TEHACHAPI, Calif. (KERO) — A 100-year-old Tehachapi Heritage League co-founder is sharing a century of history, community, and sharp wit.
Could you imagine Tehachapi in the 1950s? Well, Ms. Del Troy lived it.
I asked, “What was Tehachapi like in 1958?” and Del Troy says, “Well, it was not like it is today, that’s for sure—just a small little town. And Golden Hills, where we are, was all ranch land.”
Endelvaa, better known as Del, has been named Tehachapi’s “Citizen of the Century.” She’s known as one of the town’s most skilled quilters, and as the founder of the Tehachapi Mountain Quilters group. She’s also been instrumental in preserving local history, playing a key role in the Tehachapi Museum, the Errea House Museum, and protecting the Pioneer Cemetery. Her impact stretches even further, helping create Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park, identifying forgotten cemeteries across the region, and supporting Tehachapi’s historical mural program.
Jon Hammond is a Local Historian, and he says, “She is a multi-faceted person who is beloved in Tehachapi and very well respected.”
Now, Jon Hammond has taken on the role of local historian, but he says he learned from the very best. “She would take me to meetings and field trips when I was 11 or 12-years-old, and I stayed interested in Tehachapi history, and we’ve stayed close ever since,” he said.
And even at 100-years-old, Del Troy’s legacy is still shaping the stories of Tehachapi today. “How does it feel to be 100?”
Del Troy says, “Well, I guess it feels okay, except I am so slow now. I can’t do many things I used to, like quilting. I just can’t do it anymore.”
Even now, Del encourages others to do everything they set their minds to.
Del Troy says her secret to a long, healthy, and happy life is simple, stay busy.
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