Scroll to bottom to view photos from trial exhibits - PSN-12/3/05 Historic grave open to public By Kimm Groshong Staff Writer Pasadena Star-News ALTADENA - A judge has confirmed the public's right to visit the historic grave site of Owen Brown, the abolitionist and son of John Brown "the liberator." Pasadena Judge C. Edward Simpson this week ruled in favor of a trails group known as Save the Altadena Trails in the case it brought against Michael Cichy, owner of the knoll where Brown was buried in 1889. Since he purchased the land in January 2002, Cichy has been cited for county violations and allegedly yelled at hikers and posted "No Trespassing" signs to discourage visitors from using the path across his land. Cichy, who represented himself in court, could not be reached for comment. Paul Ayers, the trail advocate and attorney who represented the trails group, brought 15 witnesses to the stand to help establish that the trail leading to the grave site had been in continuous public use since the 1880s. "What the court has done is it has said there has been a dedication there since the 19th century," Ayers said. Therefore, he said, Cichy cannot prevent people from using the trail or visiting the grave site once Ayers prepares the judgment and the judge signs it - a process Ayers says should be complete within a week. Judge Simpson has previously ruled in favor of Save the Altadena Trails. Last year in a case about access to another portion of the same trail, Simpson found that the public's use was "substantial, diverse and sufficient to convey to the owner notice that the public was using the passage as if it had a right so to do." Since then, the defendants have appealed the ruling. Shari Asplund, a member of Save the Altadena Trails, said the group was thrilled by the judge's latest decision. "The judge totally understood the big picture," she said. The Altadena Foothills Conservancy hopes to someday have the opportunity to conserve the property as a historic area. "Certainly one of the things we'd like to do now that we've won this case is to restore the grave site," said Asplund, also a member of the conservancy's board. The judge's ruling is welcome news to local hikers such as Chris Brennen, a Caltech professor of mechanical engineering. He remembers hiking to the grave site in 2001 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day before the grave marker mysteriously disappeared in 2002. Brennen said he found it the perfect place to visit to honor King's memory because Owen Brown "represents a struggle that we always face in human rights between striving for what is right and yet trying to do so in a nonviolent way." He said John Brown and most of his sons were known for their violent approaches to the abolitionist movement. But Brennen said Owen Brown was known to favor a more peaceful way and did not participate in the raid at Harper's Ferry, W.Va. Tim Gregory, the historical consultant who testified during the trial, said Owen Brown and his brother, Jason, built a cabin and wagon road just above the area known today as The Meadows in Altadena in the 1880s. When Owen died in January 1889, the city of Pasadena gave him a large funeral that was attended by hundreds. His body was carried by wagon to his final resting place atop the knoll known as Little Round Top. Gregory said the grave site is historically important not only because of the John Brown association, but especially because of Altadena's diverse population. "It's kind of a symbol of peace between different kinds of people," he said. "It's really of interest to a lot of people and has meaning to a lot of people." Ayers said he had so many people wanting to testify about their use of the trail and visits to the grave site that he could have easily put together several days of testimony. "The thing about the grave site," he said, is that "it really resonates with people."

Ian and Jessica White at grave site, 11/1969 -

Boy at grave site, 1914