Ray’s Murrieta Café Property Cleanup Project
Part two of the September 2017 newsletter
Many remember and recognize Ray’s Murrieta Café located on what was the iconic Highway 395, now Washington Avenue. Once owned by the Lakemans and Eilers, it was purchased by the Bezanson family in 1950 and thereafter called Ray’s Murrieta Café.
Ray Bezanson, a very talented musician and music composer, along with his wife, Joanne, ran the café until Ray’s death in January 1973. The Bezanson family also owned the historic house next door. This
house was originally built by the Burnett family in 1885. It is the second oldest house in Murrieta and it arrived on the train as a kit house. The house was assembled by Buchanan and Doolittle at its current site.
After his father’s death, Gilbert, a.k.a. ‘Skip’ Bezanson with help from his sister, Muriel, continued to run the bar and grill until it was forced to close in 2006. However, Skip continued to live in what had become
known as the Lakeman house next door.
Both in declining health, the Bezanson family weren’t able to keep the property up to city standards. The City was extremely patient, but in December 2016, after ten years of failing efforts, the properties were both red tagged. Skip and Muriel were told that they could not re-enter due to extreme health and safety conditions. The property was only weeks away from receivership by the City if it wasn’t brought up to city code standards.
Connie Cain McConnell, another long time resident of Murrieta and a childhood friend, had expressed her concern to Muriel regarding not wanting the Bezansons to lose control of their property. Due to this
friendship and being on the board of the Murrieta Valley Historical Society, she was invited to join a meeting between the City and the Bezansons. From that meeting, Connie became the unofficial liaison for the Bezanson family, keeping Skip and Muriel’s best interests up front.
On Saturday, April 8, 2017, volunteers from the Historical Society and the Arts Council were given permission to enter the property and begin cleanup. Pat Jennings and Casey Jurado each brought a tractor and began carving paths through the waist high weeds and debris. Jason Brawner wrapped a chain around a fifty year old over-grown century plant that was partial blocking the sidewalk in front of the property. The tractor yanked it out and we had our first major victory of the task at hand.
Jeffery Harmon’s two teenage children, J.T. and Alexis, helped Connie sort and bag over six hundred dollars in recyclables with the money going directly to Muriel. The kids helped continuously for the rest
of the project.
Volunteers have labored tirelessly cleaning out trash and vegetation debris, also recovering historic artifacts for preservation from both the café and the house next door. These items will be the foundation of our Murrieta History Museum opening in the near future. Due to safety concerns and privacy, only a few trusted volunteers were allowed onto the property.
The City had set a very stringent timeline for total cleanup of the property, but after seeing the progress being made, Jeff Morris, the City attorney was able to get an extension. Brian Ambrose from the City
and Jeffery Harmon, Historic Society President, through a city partnership with Waste Management, negotiated four forty-foot dumpsters and two twenty-foot lowboy dumpsters donated for the cleanup project. We are VERY grateful for this donation by Waste Management. After that we have continued to fill another four, forty-foot containers with debris. The cost for these containers has been shared
by the Historic Society and Muriel and Skip.
Connie McConnell along with Annette and Pat Jennings, Jenny Mayoral, Jeffery Harmon and Carol Sierra were the major cleaning crew for the café. Connie stated, “We kept Muriel and Skip busy going through boxes, deciding what the family would keep and what they would let go.”
Jeffery Harmon, Pat and Annette Jennings, Jenny Mayoral, Carol Sierra, Connie McConnell, Casey Jurado and Jason Brawner were the cleaning crew for the house. There have been other helping hands, but these volunteers did the lion’s share.
During this time, Skip and Muriel realized that it was in their best interest to sell the property. A group of local investors realized the historic role and value of same and entered into negotiations. Escrow closed the first week of July. The Bezansons are now able to purchase another home in the Hemet area
near family.
By sorting out items to be kept, setting aside historical artifacts, (of which there have been many), and displaying yard sale items, we have brought an enormous task to completion.
The yard sale took place on the Café property on Friday, August 4th and Saturday, August 5th. It was a great success. It is impossible to name everyone who helped out. We are grateful for all they did, and
we are also grateful that the City let us step in and help. It has been a win-win situation, thanks Murrieta.
Now that the cleanup effort has come to a close, what do the new property owners plan to do with the two historic buildings? Multiple proposals have been made, but there have been no final decisions. The Murrieta Valley Historical Society stands ready to volunteer their services if the two historic structures are
to be restored. A strong partnership has been formed between the Society and the new owners. It is our hope that this property will become a treasured jewel in Historic Downtown Murrieta, drawing new life, family, friends, and tourists to this area.
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