Easter Egg: Mount Nebo Deserves Credit for Helix Sunrise Service

Once again, as they have yearly since 1917, several thousand La Mesans and locals trekked to the top of Mount Helix for sunrise services.

This year most Easter pilgrims boarded shuttle buses to help them safely up the narrow auto road to the Richard Requa-designed Mount Helix amphitheater first opened in 1925. 

Today’s safe and modern convenience would have been most welcome to those who climbed the steep, narrow switchback path that Mount Helix owner Ed Fletcher provided for reaching the cleared summit back in 1917.

However, La Mesa’s Easter morning ritual did not start with that first Mount Helix service in 1917.

As early as 1914, La Mesa’s Easter pilgrims climbed up a different mount.  It was the shorter but still dramatic and panoramic hill directly west of downtown La Mesa—Mount Nebo. 

Pioneering La Mesa developers Sherman Grable and C.C. Park were the first to subdivide the eastern slope of the hill rising up from downtown starting with their Lookout Park tract in 1908. 

The Mount Nebo name reputedly recalled the original Mount Nebo in western Jordan that (La Mesa real estate men would remind buyers) affords a similar grand view of the “Holy Land” as the original. (La Mesa as Holy Land—subtle marketing, eh?)

In addition to the first of the famed “Mount Nebo” pedestrian staircases being included in this early exclusive, hillside subdivision, the tract featured a small park in the center of the circular Prospect Way on the lower, northern peak.

(The higher Mount Nebo “summit” would be developed in the 1920s Windsor Hills subdivision—featuring additional pedestrian walkways.)

Known as Prospect Park, this graded viewspot would be the site of the initial La Mesa Easter sunrise services.

The impetus for inviting first La Mesans and then all-comers to Mount Nebo is associated with some of the first residents of the tract.

Howard Worth, a San Diego clothing-store owner, and his civic-minded wife May French Worth were among the first to build a large beautiful house on the hill—their home being at the end of Vista Street.

The Worths along with some of their pioneering neighbors including Mrs. Mary Hodgson and Mr. J.E. McDonald (who some would later recall as the champion of the Easter Services concept) formed their own neighborhood social club known as the “Mt. Nebo Club.” 

Newspaper articles starting in 1912 reveled over the festive parties and welcoming entertainment afforded those who ascended the Nebo heights.

Although some newspaper articles from 1915 and 1916 indicate that Easter morning sunrise pilgrimages may have occurred as early as 1912 or 1913, the earliest confirmed documentation of a formal, organized event found so far is in 1914.

On Easter morning April 12, 1914, two local Christian youth organizations—The Epworth League and the Christian Endeavor Society—held an Easter Morning Prayer and Praise Service on Mount Nebo at 6:30 a.m. in place of their regular Sunday evening meeting. 

The 1914 youthful sunrise service included a “trombone solo,” a male quartet performing hymns and a “musical surprise.”  The youngsters invited all of La Mesa to join them for the festivities.

The fledgling Easter event proved a success.

In 1915, La Mesa’s Christian community made its Easter sunrise service an open invitation to all wishing to attend.

Shortly after daylight on Easter morning April 3, 1915, the pilgrimage to the top of the hill began from the corner of Lookout Avenue (La Mesa Boulevard) and Acacia.

Representatives of four pioneering La Mesa churches (Congregational, Methodist Episcopal, Baptist, and Seventh Day Adventist) led the gathered crowd on their climb to Prospect Park.

The La Mesa Scout and San Diego Union reported nearly 1,000 people, more than the permanent population of the young city of La Mesa. The crowd included guests from nearby San Diego, El Cajon, Spring Valley and La Mesa Heights.  All had made it up the hill from the streets of La Mesa below to the decorated park pavilion and its panoramic views. 

Howard Worth led the combined La Mesa church choirs.  They were joined in the selected hymns, inspirational poems and responsive readings of the joint Easter morning service by the assembled.  

The following day’s Union reported in detail the success and pleasantness of the program, and of the La Mesans.  Stories of everyone in town chipping in to help included how some of La Mesa’s young lads hauled a piano up the hill for the service, receiving refreshments from thankful “Nebo-ites” at all the houses they passed on their way.

The La Mesa Scout of April 9, 1915 described the day:

Shortly after 6:15, the people formed the body around the pavilion upon which was placed a large cross.  Notwithstanding the sky was overcast, a splendid view was had of the ocean, bay, mountains and valleys, adding to the impressiveness of the scene.  The people joined heartily in the splendid service of song and prayer.  The services surpassed in solemnity, impressiveness and beauty any ever held in this part of the state.

With such success, La Mesa’s Mount Nebo Easter services were repeated again in 1916.  Newspaper articles reported again on the town’s hospitality, the spiritual fervor of the participants and the even larger crowd. 

A highlight of 1916 was 200 youngsters, all clad in white gowns, marching two-by-two up the road to the gaily decorated Prospect Park pavilion.  The smallest children led the procession.  The youngsters slowly made their way up the hill while fervently singing Onward Christian Soldiers.

Worth again oversaw the expanded musical program with help again from Miss Ruth Rider, pianist.  The crowd of pilgrims joined in numerous hymns while special guest reverends read inspirational scripture and prominent citizens performed original poems citing the inspiration of the day and setting.

The popularity of the event taxed the small Prospect Park site, however.  Recognizing the value in promoting not only their churches but also the town, the event committee and town leaders turned to Col. Ed Fletcher, owner of the larger Mount Helix peak. 

The following year,the event moved to Mount Helix.  Its continued success and annual growth led to Cyrus Yawkey and sister Mary Yawkey White’s donation of funds for the design and construction of the now world-famous outdoor theater.  

It later was deeded to the county as a park.

But without the inspiration, ingenuity and hospitality of some young La Mesans and Mount Nebo’s pioneer residents nearly 100 years ago, one of the region’s most notable institutions may have never gotten off the ground.