Going back in time with John Merrick
John Merrick arrived at Latigo Beach and Cove in 1946 when I was 12 years of age. He had served in the Army during WW II on Point Dume which included artillery firing off the Point. After discharge from the Army in 1945, he built one of the first homes in Latigo Cove in 1946. I recall him visiting with my father in the late 1940’s but had no idea of subjects discussed during those visits as I went about my ocean-front life in Latigo Cove. He became a friendly and interesting person to our family prior to my father’s death in 1952 and has remained so these past 66 years.
John promptly exhibited his writing talents in 1947 authoring a column in the Malibu Times. “The BARBary Coast.” An early column reveals how John cherished his residency in Malibu – a deep love of Malibu in which he became so intertwined in its activities for 66 years. In his 1972 book, “Along the Malibu,” Reeves D. Templeman introduces the reader to John with this comment: “But let him speak, as he did in this column, written for The Malibu Times in 1948:”
“Reluctantly, we cast off Latigo Cove moorings each morn and join the moving caravan of fellow serfs bound for the urban salt mines. But, a nonchalant, pleasant journey it is down the smooth trafficless open road. One glances to right and left renewing acquaintances with old landmarks and monuments and noting changes in the ‘scape. Peering out to sea, now green, now blue, now smooth, now turbulent, but always a thrilling sight to the true Malibuite. And sometimes on the distant horizon curling smoke and the low, grey hulks of coastwise steamers, provide a stimulating early morning reverie with half-wished thoughts of joining the men of the sea and their adventurous life on the bounding main.
“Our daily lesson in futility – or is it faith? For years the ladle-jawed pelicans used to roost on an old pier near the Bel-Air Bay Club. This spring the pier was removed. But still these long-billed birds return to the spot. You can see them bobbing around on the surface, hoping that the pier will reappear from beneath the waves where surely it must be.
“From sea our gaze wanders to the mountains, for even in the day sun and fire-scorched mounds that border the highway and roll away up misty canyons where early morning haze crowns each eminence, the true lover of the Rancho finds beauty and romance. And those wide-open canyon mouths – beckoning, tempting – a siren spirit daily seems to urge “Turn off. Follow me! To nature’s wonderland.” To happy, singing birds and the sweet early morning scent of the forest. See there a flock of quail, and look – a trusting deer munching at the side of the road. There’s friend squirrel and chipmunk and jittery cottontail . . . the whole woodland population is there to greet you.
“What cruel punishment – it seems, at times, to have to forsake all this in the pursuit of an honest dollar. But, how sweet is the returning each evening, as we swing down the incline and see the whole magnificent rancho spreads out before us. We are ever reminded of the words of Malibu’s Frederick H. Rindge who summed it up, but well, when he said:
“‘Oh, thee happy Vaquero! Who would be a banker when he could ride the smiling hills and hide himself and horse in the tall mustard! Who would be a slave to desk and electric light darkness in a back room when sunshine is free to all? Aye, a liberal competence is splendid, but slavery is often its price … But, then, we cannot all be Vaqueros!’”
One memory of John that stands out these past 66 years was his masterful leadership of the Friday night pot luck dinners in the community room adjacent to his Court. These events sponsored by the Malibu Historical Society usually had a topic and a guest speaker. When our lively attendees started to get feisty and veer off the subject of the gathering, John forcefully, but diplomatically, intervened to assure continued civility among those with differing opinions, and did it promptly. It is no wonder he served so long on the Malibu bench, recalling the modus operandi of Judge Webster – direct, diplomatic.
The activities of John within the Malibu community from 1946 to 2012 are so numerous it would take a book to do justice to the effort and leadership he provided in accomplishing so many things. He had many good and talented people contributing to these efforts, but he was the leader who inspired others to work alongside of him to get things successfully done. His formation and guiding the Malibu Historical Society in 1968 had two goals: 1, to preserve the Adamson House from being demolished for a parking lot and, 2, to turn the Adamson House into a Community Museum.
There were many who shared John’s love of Malibu history who joined in this successful effort but all will attest that John was out front for years in this endeavor. Just as a mighty oak springs up from a tiny acorn over many years, so too has the history of Malibu flourished and become better documented from actions he initiated years ago, which continue to this day through others’ researching and publishing aspects of the history of Malibu. A wonderful example of John’s leadership was his identifying and urging Fred May to take on the immense task of being the founding President of the Malibu Lagoon Museum. Fred enthusiastically agreed to this challenge and, along with dedicated, tireless docents, succeeded in the birth and nurturing of the Museum to become the world-wide landmark it is today.
I believe John Merrick was the “Grand Historian of Malibu” for the decades he devoted to this cause. Whenever the history of Malibu is discussed or published, we can be sure that Judge John J. Merrick had a part, directly or indirectly, in some aspect of this history.
John was a mentor to many, many people in guiding positive actions in their lives. His empathy and respect for humanity is one we can strive to emulate in a world needing such wisdom in conducting human affairs.
By Ronald L. Rindge