By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
This upcoming Tuesday, July 16 is a night many in the community have been requesting: another presentation of Russ Keller’s “Murders with a Crestline Connection” at the San Moritz Lodge. This PowerPoint-illustrated talk has been updated by Keller with new information on deaths, criminals and where they are now.
After the free, one-hour presentation, Keller’s books will be available for sale, including his Mountain Milepost series of books – Crestline – The Swingingest Town in America and Lake Arrowhead – A Mile Closer to Heaven. His Rim communities “Come up for Air” books will be for sale at one-third off the regular price at $19 each.
The show is very wide-reaching from the research Keller has pursued over the years. The topic is murders that are connected to Crestline, not all of which occurred in the town itself, although the mass murder of the Boles family is well covered. It includes murders that were committed (or maybe accused of being committed) by mountain residents in other towns as well.
Did you know the longest murder trial in California history, up to that time, the Overell Trial, was connected directly to Crestline and a couple of its residents? Were they convicted? One of the not so well-known murders up to that time had an award-winning movie made about it. Keller knows the details as he was involved in making the documentary. Was there a Mob connection to one or more of the murders, or missing people? How many of these murders were controversial at the time of their commission?
Where are the homes where these murders took place? Those homes have been sold and resold, but not all realtors, especially now that out-of-area web-based companies are selling local homes, have told prospective homeowners about the gruesome history of their homes. Might one of those homes belong to you? Keller knows the location of these homes.
If you have taken the two-hour walk and listened to his photo-illustrated talk on the history of Top Town Crestline, the first Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m., you know that Keller is both interesting and informative; the amount of information he packs into the talks is both compelling and factual. This “Murders with a Crestline Connection” talk complements the Top Town walking tour very well.
This presentation is being offered for free, compliments of the Rim of the World Historical Society and the Lake Gregory Company. The historical society invites the community to also visit the free Mountain History Museum at 27176 Peninsula Drive at Rhine Road in Lake Arrowhead this summer and into October, as they are open Friday, noon to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is always free. Call the museum at (909) 744-8625. The museum is run by volunteer community members.
The Rim of the World Historical Society was started in 1986 in Crestline to preserve and share the history of the unique San Bernardino Mountain communities. Come to this talk on July 16 and visit the museum to learn more portions of Crestline’s unusual and fascinating history. The museum, this year, has an expanded wall of Crestline history. See the historical society’s new website at www.mtnmuseum.org for more information on upcoming events.
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