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Remember When Week of June 10

88 YEARS AGO
(From the Index-Tribune of June 9, 1923)
Work is progressing on the open air Spanish theatre and the mammoth dance pavilion in the Sonoma Plaza where the Spanish ball of the Mission Centennial will be held the opening Saturday night, June 30. Construction will start shortly on the bleachers to be erected in front of the old Mission to seat the crowds who will witness the romantic production of the colorful Mission Play. … Wednesday afternoon and evening will be the occasion of a fine affair at the Woman’s Clubhouse when a costume tea and card party will be given. All ladies in the Valley are invited to gather for the tea in the afternoon and “500” will be played by those who enjoy cards. … The San Rafael and Sonoma Valley auto stage line, owned by Valente and Stuermer, have added another bus to their route, making a total of four cars which they are now operating between here and San Rafael. … A specimen of Gravenstin apples grown in Z. Lane’s Sonoma Valley orchard has been sent this office and without a doubt are some of the finest grown in the Valley. … Plans are being perfected to bring the California-Nevada rodeo stars here for the Mission Centennial July 4. The cowboys and stock coming to the Sonoma show are among the best in the West. … Mr. and Mrs. F. Nichelini, newlyweds, are still enjoying life in Lake County. … Two massive vaults with 4-inch non burnable steel plate doors have been placed in the new Valley National Bank building. Each door weighs 3-1/2 ton. One vault will be a safe deposit vault and the other is the regular bank vault.

87 YEARS AGO
(From the Index-Tribune of June 7, 1924)
The last weekend beginning Decoration Day saw thousands of automobiles coming over the ferries to Sonoma and adjacent counties. It is estimated that 75,000 machines crossed the San Francisco and Marin ferries alone … Miss Pearl Fallon, pretty school teacher and member of the Sonoma Grammar School teaching staff, will be married this month to Dr. George Millerick of Schellville. Dr. Millerick, one of the famous rodeo family, is a practicing veterinary and performed splendid service in the army during the late war. … Hamil Wagnon, former Sonoma boy who has recently been teaching in San Francisco and doing graduate work at the University of California, has been elected principal of the Lincoln School, in Napa. … Progress on the new state highway now being constructed between Beltane and Schellville by Galbraith & Janes, has reached the point where materials have been ordered for the portion to be surfaced, and it is expected that the concrete will be poured next week. The 20 foot paved portion connecting up with the Sonoma city pavement on Broadway can be surfaced in 10 days. … Sonoma Valley Union High School is busily active in preparation for the commencement exercises. Graduation comes on the night of June 20 and the senior ball on June 21. … G. Sorini, Sonoma wineman and fruit dealer, was a business visitor to San Francisco last Saturday.

86 YEARS AGO
(From the Index-Tribune of June 6, 1925)
Mr. and Mrs. E. Behrens and party of friends were up from San Francisco for the holiday. They were present at the opening of the new theatre and plan to rebuild at Boyes Springs shortly. Their former home was destroyed in the fire there. … J. P. Serres, prominent Native Son and lover of antiques, is no longer enthusiastic over radio, pianos or victrolas, for he has acquired a rare old musical instrument which delights him from sun up till the shadows fall. His old friend, the late George Diebold, requested that Serres should have his old fashioned hand organ which grinds out all the old classics very sweetly. … A pilgrimage to historic places in Sonoma County, led by the grand officers of the Native Sons and members of Santa Rosa Parlor will wend its way into Sonoma Valley on next Sunday, June 14, that markers may be placed to perpetrate our landmarks and that the 79th anniversary of the raising of the state flag may be appropriately honored. … Sonoma Valley and its many attractive resorts and amusement places did a record business over the Decoration weekend. The automobile traffic, the heaviest since the completion of the state highway, began to roll in Friday night and ferries were congested until long after midnight. Despite the weather, which was showery, reservations kept coming in to the various resorts and hotels to overflowing. … Miss Marty Tomlinson was awarded the handsome silver cup given by the Central Commercial and Savings Bank for the High School oratorical contest. Miss Tomlinson thus adds more laurels to her brilliant work.

