Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's first permanent agricultural union. His leade...
Features of the Memorial Garden represent the beliefs and practices that were important to Cesar Chavez. Within the garden, ornamental plants, a wall fountain, and religious statues decorate the final resting place of Cesar Chavez and his wife Helen Chavez.
A concrete path leads through hedges and roses, then to a tall white stucco-covered wall with a wooden gate. The gate is either open or closed depending on the time of day. The concrete path is wide and nearly flat. A path to the left before the entrance gate leads through a richly scented garden of rose bushes that bloom nearly year-round. Within the center of the square path is a low rock wall that can be used for seating. Inside the gate is the main area of the Memorial Garden. Ramps lead up to a higher level of the garden where there is a gravesite.
In this building, accountants managed the finances of the United Farm Workers union. Eventually, as the union expanded and the movement grew, the financial operation moved to other offices.
This wooden building is shaped like a T, with a central room and two wide wings stretching to the right and left. The wings each have nine tall, narrow windows arranged side-by-side in groups of three. The interiors of the windows are covered with blinds. A dark, wood door has an ornate carved wooden eagle.
As the first affordable housing community built by what is now the Cesar Chavez Foundation, Agbayani Village served as a model for dozens of properties built across four states that continue providing affordable housing. Inside a small room at the southeast corner of Agbayani Village, Cesar Chavez held his last and longest public fast of 36 days in July and August of 1988 over the pesticide poisoning of farm workers and their children.
Leafy green trees stand taller than the surrounding landscape of fields and grape vineyards. Among the trees is a parking area with a variety of vehicles, and then a low building. The building's walls are adobe, and the roof is red clay tile. The building is wide, an windows indicate the presence of many rooms. Openings in the building provide walkways into a center courtyard. In these openings, glossy dark red pavers cover the floors. In one area, the pavers are arranged in the shape of the Huelga eagle. <br /><br />In front of the building, a rustic sign reads "Agbayani Village, 10701." The sign is green with white block lettering. A stylized graphic shows a water buffalo.
The memorial garden surrounds the final resting place of Cesar and his wife Helen. Their gravesite is at the back of the garden, near a wall fountain that honors the five martyrs who lost their lives during the strikes. As a space of reflection and contemplation, the memorial garden represents Cesar's spiritual, cultural, and agricultural heritage.
Near a large fountain, steps lead up and into a walled garden. The steps have brown metal handrails and are surrounded by low rock walls. At the top of the steps, decorative metal gates may be open or closed, depending on the time of day. Inside the gates, the rectangular shape of the walled garden reveals itself. A variety of plants grow in raised concrete and rock beds. On the center of the back wall is a fountain with five streams of water flowing into a narrow pool. On the paved surface of the ground, concrete tiles mark the shape of the Huelga eagle that can be seen on flags throughout the visitor center. It may be possible to feel the rough surface of the eagle along the ground. It spans nearly the width of the garden. As you continue walking forward, two gravesites become apparent near the fountain, with another set of steps leading to them, and ramps along each side. The gravesites are oriented to be viewed from the right side of the garden. At either side of the upper level of the garden, gates lead to pathways. One goes back to the parking lot, and another gate provided glimpses of desert plants.
When Cesar's two German Shepherds, Huelga and Boycott, weren't roaming the fenced area around his home, they stayed in kennels that were at this spot. The dogs provided personal security for Cesar and his family, but he was also very attached to them. They went with him almost everywhere, including on the road when he travelled by car, and deepened his belief that all lives are valuable, with no exception.
A small building the size of a large shed is newer than other buildings nearby, but is painted to match them. At the left of the building is a concrete slab about six feet wide by twelve feet long. Across the road is the chain-link fence that surrounds the Chavez residence.
The top of this hill affords views covering nearly all of the national monument, including housing areas, Villa la Paz, and what is now the Visitor Center and Memorial Garden. From here, you can see Cesar's meditation point to the east and Three Peaks to the north.
A trail leads to the top of a hill that offers views of the surrounding landscape. Perched atop the hill is a tall, circular metal tank. There are large pipes leading from the tank into the ground. A dirt path circles that tank. In all directions, the ground slopes downward and then levels out for a distance, then low mountains rise up against the horizon. The path continues forward, dipping and then climbing again.
