1963 Canoga Park
This story begins with Francis Lederer and his wife Marion who were very much into bringing the arts and culture to the Canoga Park community. In October 1963, Francis Lederer started the Canoga Mission Community Art Center. The gallery endeavor was more of Francis’ pet project until 1967, when it became Marion’s interest post-1967.
Marion was busy with the Friends of Taxco that was starting and rightfully so. For more information on the earlier years of the Canoga Mission Community Art Center, read my recent article, “Art Culture Did Exist Here In the West SFV”. Let’s backtrack to January 28, 1963 when Marion Lederer (pictured below right), and Howard Spear (pictured below left) and became co-chairs of the Sister City committee. Francis Lederer was the Honorary Mayor of Canoga Park at the time. He had an earlier career as silent film actor and when he moved to Canoga Park he became very involved in the community.
Marion Lederer and Howard Spear Canoga Park-Taxco Mexico Sister City Program 1963 Mon, Jan 28, 1963 – 13 · Valley Times (North Hollywood, California) · Newspapers.com
The Journey to Taxco, Mexico Begins
“A Chamber of Commerce sponsored tour is scheduled to visit the historic Mexican silver mining center during a June 8 to 15 tour of Mexico. Officials of Taxco have announced their intention to hold a warm welcome for the “sister city” delegation. “
Tour to Visit “Sister CIty” Canoga Park-Taxco 1963 Sun, May 5, 1963 – 242 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) · Newspapers.com
By May 1963, the plans were put in motion which was sponsored by the Canoga Park Chamber of Commerce. The excitement was building as the trip was departing in the next month.
On June 8th, the journey began, as more than 20 Canoga Park residents were flying on that day to visit their “Sister City” of Taxco, Mexico.
Just think, travel was a luxury in the 1940s-1960s and was very expensive, until the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. This federal law deregulated the airline industry, allowing a free market for the commercial airline industry, helping make fares competitive.
Canoga Park Group Flies to Sister City of Taxco 1963 (2) Mon, Jun 10, 1963 – 12 · Valley Times (North Hollywood, California) · Newspapers.com
Travel in the late 50s and early 60s was known as the “Golden Era” of flying. Although, I’m not sure what airline they chose to take, I found this video that was made in 1958 of what it was like to fly. I did read in my research, however, it hadn’t much changed by 1963. It had become a tad more casual in the mid to late 1960s. This is to illustrate the journey the Lederers and the 20+ Canoga Park residents that traveled to Taxco, Mexico in 1963. Is it different than today?
Taxco de Alarcón, Mexico
Taxco, Mexico from the 1930s through the 1960s had been a getaway for Mexican and American celebrities before Acapulco became the place to be. The city sits on rugged hilly uneven and irregular shaped streets. Interestingly, the streets, according to Wikipedia, “are paved with dark stones, adorned with lines, pictures and even murals of white stone. Some of the pictures in the street are from the Zodiac and meant to indicate certain commercial activities in times past. One example of this is the sign of Taurus near the Church of Santa Prisca, which used to indicate the area of butcher shops. Buildings in the city typically have Spanish-style, red-tile roofs.”
In the 1920s, American architect and artist, William Spratling visited Taxco a few summers. He was inspired by Mayan archaeologist, Franz Blom and anthropologist and writer Oliver LaFarge whom he was friends. He became a lecturer on colonial architecture and would travel to colonial towns in Mexico and sketch and write articles on his travels. He moved to Taxco in 1929 and in early 1930s found himself needing to support himself. He reached out to his friend, who happened to be the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. Dwight Morrow, encouraged him to design and produce silver jewelry for the blossoming tourist industry in Mexico.
“The art of silver work had died in Taxco during Mexico’s 19th-century war for independence, when Spanish barons destroyed their mines rather than lose them to rebels.
In 1929- a year after the highway from Mexico City reached Taxco- William Spratling, an architecture professor from Tulane University, arrived and saw the change for a silver arts renaissance.
Spratling recruited goldsmiths to teach local men. Today, 31 years after Spratling’s death, his former students run many of the hundreds of silver shops lining the narrow streets.”
