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CHARLOTTE HOLCOMB If you have lived in the
backcountry for very long, you undoubted have heard about Charlotte Camp
Holcomb. She was an
institution here and has done or been involved with so many projects for
the good of the backcountry people.
She was known as the “heart and soul of the backcountry”. Charlotte was an original
member on the Board of Directors for Highway 94 Club and worked for years
to improve Highway 94. Had
it not been for her and her influence many projects may not have been
done. Charlotte’s
parents came to Dulzura in 1907 and her father, Charles A. Camp,
worked for the company that built the flume from Barrett to Otay Lakes.
She had one sister and two brothers.
Her brother Ed Camp and wife Betty still live in Dulzura on the
original property, farming
and raising cattle (between Barrett Creek Bridge and Dulzura Café).
The Camp family saw the development of San Diego from a very early
time. Charlotte was born in Dulzura on Nov 25, 1910 and lived there most of her life
until her death in January 1991.
Her parents managed the Dulzura Inn in 1910 that was founded by
Ezra Small in the stage coach days. The
inn was closed and eventually burned in 1923. Charlotte joined the
Woman’s Army Corps during
WWII. This is where she met
“Red” Holcomb. They married after the war was over in 1945.
They settled in
Dulzura (next door to Dulzura Café).
They took up ranching. Charlotte
was a good businesswoman and became a successful Realtor in the
backcountry. She had the gift of “persuasion” and sold many parcels of
property in the backcountry at her office in Jamul. Many of the old timers bought their property through her. Charlotte was a very
active civic leader with many clubs such as 4-H Club, FFA. CowBelles
(CowBelle of the year 1969), Farm Bureau member for 50 years, Jamul
Kiwanis Club, Tecate USA Chamber of Commerce, Dulzura Community
Development Committee (DCDC) Founder,
Cattlemen’s Assoc., Grossmont Hospital Women’s Auxiliary, Federation
of Republican Women and probably others.
She was an active
member in these organizations and a dedicated community leader and known
by all. She was a go-getter
and instrumental in getting things done, either by herself or by enlisting
the help of others. In 1978
she was named “Distinguished Citizen of the Year”.
She also wrote articles for Back
Country Trader, a column called the “Back Country Historical
Ramblings”, and related a lot of the history of this area.
There was even a “Charlotte Holcomb Day” on December 10.
Charlotte was very
outgoing and made a point of meeting new people and businessmen in the
community as well as politicians and influential leaders.
We, who live in the back country should appreciate and thank her
for all the work she did in our behalf, especially those who drive Highway
94. This was one of her pet
projects and she was able to get things done. Need picture of Charlotte |
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