Valerie Jean Dates

Valerie Jean Dates is a historic date orchard and onetime popular U.S. Route 99 tourist stop located in Valerie, California, an unincorporated area a short distance south of Thermal.

Valerie Jean Dates

Date Palm Groves, Coachella Valley c. 1930
Location	Harrison Street & 66th Ave Valerie, CA
Owner	Russell Charles Nicoll
Operator	Nicoll Family
Construction
Broke ground	1926
Opened	1928

Founded in 1928 by Russell Charles Nicoll and located on present-day Harrison Street at Avenue 66, the orchard is especially noteworthy as being the first to market dates directly to consumers. It was named in honor of his daughter Valerie Jean Nicoll. They are also responsible for being the first to market dates via mail order, for the creation of coconut- and almond-stuffed dates and for the creation of the date milkshake.

The business has been closed for some time, and as of at least 2009, all of the signs are gone and the building has fallen into poor condition. The site was added to the roster of the California Office of Historic Preservation on February 11, 1991.

Pictures

See also

• Shields Date Gardens

References

• History and photos of Valerie Jean Dates at Ronslog.typepad.com
• Historic photo of dates being harvested at Valerie Jean from the Pomona Public Library
• Digital painting of Valerie Jean Dates c.1945 by Melvin Hale - ArtistLA/Pix2Canvas
• California OHP listing for Valerie Jean Dates
• Entry at Roadsidepeek.com
• History of US 99 through California at Bygonebyways.com
• "Roadside Date Shop on the Desert". Desert Magazine: 13–15. August 1938.
• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Valerie

33.5688°N 116.1810°W / 33.5688; -116.1810