This humble building was the home of Cesar Chavez and his wife Helen. When they moved here in 1971, the oldest of their eight children had already moved out of the family home but their younger children were raised here. Cesar and Helen remained in this house for the rest of their lives. Cesar passed away in 1993 and Helen lived here until her death in 2016.
A tall chain-link fence surrounds a wide, clear area. Inside are scattered oaks and pines and, in the center, a modest house. The house has white wooden siding and green trim. A door toward the front has a set of two simple steps with peeling paint. Toward the back of the house, a long metal ramp turns multiple times to climb to a second door. This door has a wider porch and an awning. A tall, rustic bay window is attached to the house and spans from the floor to the edge of the roof. Other windows are single-hung in an older style. Just to the right of the house, a car sits. Its blocky shape looks like cars from the 1970s, and is unlike the more rounded shapes of today's cars.
In April 1962, the Chavez family moved from East Los Angeles to a house they rented in Delano. This small two-bedroom wood-frame home with eight children and their parents was also the first office of the newly born Farm Workers Association. By 1963, the union office had outgrown the residence and the union rented another building in Delano to serve as its headquarters. The Chavez family continued living in the house until moving to Keene, CA, in 1971.
This small house is painted wood and brick. A porch frames the front door with round columns. At the sidewalk, a brown metal fence blocks access to the path to the front door. A manicured, close-cropped lawn is shaded by a tree on the right side. At the left corner of the yard close to the sidewalk is a plaque embedded in concrete with text that reads, "Former residence of Cesar E. Chavez and Birth of United Farm Workers Union. 'You are never strong enough that you don't need help.' Cesar E. Chavez."
Here, Cesar Chavez was laid to rest in 1993. Upon her passing in 2016, Cesar's wife Helen was interred by his side. Cesar wished to be buried on the grounds where he pursued his labors as an activist during his last quarter century. After his passing, Helen Chavez made it clear she did not want him to ever be left alone.
Near the back of the Memorial Garden, two low gravesites come into view. They are oriented to be viewed from a pathway along the right side of the garden. One reads, "Cesar Estrada Chavez, 1927-1993," and the other reads, "Helen Fabela Chavez, 1928-2016." The markers are angled gray rock mounted on two low granite pedestals. Flowers and small gifts sometimes adorn the markers. In the space between the markers is a wooden cross about three feet tall and 18 inches wide. The wood that makes up the cross is rustic with a rough finish. Affixed to the cross is a rough metal sculpture that evokes a stylized human form. The sculpture is a simple metal strip that's bent in three places, similar to a person with slightly bent neck, waist, and knees. The figure has each hand fastened to one side of the cross. A separate strip of metal attached to the thop of the cross has slightly raised lettering that is difficult to read, and small white scluptures attached at either side.
Welcome to César E. Chávez National Monument. A visitor center, memorial garden, and monument grounds are a short distance away. Entrance to these areas is free and open to all. The shape of the sign comes from the Huelga eagle, a symbol of the farmworker movement.
Along a curve in the roadway, a large sign marks a junction with another road. The sign is mounted on the ground with a concrete and rock base. A brown wooden sign with red trim is reminiscent of the shape of the eagle symbol of the farmworker movement. Text on the sign reads, "César E. Chávez National Monument, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Chavez Center, Nuestra Señora Reina de La Paz." Beyond the sign, a rough concrete road leads downhill and to the left.
The Delano High School Auditorium was the site of hearings on the plight of farmworkers by Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Migratory Labor in March 1966. At the hearing, Senator Kennedy famously responded to the sheriff’s defense of his arrests of peaceful pickets by suggesting that “the sheriff and the district attorney read the Constitution of the United States.” Kennedy's interest raised the national profile of the nascent farmworker movement.
A dark metal fence encloses the colorful buildings, lawns, and parking areas that make up the high school campus. One building is taller and larger than the rest, and has the word "Auditorium" in large raised letters above its entrance. Along the side of the building, the words "Delano High School" are painted in large decorative lettering. A few trees provide shade at the corners of the building. The tidy lawns are bright green. Beyong the large building, are smaller buildings painted in similar colors.
The house where Dolores Huerta lived in the 1960s and early 1970s while she worked with Cesar Chavez to build the farmworker movement that empowered agricultural workers and improved their living conditions.
A metal fence encloses the front yard of this house. Beyond the fence, large trees shade a yard with short-clipped grass and small bushes that are neatly trimmed into geometric shapes. A gate in the fence opens to a narrow concrete path that passes between the trees and leads to the front door. The house has three windows facing the street.
