Although the long-range (1971--1984) strain accumulation across the San Andreas fault near Palmdale, California is simply right-lateral shear at the rate of 0.20¿0.01 μstrain/a (tensor shear), annual measurements indicate that an anomalous contraction perpendicular to the fault accumulated in the interval 1973--1978 and was abruptly released in mid-1979. This anomaly is referred to as the 1979 Palmdale strain event. More frequent measurements of strain since 1979 suggest a more irregular accumulation of strain than prior to 1979. This irregularity may be due to measurement errors larger than previously estimated. As a consequence of this post-1979 irregularity the 1979 strain event no longer appears as anomalous as it had in the shorter (1971--1980) record. To provide independent support for existence of the 1979 Palmdale strain event, we review gravity measurements at Palmdale by Jachens (1983) and water level measurements in wells near Palmdale by Merifield and Lamar (1981) that have previously been shown to provide a marginal correlation with the 1979 strain recovery. These data taken together with the original strain observations suggest a real strain anomaly did occur near Palmdale in 1979, but the evidence is not overwhelming.