I had the opportunity to see a film that tells the amazing story of a piece of Malibu history that I had not heard before, and I thought I would share it with you.
“To Right a Wrong – the Story of Ballard Mountain” is a short film about John Ballard, a black man from Kentucky who moved his family west in 1880 and initially settled in the City of Los Angeles. When he was forced to move from there he then purchased 160 acres of land now known as Seminole Springs and became a homesteader – one of the first landowners in the Santa Monica Mountains. The property was not easily accessible, and with hard work and determination Mr. Ballard built a home for his family and was somehow able to provide for them. He raised animals, grew crops and sold firewood to people who lived in the City. Several unfriendly neighbors tried to force him out, even burned his home – twice! – but he persevered and re-built. Years later, one of his seven children, Alice Ballard, became a homesteader herself, an unusual feat for any woman at that time. She claimed an adjoining lot, and another 160 acres was added to the Ballard family land, which included a beautiful 2,031-foot mountain peak.
In 2009, a couple living in this area of Malibu, near Seminole Springs, were shown a historic local map. They found their home’s location on the map, along with the familiar “Saddle Rock” and “Mitten Rock.” They were dismayed and upset to see a mountain peak labeled with a racial slur. They decided to do something about it and set about contacting people who they thought could help accomplish this. The film tells the story of how a professor from Cal State Northridge and a park ranger managed to locate John Ballard’s ancestors and they all worked together and ultimately officially and proudly renamed the peak “Ballard Mountain.”
There is now a bronze plaque embedded on a large rock in the Malibu mountains, which was installed during a ceremony honoring the Ballard Family, along with the official renaming of the mountain. As you drive south on Kanan Road towards the beach, you may spot the plaque which adorns the mountainside on the right side of the road as you approach the first tunnel. There is a place to pull off the road, park and take a look.
It was wonderful to find this film and discover what it meant for the family to be recognized, and for the community to be a part of it. This is a part of the American story – a story embedded in our local history – and a deeply moving story, to be sure!
Watch the new film: “To Right a Wrong: The Story of Ballard Mountain”
“So often people will give attention to something because it’s media worthy, but this was something that a group of folks thought was worthwhile,” said great, great-grandson Ryan Ballard referring to the renaming effort.