As the largest building within the monument, this dormitory provided housing throughout the history of the property and its many uses. The building was originally constructed as a hospital for Stony Brook Retreat, a tuberculosis sanatorium. The development of more modern treatments for tuberculosis led to its closure in 1967. Shortly thereafter, Hollywood producer Ed Lewis purchased the property, and in 1970, turned it over to Cesar Chavez and the farmworker movement.
This two-story building is noticeably larger than others at this site. It appears uninhabited. A concrete roadway and two concrete steps lead to the building's entrance at the center of the wide building. The entrance has a porch framed by windows with small panes framed in wood. The rest of the building is stucco. The building shows signs of age, with faded paint and a few broken window panes. On either side of the building's entrance, rows of windows extend to the far ends of the building. Each window is about three feet wide by four feet tall, and is divided into twelve panes. Each window is about ten feet apart. A few trees shade the sides of the building.
Beyond the fountain along the concrete pathway, a dirt path leads uphill and to the right. To the left is an interpretive exhibit. Natural rock lines the pathway. The surface is firm-packed and begins with a slight slope. Beware of palm fronds and other vegetation leaning into the path. Large cactuses can be seen along the path about 30 feet from the concrete walkway. The initial slope levels out.
Led by prominent labor leader Larry Itliong, the mostly Filipino farm workers of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee gathered in the Filipino Community Hall and voted on the night of September 7, 1965, to strike against Delano-area grape growers. The next day, on September 8, 1965, the Filipino farmworkers began the Delano Grape Strike. The Cesar Chavez-led National Farm Workers Association voted to join the Filipinos on September 16, 1965.
This blocky building is large with white stucco and dark blue-green trim. Painted in large letters across the top are the words "Filipino Community Cultural Center of Delano." Below that, a banner hangs, with the words "Delano Adult Day Health Center." Between the two front doors is a window made of glass blocks. Wide concrete steps lead from the sidewalk to the doors, flanked by two sloping ramps with handrails on either side of the building.
Cesar Chavez moved union operations of what was then known as the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) from his rented home to this rented building in the early 1960s. Within this union office, leaders coordinated strike operations, provided services, ran a credit union and operated the union newspaper El Malcriado.
On the corner in a modest neighborhood is a rough stucco building surrounded by a white metal fence. Palm trees decorate the front yard. Inside the fence, a wide concrete walkway leads to the front door and ends under a simple porch. The front door is covered with white metal security doors .A tall sign at the side of the building reads "Iglesia Pentecostal, and lists the hours for services. The front yard is mostly bare with small patches of grass. A peach tree and rose bushes grow near the fence.
The United Farm Workers quickly expanded during the 1965-1970 Delano Grape Strike and international grape boycott. The movement purchased a 40-acre parcel of bare land just west of Delano to supply room for the union to grow. The land came to be known as Forty Acres.Cesar's brother Richard organized volunteers to clear and level the land. Buildings were constructed, which provided basic infrastructure to meet the needs of the union and farm workers: a co-op service station, R
A few low buildings stand out on the landscape of fields and grape vines. A tall sign reads "Welcome to the 40 Acres, Bienvenidos a los 40 acres." A graphic on the sign show Cesar Chavez with the words Cesar Chavez Foundation circling him, and "Sí Se Puede" below him. A chain link fence surrounds a bare asphalt parking area. A sturdy adobe building with a red tile roof is closest to the road. Just beyond this building are two adobe pillars. Each has a plaque. One plaque reads "The Forty Acres has been designated a National Historic Landmark. This property possess national significance in commemorating the history of the United States of America. Forty Acres embodies and conveys multiple layers of national significance associated with Cesar Chavez, the farm worker movement that thrived under his leadership, and a wider range of civil rights and social reform movements that helped define twentieth-century American history. 2008, National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior." The second plaque reads "Richard Chavez Memorial Park. Richard Chavez left a comfortable life to help build and lead America's first enduring farm workers' union and movement that empowered poor people at the workplace and in the community. The memory of Richard Chavez's service to a cause greater than himself is cherished in this park and among the farm workers whose lives he changed and the countless others he inspired." Beyond these markers, two larger buildings are in the distance. A gate leading to them may be open or closed. Each building has an exhibit at its entrance. One reads "Roy L. Reuther Administration Building (Reuther Hall)" and the other reads "Rodrigo Terronez Memorial Clinic." Both buildings are closed to the public. Around these buildings are carefully landscaped lawns, mixed with a variety of trees.