Deseret News, Aug. 2, 1998
For more information about the history of silver jewelry in Taxco, click on this article A Short History of Silver Jewelry Production in Taxco.
As mentioned earlier in this post, if you haven’t already read about what was happening in Canoga Park while Marion Lederer was focusing on Taxco, it will provide better context as to why perhaps Taxco was also selected as the Sister City. The Lederer were into art and bringing the arts to Canoga Park, so this comes as no surprise Taxco was the choice.
Back in Canoga Park
With the trip behind them, The Valley News wrote an article briefly outlining their experience in Mexico. They were greeting with much pomp and circumstance as well as Lederer mentioning that Canoga Park was the “space center of the world”. Unfortunately, that is not the case today, but it was a burgeoning industry and part of Canoga Park’s history at the time. It seemed both cities had things to be proud of and to gain from each other.
Memories of Mexico Canoga Park-Taxco 1967 Wed, Nov 15, 1967 – 9 · Valley Times (North Hollywood, California) · Newspapers.com
Taxco Recipes 1967 Wed, Nov 15, 1967 – 9 · Valley Times (North Hollywood, California) · Newspapers.com
Taxco and Canoga Park 1967 Mon, Nov 27, 1967 – 16 · Valley Times (North Hollywood, California) · Newspapers.com
Bringing Taxco Art to Canoga Park 1968
By 1968, the Sister City program was in a rhythm. The Canoga Mission Community Art Center had been revamped and renamed the Canoga Mission Gallery with Marion Lederer at the helm. Using her connections, she brought in a Taxco artist couple, Jose and Elizabeth Castrejon for an exhibit at her gallery. The Castrejons also showed at Topanga Plaza and Bullocks.
Taxco Canoga Park Canoga Mission Gallery 1968 Thu, May 9, 1968 – Page 58 · The Van Nuys News (Van Nuys, California) · Newspapers.com
Taxco Mural Gift 1969
A mural was dedicated by the mayor of Taxco in 1969 to the Canoga Park and was to be displayed along with artifacts and treasures of Taxco in a proposed Taxco room at the Orcutt Ranch. Today, they are on display at the Canoga Owensmouth Historical Society.
In 1973, this feature article was written by The Van Nuys News outlining the trips that would be taken to Taxco by students and the Sister City members. It seems many students benefited from the program. If you were a student, please write in the comments at the end of the post about your experience in Taxco.
Friends of Taxco Begin Pilgrimage 1973 Fri, Jun 8, 1973 – Page 39 · The Van Nuys News (Van Nuys, California) · Newspapers.com
Canoga Park Taxco 1976 Exchange Ad Thu, Feb 19, 1976 – Page 210 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) · Newspapers.com
Friends of Taxco Today
The above call for deadlines for the student exchange program was the last I could find. It seems this program still exists as I’ve found the organization has a website. I have found a more recent article in the Los Angeles Times written in 1996 that “Friends of Taxco has helped build and equip more than 20 schools in Taxco, Guerraro, Mexico. Taxco is known for its silver resources.” If you are interested in finding out more information, click on this link Friends of Taxco. They are also on Facebook- Friends of Taxco.
Examples of Taxco Silver Jewelry Today
Click on the images below to take you to Amazon’s NOVICA jewelry. NOVICA was founded by Andy Milk, Charles Hachtmann, Michael Burns, Mina Olivera and Jose Cervantes and strives to connect artists and artisans from all over the world providing a platform for them to sell internationally. Purchasing from NOVICA
“Your purchases are that powerful. They directly and indirectly provide for education, help with health care, fund basic needs, support children, preserve disappearing arts, and of course, spread happiness around the world.”
NOVICA
Guillermo Arregui
“Taxco Flora”
Maria Belen Nilson
“Fleur-de-Hearts”
Oscar Figueroa Escorcia
“Taxco Waves”
Guillermo Arregui
“Taxco Night”
Alon Diller
“Hummingbird Mystique”
Maria Belen Nilson
“All-Seeing Eye”
Books on Taxco
West SFV Lifestyle 
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