A stack of yellowed newsprint greeted me this morning.

Carefully arranged, the papers, most from the 1960s, were piled in a neat chronological order. They reminded me of a similar stack of the Detroit Free Press, the Detroit News, the San Jose Mercury and the San Francisco Chronicle my mom has saved for many years.

On top? An extra edition of the San Gabriel Valley Daily Tribune from Friday November 22, 1963.

KENNEDY SLAIN

* * * * * *

Certainly you know the story from there.

Other papers in the stack told of space walks, Richard Nixon’s resignation and the beginning — and quick end — of the Persian Gulf War.

Historians could get jammed up with all the details of those watershed events in the history of our county. But buried deeper inside the fragile pages is some of the history of greater Los Angeles.

Take an article that appeared in the Aug. 10, 1974 edition of the newspaper. Two days earlier, Whittier’s native son, war hero and San Gabriel Valley congressman-turned-President Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace.

The hook of the article on page A13, that storied El Monte Legion Stadium had a date with the wrecking ball, is in the lead paragraph.

“EL MONTE — An undesirable old lady — full of memories and a colorful history — finally hit the skids Friday.”

The old lady was the legendary El Monte Legion Stadium. Built as a school district facility, the stadium hosted Olympians in 1931 and 1932. After WWII it was sold to the American Legion and in the late 1940s and early ‘50s the venue doubled as the West Coast version of the Grand Ol’ Opry.

Country Music, thanks to Cliffie Stone’s Hometown Jamboree, was broadcast live to Angelenos who were introduced to Tennessee Ernie Ford and Molly Bee.

In the ‘50s and ‘60s a roster of early rock and roll greats counted El Monte Stadium as a tour stop. Among them were Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Ike and Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder and Johnnie Otis.

Frank Zappa’s first hit, written in 1962 for the Penguins, was titled “Memories of El Monte.” A doo-wop song, Zappa wrote about the acts that called El Monte home.

“I’m all alone/Feeling so blue.

“Thinking about you/And the love we once knew.

“And each time I do,

“It brings back those memories/Of El Monte.”

The fun part of the newspaper story is buried a little deeper.

“All of the persons who came to the stadium brought their problems with them. Stabbings, beatings and riots were as much a part of an evening there as was the entertainment…

“The stadium was rumored to have been involved in every conceivable illicit activity — except gambling.”

Well that last bit wasn’t quite right. In fact, during the demolition, workers found four slot machines in a hidden VIP room.

By the mid-1960s rock had moved on. Acts played bigger venues and security was critical — especially after the Hells Angels rioted during a Rolling Stones’ show at Altamont.

As the headliners dwindled, the building’s owners turned to mini car races, roller derby, boxing and wrestling every Thursday night.

The post office took over the land — and to this day occupies the Legion Stadium site and owns its ghosts.

A man looking on as the wrecking ball exacted its toll shook his head and told a reporter, “Seems like we can’t keep anything today — lost a president and a landmark at the same time.”

Fortunately someone saved the old newspapers.

Frank C. Girardot is the senior editor of the San Gabriel Valley News Group.