THE GOOD OLD DAYS:Committed to local history

After leaving her position as a physical education instructor at Orange Coast College — where she joined the faculty in 1949, a year after the college’s founding — Beverly Barck had some trouble getting used to her new, relaxed schedule.

So she got involved in the women’s division of the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, and the position soon became a considerable commitment.

When the Segerstrom family donated a five-acre piece of land to the city in 1963, Barck was eager to participate in the restoration of the adobe that stood on the property, a project that served as a jumping-off point for the establishment of the Costa Mesa Historical Society.

“I didn’t know much about the heritage of the area,” said Barck, who recently celebrated her 82nd birthday. “It had been all Spanish, and that was interesting to me.”

With the help of her husband, City Councilman Calvin Barck, it wasn’t long before Barck had united the city of Costa Mesa and a number of community members to contribute to the project. That group also included Fr. Maynard Geiger, an archivist for the California mission system based in Santa Barbara.

“She laid a strong foundation upon which the future generation of historical society members could build and sustain the society,” said Hank Panian, who Barck recruited to be one of the historical society’s founding members and later served as a board member. “With this adobe, Costa Mesa became part of the whole California mission system.”

The restoration process took well over a year and required dedicated research, but Barck relished every moment. She was delighted by each tidbit of the Diego Sepulveda Adobe’s rich history, beginning with its construction in the early 1820s, when it was a way station for travelers en route to the nearby Mission San Juan Capistrano.

The structure later served as a home to Diego Sepulveda and many families thereafter, including the Segerstroms.

Barck recruited Terry Heitz, also a member of the Chamber of Commerce, to head the Estancia Decorating Committee, which toiled to ensure four periods of California’s history — Native American, Mission, Spanish and Victorian — were accurately represented by the interior decor.

“We did research to find out exactly what it would have looked like,” Barck said. “We had to shop around for the right kind of furniture and everything.”

In 1966, the same year the adobe was dedicated, Barck became the first president of the historical society. Many of the friends she had made throughout the restoration process served as its founding members. For her efforts and a robust devotion to history, Barck was honored Wednesday evening with the Costa Mesa Historical Society’s living memorial award at the group’s annual installation dinner. In addition to receiving a plaque, a tree in Estancia Park will be dedicated in Barck’s name.

“The living memorial award is given to someone who has done outstanding work for the historical society and in perpetuating the history of the area,” said Gladys Refakes, recording secretary for the society. “We haven’t officially honored Beverly for her endeavors over the years, and we think it’s time to do so.”