83 YEARS AGO
(From the Index-Tribune of June 8, 1928)
Through an announcement made by S. H. Sweeney of Napa, manager of the Shell Oil Company in California, a complete distributing plant is being erected at Sonoma. The Shell Company’s local expansion comes after a thorough investigation made by company officials in determining the future of this locality. For the initial construction several tanks have been installed and further expansion is planned for a later date as considerable frontage has been obtained from the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Company. … Coney Island, the big frame structure built by Wolf Barron some years ago for an amusement hall burned to the ground last Thursday night about midnight. The building was unoccupied and the dry grass all about it made it easy prey fro the flames. The Boyes Springs and Valley volunteer firemen arrived at the scene but could do nothing but prevent the spread of the fire to adjoining property. … That the Sonoma city trustees are in real earnest in making their sanitary improvements was evident at the June meeting of the board Wednesday when many claims for material and work at the sewer farm were allowed. A payment was also made on the big Seagrave fire engine. … Sonoma City’s building boom continues and this week a permit was given A. Clerici, prominent local merchants and property owners, to wreck a frame structure and improve his Napa Street frontage, formerly occupied by the Kiefer jewelry store, with a beautiful little hollow tile and pressed brick building. … In order to connect up the state highway and the county road with an oil macadam road across Boyes Springs and Sonoma Vista, to the golf links, a campaign to raise sufficient funds is under way.

82 YEARS AGO
(From the Index-Tribune of June 7, 1929)
Cooking took on a new note in Sonoma Valley last Friday night when the Kitchen Kabinet Orchestra, comprised of leading women of the community appeared at the Woman’s clubhouse in a novel and entertaining program for the benefit of the M. E. Ladies’ Aid. The ladies orchestra were in costumes trimmed with tin spoons, red jackets, caps and musical instruments fashioned from every thing such as funnel to broom, mop, stick, washboard and curtin rods. … Earl G. Abbotto, who has been residing in Sonoma Valley for some time, was recalled to Oregon recently to reenter the forest service. He has been assigned a lookout station near Lakeview. … Sonoma Valley is stage one of the keenest shows in the rodeo line that California has yet produced and it is to be held at the ranch of the famous Millerick Brothers in Schellville next Sunday, June 9. The Millerick outfit has long been famous for its programs of other rodeos and its leading race meets, but this is the first time the boy shave decided on putting on the big show at home. … Last Tuesday Mrs. M. J. Cowgill, president of the Sonoma Valley Woman’s Club, went to San Francisco where she was the guest of Mrs. F. T. Duhring, of Berkeley, at the Western Woman’s Club.

80 YEARS AGO
(From the Index-Tribune of June 12, 1931)
The city hall and Carnegie library which stand in the Sonoma City Plaza may be a hindrance, should the State Park commission decide to include the Plaza in the state park system, under authority granted by the governor in signing Senate Bill No. 12, last week. Mrs. Laura Gregory, secretary of the State Park Commission, speaking from San Francisco over long distance telephone, told the index that no park in the present system has buildings located within the areas. … Sonoma Valley High School holds graduation exercises on Friday evening, June 19. Twenty-four boys and girls, equally divided, will receive diplomas that evening. AS in the past, there will be an excellent program for that occasion and the school expects a packed auditorium. There have been at times as many as 800 people in the Sonoma High School auditorium to witness the ceremony of graduation. … The City Council Wednesday evening instructed City Marshal A. Cutarina to strictly enforce the city ordinance No. 113, regarding purchase sale and use of fireworks, within the city limits. Because the fire hazard and also the annoyance to many people, the council was of the opinion that this year, the provisions of the local statues will be more strictly enforced than heretofore, and have instructed the marshal accordingly. … A grass fire which was soon under control, called out the Boyes Springs fire department at 8 o’clock Wednesday evening. It started near the T. Sears ranch, and burned one or two acres. Another fire near the Boyes Springs Hotel, called the department during the afternoon Wednesday.