This garden offers a short walk through a landscape that held special meaning for Cesar Chavez. Rocks and fieldstone planters line the curved pathways that pass through a garden of Sonoran Desert plants. Many of the plants are native to Cesar's birthplace and the Chavez family homestead in Yuma, Arizona. These plants are also drought-tolerant, helping to conserve water and honoring Cesar's commitment to resource conservation.
A path leads into a garden that is much drier than the surrounding areas. Rocks line the meandering paths that lead through the garden. There are areas where the paths split and then rejoin, creating islands of vegetation. The plants that grow here include agaves, with five-foot spear-like leaves that point out from a central base; spiny purple and green cactuses with paddle-shaped leaves; shrubs with tiny, leathery leaves; and small trees along the edges of the garden. Beyond the paths are buildings and roads of the monument. To the right, a wooden gate leads into the walled Memorial Garden.
Many people who were involved in the farmworker movement were laid to rest in this cemetery, including Larry Itliong, Richard Chavez, and other notable Delano Grape Strike leaders who dedicated their lives to the movement.
At this cemetery, rows of flat grave markers are surrounded by lawn and occasional trees. In some areas, taller markers stand higher. Walking along the lawn may be difficult in areas where the flat grave markers are lower than the surrounding lawn. At the grave of Larry Itliong, a carved depiction of Jesus cradles a lamb in one arm and carries a staff in the other. The text on the marker reads, "Beloved husband and father, Larry Dulay Itliong, Oct 25, 1913 (cross symbol) Feb 8 1977." The letters are carved into the marker and are tactile. At the grave or Richard Chavez, there are three carvings. One shows a man golfing, with his club high above his head. Another shows grape vines around a cross. The third is a deeply carved Huelga eagle, the symbol of the farm worker movement. The text on the marker reads, "Beloved husband, brother, father, grandpa, great grandpa." Like the marker of Larry Itliong, the letters and graphics are carved into the stone and are tactile.
Saturday evenings and Sundays often found Helen Chavez gathered with volunteers and visitors at the small park and fieldstone grill pit next to the Chavez home, barbecuing and relaxing after a full day or week of hard work. Over the years she became a surrogate mother to countless young single volunteers who journeyed to La Paz to work for social justice.
At this corner of the fence, there is a view to the far end of the fenced area. At the back corner under shady oak trees are structures made of rounded river rock. One has a chimney, and others form counters and walls.
During storms and heavy rains, the creek can flow over the road. Do not drive over the water crossing if you're unsure that conditions are safe. The memorial may be closed when it rains.
As the road dips down, a yellow hazard road sign reads "Impassable During High Water." At the lowest point of the road, a gravelly creek extends on with side. The scene here depends on the season. In winter and spring, the creek is full and possibly even flows over the roadway. In summer and fall, only remnants of the creek remain, pooling in the lowest spots of the rocky creek-bed. Beyond the creek, the road leads back uphill.
In room 44 of the old Stardust Motel, Cesar Chavez met in July 1970 with America's largest table grape growers and negotiated the union contracts that ended the five-year-long Delano Grape Strike.
This typical motel building is blocky and white with vivid blue trim. It's surrounded by a large asphalt parking lot. The building is two stories, each with an awning spanning the length of the building and spanning the full length of the building. Doors for each motel room open into the walkways. There are stairways at each end of the building and in the center. A cluster of small bushes is at the center stairway.
The building housing this rustic diner dates back to 1920. Still open each day for breakfast and lunch, its great food and country atmosphere draws customers from throughout the Tehachapi Mountains and Central Valley. Cesar was friends with the café's previous owner, Ruby Woods. They jokingly greeted each other, Cesar asking Ruby if she would sell him the Keene Café and Ruby asking Cesar if he would sell her La Paz.
A short distance from the highway offramp, a rustic wood building along the road is surrounded by a dusty parking area. The siding of the building is weathered board and batten. A sign at the top center reads "Keene Cafe" in bold, uppercase letters. On either side of the name are logos for Dr. Pepper soda. Above the sign, the building's façade comes to a peak. When the building is viewed from the side, it becomes apparent that the peak is a false front, similar to buildings in the old west. Along the front of the building is a shallow porch roof with three rows of shingles. Below that are windows with iron bars and a hand-painted sign with the restaurant's hours. There are entrances at each side of the building. Inside, tables for four are arranged in front of a counter along the back wall. There are tall stools along the counter.
