Menifee's Quail Valley: Once an Exclusive Resort

A guard gate stood at the entrance to the "members only" Quail Valley resort in the 1950s.

By Bill Zimmerman
Menifee Valley Historical Association

I remember the first time visiting Quail Valley, the quaint community along Menifee’s western boundary. I had arrived at the main intersection where the Circle K store is, when something seemed to draw me to turn left and around the 1950’s style fire station toward the tree-shaded narrow streets and compact residential lots.

While I explored, there arose a curious feeling that something must have been here, something that gave cause to the community to take this form.

At a recent meeting of the Menifee Valley Historical Association, President Elinor Martin provided an informative presentation about Quail Valley’s early days as a private and exclusive Country Club. Martin brought graphic display boards with historic photographs showing the private entry gate with manned guard house, gas service station, general store, restaurant, a private lake and many photos of the clubhouse and its recreation facilities.

A large clubhouse was the site of many social events in Quail Valley in the 1950s and '60s.

She also displayed early promotional advertisements designed to lure new members. Martin shared some of her personal memories of dances and events that were held at the clubhouse. She also read from historic publications and news accounts, including an article by historian Kim Johnson that described Quail Valley’s past.

Special guests who attended the Historical Association meeting included long-time residents who shared memories of growing up during Quail Valley’s early clubhouse days. One of those guests was Sandy Melrose, whose father began building his house in Quail Valley around 1950. She shared many childhood memories with the group.

"It was lots of fun for kids; they had shuffle board, ping pong, horse stables, miniature golf and lots of swimming." Melrose recalled fondly.

During an open discussion, a common theme of interest was learned. Early Quail Valley residents recalled that their parents chose to purchase property inland out of fear that the Japanese would attack Los Angeles and the coastal areas. Quail Valley, with its affordable offerings and proximity to March AFB, seemed like a safe and ideal place to relocate to.

Martin described Quail Valley’s early beginnings as a 300-acre land purchase in 1891 by Charles L. Cooper and a group of Los Angeles bankers. In 1910, the investment group formed the Quail Valley Land Company and increased their holdings to about 2,000 acres of land. For a number of years, the men used the land as a game reserve for the hunting of quail, dove and rabbit.

In the 1920’s, most of the Quail Valley land was sold to investors who developed a project they called Lake Elsinore Lodge. The earliest advertisement for this development, in the May 23, 1924 Daily Press, said that Lake Elsinore Lodge was 1,800 acres of mountain playground that included amenities such as a clubhouse, tennis courts, dancing, hunting and a large outdoor plunge (an artificial lake for swimming). The advertisement also mentioned that 50-foot by 100-foot cabin sites were available for purchase for only $200. Cabins were built on many of the 5,000-square -oot lots made available through the Lodge project.

In the 1950’s and early 1960’s, the resort community was in its heyday. Mr. Cooper’s son Charles E. Cooper had taken over management and had renamed the resort Quail Valley Country Club in honor of the name his father had chosen. The hills that sprawled for miles around the resort afforded members some of the best hunting in the area. Bag limits of quail, dove and cottontail were quite common during the hunting season.

In the 1950’s, as you entered the community through the guard gate, there was a Union 76 gas station, a gift shop, small market, post office and restaurant. Martin’s display boards included photographs of these places, as well as aerial imagery and post cards showing Quail Valley’s private fishing lake.

By the late 1960’s, despite plans for an 18-hole golf course, the Country Club had financial difficulties, and eventually fell into disrepair. The private membership, guard gate and clubhouse facilities were removed.

Today, the once bustling site of the Quail Valley Country Club is primarily a vacant field shaded by mature eucalyptus trees. We can appreciate the historic photographs and oral narratives of the resort era that help preserve the very real heritage of this place.

For more information on Menifee’s historic past, please visit: www.menifeehistory.com

One of the most recognizable sites in Quail Valley today is the fire station on Goetz Road.

Quail Valley is located in the hills between the Sun City community of Menifee and Canyon Lake.