation of the Los Angeles County Waterworks District 4, which carried by an overwhelming majority.

1920 - Constable H. Ed Glidden was killed by a bandit on Antelope Avenue in front of the Jazz Candy Shop. An auto posse soon caught up with the bandit and killed him. The consensus for Lancaster this year shows 400 residents. In 1923, an unofficial total showed 500 living here. In 1930 the tabulated figures were 1,550 in town.