Martyr's Rock is dedicated to the people who lost their lives during the struggle for civil rights for the farmworkers who feed America. The three metal symbols mounted on top of this rock formation represent the people who died during the grape strikes. Five martyrs are honored here: Nan Freeman, Nagi Daifallah, Juan De La Cruz, Rufino Contreras, and Rene Lopez. The Christian Cross, a Star of David, and a Muslim Crescent Moon represent their different faiths and backgrounds.
If you continue on the path beyond the Peace Pole, a natural rock formation is about 50 feet ahead. The formation is an outcrop of brown rock about 30 feet tall at the center. The rocks are heavily weathered, and slope down from the highest point. Standing upright and embedded in the rock are three rusted metal symbols, each about three feet tall. One is a six-pointed star, one is a cross, and one is a crescent with a small star. Around the rock formation is a natural landscape of grasses. In the distance are oaks and views of the hills that surround the monument.
To foster a sense of community, Cesar brought people together to break bread as often as possible. Here, people living on the property regularly came together to share meals and socialize. It was also often a setting for special events, gatherings and holidays.
A white stucco building with green trim matches the surrounding buildings but is a bit larger. A color decal on a window over the front door reads, "Pan y Vino, Bienvenidos." The decal gives the building a more contemporary look than other buildings in the area.Large windows near the front door offer views of the interior, where there are groups of tables and chairs. Along the side of the building is a wide, uncovered patio with a red clay tile floor.
In the early 1970s, the United Farm Workers organization used the building as a dormitory for volunteers. Later it became an administrative office for the union's Robert F. Kennedy Medical Plan and the Juan de la Cruz Pension Plan.
This house is in a similar style of others nearby, with white wooden siding, but it doesn't have green trim. A concrete path ends at steps that lead up to a wide porch that wraps around the corner of the building. On a dark wood front door is a small sign that says, "Private." Large oaks shade the roof. An olive tree grows near the front path.
This wooden post is one of many peace poles that are found worldwide. Metal plaques on its side say, "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Hebrew. This Peace Pole represents the four cultures that were reflected in the farmworker movement. Peace poles are meant to unite people of different cultures, faiths, and ideals in order to celebrate humanity and to manifest peace on earth.
A short, rock-lined path leads to a single wooden post standing upright. The post is about ten feet tall and has a pointed metal cap at the top. Written along the side of the post facing the path is "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in raised lettering. After approaching the post and walking around it, similar raised lettering can be seen on each side of the post in different languages. The post stands in a base about a foot tall made of mortared river rock.
During the 1960s and 1970s, People’s Bar became a popular spot with union volunteers, activists, and members involved in the movement gathered here. Cesar regularly relaxed, played pool, and socialized with the volunteers at the bar. It soon became a “free speech zone” where people felt safe to debate a variety of issues, and to make decisions involving the direction of the movement. Cesar Chavez met his wife, Helen Fabela, while she was a cashier at People's Store.
At the intersection of two streets, a small white building is angled toward the corner, facing the center of the intersection. The building is in the shape of a cube with one corner cut away, This is the entrance. Above the door, the words "People's Market, 345 Glenwood are painted directly on the building's stucco. The word "peoples" is in dark blue, with fancier lettering, and the word "market" is in red in a simple font. The glass double front doors have stickers advertising the California lottery. Above the doors, a narrow porch with corrugated metal roofing provides shade. A sign on the side of the building says "Thank you for shopping here. Your business is appreciated." Near the sign, windows are covered with metal mesh and iron bars. Yellow bollards separate the road from the parking area. Inside the market, shelves are crowded with snacks, and coolers have a variety of beverages. A counter to the right side of the entrance is staffed by a cashier. To the right of the building, another building has the name of the business painted on the front, Rosy's Place, along with a bucket with ice and beer bottles. The building is painted bright pink.
This housing was originally built for doctors and other staff of the old Stonybrook Sanitarium, After the farmworker movement acquired the property, this section of the housing district provided space for long-term residents of La Paz. Today, some of the original residents still live in these homes.
