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Remember When Week of July 29

83 YEARS AGO
(From the Index-Tribune files of July 29, 1922)
Wednesday night at the Sonoma City Hall there was a mass meeting of citizens of the Valley of the Moon to protest the slow progress being made on the Black Point cut-off state highway work between Ignacio and this Valley. The road has been closed for some time past, shutting out all direct entrance from San Francisco to this section. A report was prevented at the meeting claiming that Grant, Smith & Company, the contractors, had a small force of men at work, inferior equipment and had already been granted additional time by the Highway Commission to complete their contract. … Wm. E. Helberg Jr., of the C. B. Williams Fruit Co. and one of Sonoma Valley’s most progressive young orchardists, expects to carry off a gold medal at the State Fair at Sacramento with his Bartlett pears. … Harry tricou of the Veteran Firemen’s Association of San Francisco has been spending his vacation at Boyes and as usual, has been in on several fire runs with the local boys. Mr. Tricou returned to the city this week to help complete arrangements for the big picnic of the Association at Fairfax. … Sonoma is in gala attire for the coming of the United Order of Redmen convention delegates, who will arrive here tomorrow to hold their annual convention. The Sonoma Stamm and the Bear Flag Lodge, Daughters of Pocahontas, will greet the visitors upon their arrival tomorrow and escort them to convention headquarters at Union Hall.

86 YEARS AGO
(From the Index-Tribune files of July 25, 1925)
Some time after 1 o’clock Thursday morning bold thieves broke one of the big plate glass windows of the Duhring store and stole three rifles and a quantity of ammunition. The loot consisted of a nice display of firearms which Manager Rae Hunter had arranged prior to the opening of deer season. … The Liberty Bank of San Francisco has taken over the Sonoma branch of the Central Commercial and Savings Bank, together with the head bank of the institution at Vallejo and other branches at Penngrove, Benecia and Santa Rosa. The deal in its entirety, involves $5,000,000. Marshall Hale, of San Francisco, is head of the big institution which has entered the Sonoma field. … The Sonoma Grammar School will reopen for the fall term on Tuesday, Sept. 1, so Principal J. F. Prestwood announces. … Construction of a new road connecting the Sonoma State Home with the Schellville-Santa Rosa highway will be asked of the State Highway Commission soon, it was stated recently by Walter Wagner, State Superintendent of Institutions, after making an inspection of the home at Eldridge. The highway will be about three-quarters of a mile long and will run across the state lands, so that much of the labor can be done by inmates and attendants of the institution Wagner said. It will open a new entrance to the home grounds. … The installation of Sonoma Lodge No. 28, IOOF, took place on Thursday evening, the new officers for the ensuing term being installed by District Grand Master Anderson and suite of 25 from Oscola Lodge, Windsor. The Lodge will be ably presided over this year by Joseph Vella, well known creamery man, who takes a keen interest in the welfare of the organization.

83 YEARS AGO
(From the Index-Tribune files of July 27, 1928)
The Sonoma Valley Grange held its meeting Monday night and Master Eunice Peterson presided. There were reports on publicity, auto insurance for farmers and other matters. Following the formal business up for consideration the Grangers listened to a talk by Lindsay Campbell on the new S.P. bus service and the handling of mail to Sonoma Valley points. The Grange had previously written a letter protesting the reported move of the S.P. to discontinue the Vallejo-Santa Rosa passenger trains on which all mails come to Sonoma and Schellville. … Apple picking in Sonoma Valley orchards was slowed down the first of the week and the packing house force at Vineburg curtailed when Gravenstein sales in the eastern markets did not keep pace with shipments from Sonoma County. The shipments were cut to 60 cars daily from Sonoma County, making Sonoma Valley’s quota small. The order was made by the directors of the cooperative growers through their central organization. … A market is developing in Honolulu for Sonoma Valley figs and some growers report as high at $4 per box paid them for the fancy figs now being picked for the export trade. … The Sebastiani Cannery continued to be a busy place with carloads of peaches arriving daily from Sutter County. More help can be put on if available, however, girls being desired for peeling fruit. … Sonoma farmers are preparing to combat a lit of trespassers who will be on the trail of deer with the opening of the season. They report brazen intrusions already and one rancher in the western foothills has come across the carcass of a doe which some out of season vandal had shot down before opening day.

