HomeMy WebLinkAboutMatthew Elmer Helme - M.E. Helme - Early Huntington Beach PiMatthew Elmer Helme
Early Huntington Beach Pioneer
When -Matthew "Elmer" Helme and his family moved to Santa Ana
in 19'03 Pacific City was struggling to get started as a town.
Helme had friends and acquaintances who believed this was an
opportunity to get involved in a successful venture. Henry
Huntington was bringing the Pacific Electric Rail system into the
town and Huntington Beach was being born.
The Christian faith was very important to Helme and his
family, he was one of the charter members of the First Church of
Christ being established in the city. Helme established a business
partnership with L.C. Haulman and created "Haulman and Helme House
Furnishing Co." located at Sixth and Walnut streets in Huntington
Beach, the partnership dissolved in December 1905 and Helme moved
to Huntington in 1906 and continued the business under his name
M.E. Helme House Furnishing Co. for many years.
Helme was very involved with the new city that was forming.
He was a strong supporter of incorporation which happened in 1909.
He served on the First Board of Trustees for nine years and became
the cities fourth Mayor in 1916. The newspaper publication "The
Huntington Beach News May 1917" is quoted as saying "to know Mr.
Helme is to admire and respect him for his sterling integrity and
kind and pleasant disposition." Mayor M.E. Helme was a man of
honor and integrity and his contributions to the founding and early
development of Huntington Beach bear its testimony. In recognition
of his years of service, M.E. Helme Community Park was named in his
honor located on Chapel Lane in Huntington Beach.
Helme' s son Paul being an extremely strong ocean swimmer, body
surfer, and dory boatman became the cities first paid professional
lifeguard in 1916. Paul also was involved with the volunteer fire
department and became a member in 1913.
The Helme family residence and commercial store building still
exists today and was listed on the National Register of Historic
Places in 1987 for its historical significance to the start of
Huntington Beach and its association with M.E. Helme a town
founder. The Helme property is still owned and operated by Helme
family descendants and is being historically restored to reflect
how it appeared when the Helme family lived there.
The Helme children grew up in Huntington Beach. They were
active members of the First Church of Christ and went to the
original Ocean View Schools and graduated from Huntington Beach
High School.
In 1918, Matthew and Mollie returned with their two boys to
the Washington wheat farm and remained there until their deaths.
Amy married Lawrence "Boots" Worthy had two sons Norman and Jerry
and remained in Huntington Beach.
The descendants of Matthew and Mollie Helme still retain
ownership of these properties today.