This collection of houses shares a style of white stucco siding and green wood trim, though the houses are of different sizes. Two have green lawns and shade trees, while the others are not landscaped. Oaks and rounded pines grow near all of the houses. Wooden signs in front of some houses give the house number in Spanish: "Casa #1." Some houses have outdoor toys, lawn equipment, and other signs of the lives of the people who live there. Not all houses look lived-in, though.
This picnic area is open to the public. This area was once the site of staff housing but is now a place for visitors to rest, enjoy a meal, or the company of friends and family.
A wide, paved path with curbs on either side leads to the picnic area. Along the path, one branch leads downhill to two picnic tables. To the left, a narrower path stays level and leads to shadier tables. Be cautious walking here. Low, rustic rock walls outline picnic sites, and some have two-foot drop-offs into channels meant to divert water. Stepping up over these walls is necessary to reach some of the tables. The picnic tables are wooden with metal bases. Off of the paved paths, the ground is grassy or bare soil, depending on the season. Walk carefully here.
This Quonset hut, constructed in the 1950s, served as an office for the United Farm Workers security staff during the farmworker movement. Its large windows offered a clear view, helping staff screen those entering the property.
On the left side of the road is a quonset hut with a small porch. This building is in a typical quonset hut shape, like a short half-cylinder laying on its side. The lower portion of the small building is light brown brick, and the upper rounded portion is corrugated metal painted white. A porch attached to the front of the building has a red tile roof. The hut is situated so that people inside can look out either the front or side windows at cars that pass along the road.
Home of Richard Chavez, whose support of the farm worker movement was critical to its success. One of Richard’s notable contributions to the movement was providing funding to create the Farm Workers Credit Union. Richard took out a second mortgage on his home in 1963, so Cesar could open the credit union.
Houses line the streets of this neighborhood. On the corner is a brown stucco house with a lawn and trees and shrubs that shade the exterior. Concrete paths lead through the lawn to a recessed front door.
Originally this was the main printing office for the farm worker movement, it later grew to serve as office space for union leaders. Many of the distinctive and creative posters, flyers, and picket signs of the movement came directly from this office. This building was named for Sister Florence Weber, who came to La Paz and professionalized and modernized the farmworker movement’s accounting operations.
As activists traveled here to La Paz to volunteer for the movement, movement leaders built more housing to accommodate them. Hundreds of people lived and worked at La Paz, and they all needed a place to live. Trailers provided a low-cost solution.
Just beyond the wooden houses are two trailer houses with matching brown trim, one single-wide and one double-wide. They often have cars parked in front. Nearby, small pedestals that look like utility boxes stand throughout the area, many with trailer-size cleared openings next to them. The grass in this area is taller, and just beyond this area, the landscape is natural and undeveloped.
This building housed Cesar Chavez's office and the United Farm Workers' Legal Department. From here boycotts were coordinated across the U.S. and Canada until 1969, when union operations moved to the Forty Acres. The Pink House was later home to the Huelga School, established by the movement to teach the children of grape strikers and union staff.
This small, simple white stucco building is in a neighborhood surrounded by other houses. It has a rough lawn and a pomegranate tree in the front yard, with a mailbox along the sidewalk. A sign can be read inside the front window, "Warning: Security Cameras in Use." White blinds behind the sign are closed.
This outdoor exhibit near the entrance to the Memorial Garden provides additional information about the garden's history and features. Brochures that identify the meaning of garden features are available from a brochure holder near the exhibit. The wayside displays information about landscape architect Dennis Dahlin's design to commemorate Cesar's life and values.
A low-profile outdoor exhibit base holds a panel with information about the Memorial Garden. The panel has a background photo of the Memorial Garden's entrance, and the title "A Garden of Values." The main text reads, "Cesar Chavez chose to be buried here where he would never be alone. Around the grave, his family built this garden, designed by Dennis Dahlin to honor Chavez's cultural, spiritual, and agricultural heritage. Every feature of the garden honors La Causa, the Cause, and celebrates the values that move us to work for a healthy, just world." The text is duplicated in Spanish. Along the right side of the panel, there are three photos, each with a caption. Next to a photo of a much smaller garden area and wooden cross, text reads, "The gravesite before the memorial garden was built." Next to a black and white photo of a smiling man and woman with three younger people sitting behind them, text reads, "Helen Chavez, who passed away in 2016, lies next to her husband, who died in 1993. Her quiet strength contributed wisdom and a woman's perspective that were vital to Cesar and to the movement long after Cesar's death." Next to a black and white photo of a man sitting between two large dogs with tall, pointed ears, text reads, "Chavez denounced exploitation of animals as well as of people. His beloved dogs, Boycott and Huelga, were his constant companions and protectors. Boycott lies in a grave near Chavez's."