56 YEARS AGO
(From the Index-Tribune files of Aug. 4, 1955)
Officer William Apple was appointed a Sonoma police lieutenant, City Clerk James Baker resigned the chief of police position ad the post of chief was opened for applications, with Apple acting in the office, Monday night at the Sonoma city council meeting. Although the matter of the chief’s appointment was not on the agenda, Mayor Hilton Taylor called attention to a motion that Apple be made chief, tabled last week. … Concrete foundations have been poured at the new Sonoma Valley District Hospital site, but construction of the new hospital is going ahead “very slowly,” W. L. Roberts, the building inspector, told hospital district directors last week. Roberts reported to the board that “intricacies” involved in the project were responsible for the slow progress. … City Engineer Martin Carlson was authorized by the Sonoma council Monday night to prepare plans and specifications for the resurfacing of Third Street West between Napa and Perkins streets. … There is no new “word” on the reported purchase of the Union Hotel building this week. Bank of America officials remained silent, and have yet to officially verify the long-rumored report that the bank is the buyer and will tear down the pioneer building to make room for a new bank structure. … “A thriving, young suburban city!” That’s how those interested in the new “Bel-Aire Sonoma” development, opposite the Sonoma Golf and Country Club, describe the change being wrought on the historic former Kearney ranch property which fronts on Arnold Drive. On Saturday, Aug. 6, a 3-bedroom, 2-bath model home will be open for inspection, the beginning of what the developers say will become a 300-home community. … Formation of a fire protection district for the Glen Ellen are is under way with a petition circulating making establishment of the district. Only 50 signatures were required on the petition before submission to the board of supervisors and more than that number have been affixed to the document now.

53 YEARS AGO
(From the Index-Tribune files of Aug. 7, 1958)
Twelve-year-old Dick Kirtley of Glen Ellen still likes snakes. Even though a four-foot rattler sent him to Sonoma Valley Hospital last week in critical condition from a bit on the thumb from the snake’s fangs. He had caught the snake for his collection of reptiles. He returned to his Warm Springs Road home on Sunday and is in good condition now. His left hand and arm are still badly swollen and discolored. … A rise in postage rates from three to four cents for first class mail and six to seven cents for airmail Aug. 1 set off a sort of business boom – particularly in one-cent stamps – at the Sonoma post office Friday. Mrs. Lucille Palmer, local post master, reported that 30,000 one-cent stamps were sold here the first day of the new mail rates. The unexpected boom in one-centers depleted the post office stock. … Another meeting on plans for the Gen. H. H. Arnold model airplane display in the Sonoma city hall was asked by the city council after further discussion of the exhibit at Monday night’s meeting. Mrs. H. H. Arnold and members of the Kiwanis club committee in charge of the display will be invited to meet with the council. Cost of the new arrangement has been estimated at $1,645. … Sonoma Valley’s Red Cross Water Safety program made it possible for 62 to receive passing certificates as beginners, intermediates and junior life savers, as the first of two courses came to a close Aug. 1. … A call for bids for construction of seven cross gutters at various locations within the city and removal and replacement to proper grade of 120 feet of curb and gutter in Nicoli Lane was authorized for Sept. 2 by the city council Monday night. … Mrs. John Gilcrest and Jean Yates were appointed members of the Sonoma library board by the city council Monday night.

50 YEARS AGO
(From the Index-Tribune files of Aug. 4, 1960)
Burglars, in apparently professional fashion, broke into three Broadway business firms shortly after midnight on Wednesday, and made off with nearly $100 in cash and trading stamps. The Sonoma Police Department reported that Lee’s Signal Station, Holt Motors and Whitehead Motor Co. were all broken into by crafty burglars who left no evidence after their getaway. … Five of the finest Little League all-star teams in northern California will be digging their rubber spikes into the sparkling new turf at Larson Field, Boyes Hot Springs this week, as the Valley of the Moon plays host to the northern California Section Two Little League Tournament through Saturday. … The Sonoma City Planning Commission has approved the architectural plans for a new building for George’s Saw Shop on First Street West. George Wilson, owner of the shop, is expected to put a contractor to work on the project in the near future. The new building will be approximately 1200 feet long and nearly 50 feet deep and have some 5,300 square feet of space. … Over 230 chess enthusiasts attended the 10th annual Chamber of Commerce chess festival on Sunday, July 31, reported Chamber Manager Lois McVeigh.