The first permanent structure built on Forty Acres, the service station included gas pumps, an automotive repair shop, and a steel-framed multipurpose hall. Cesar's first public fast to rededicate the movement to non-violence took place in 1968 inside a small room in the service station.
Before you is a sturdy adobe building with a reddish clay tile roof and dark wooden beams. A long awning that covers a paved area in front of the building, similar to today's gas stations. The windows have dark wood shutters and black metal bars that cover the glass. The windows are set deeply into the walls. The adobe bricks that make up the building's walls are painted white, and the paint is peeling in some spots. The building has no signs of life or accessories outside. No signs are on the exterior, except for an outdoor exhibit. Text on the exhibit reads "Tomasa Zapata Service Station. A co-op service station providing fuel and auto repairs for farm workers was one of the movement's earliest services in the mid-1960s. The first permanent structure built on the Forty Acres, its Mission-style adobe walls and tile roof set the theme for buildings on the property. Pumps in front dispensed "Huelga Co-op Gas," and the west room had bays to repair vehicles. The service station was completed in early 1968, just in time for Cesar Chavez to spend most of his 25-day fast for nonviolence inside a tiny room at the gas station that February and March. Here' Robert F. Kennedy greeted Chavez before attending a mass ending the fast at Delano's Memorial Park on March 10, 1968. Two visible blemishes on the building's exterior reflect the tensions of the times. Bullets were fired from a passing vehicles in the late 1960s, leaving holes in the building's south wall. In 1973, a bomb exploded near the southwest corner during the grape strike, damaging the adobe wall."On one side of the exhibit, a photo shows two men building a brick pillar. The caption reads, "The gas station was the first building constructed at the Forty Acres, with work beginning in 1967." A second photo shows a man standing at gas pumps that have a Heulga Gas logo. The caption reads, "Pumps at the gas station dispensed "Huelgo Co-op Gas," symbolizing the cooperative spirit of the farm worker movement." The rounded bullet holes mentioned in the exhibit text can be felt along the front side of the building, about three feet from the surface of the ground.
Villa la Paz played a key role in organizing and educating people who came to join the farmworker cause. Cesar used this building as an educational center where activists learned techniques that promoted the goals of the farmworker movement. Here, thousands of people learned the principles of nonviolence and the skills to administer a growing organization.
In front of you is a handsome cream-colored stucco building with a dark red tile roof. Landscaping includes trees, bushes, and rows of tall spear-shaped cypresses. In the front of the building is a set of stairs leading to a formal entrance with a cupola tower. Accessible parking spaces are in a row at the front of the building, and another accessible spot is on view at the right side of the building, where a ramp leads to a side entrance.
Explore the history of Cesar Chavez and the farmworker movement. Originally built in 1914, the visitor center was entirely rebuilt in 2003. Inside, watch films about Cesar’s life, contemplate his office, and view exhibits that tell the story of the boycotts and marches that began the farmworker movement, and of the people who united to work for human rights. The visitor center has an auditorium that has hosted naturalization ceremonies, and a store that offers books and souvenirs. There is no entrance fee.
César E. Chávez National Monument Visitor Center Area Trails
The Memorial Garden offers a quiet place to reflect on the legacy of Cesar Chavez, and a place to pay respects to him and his wife, Helen, at their gravesites. Look for symbols of the farmworker movement that are incorporated into the Memorial Garden's design, including the fountain along the back wall that's dedicated to the five martyrs who gave their lives to support the cause.
View A Cesar Chavez Documentary
At the monument's visitor center, documentaries about the farmworker movement and Cesar Chavez's legacy bring life to the powerful stories of the struggle for justice and civil rights. The most commonly shown film is La Paz, which explains the choice to locate the union headquarters at the remote Keene site. Ask at the information desk to begin a showing.
Tours
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Birth of the Movement Driving Tour - Delano, CA
The modern farmworker movement's roots are in Delano, a small town in central California near Bakersfield. Along this driving tour, visit sites that are significant to the movement, including the Forty Acres property, the residences of the movement's leaders, and the gravesites of Larry Itliong and Richard Chavez.
