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Remember When Week of September 30

Read about Sonoma’s history

87 YEARS AGO

(From the Index-Tribune files of Sept. 27, 1924)

The Committee of Nine appointed by Gov. Richardson to inspect the state highways of California, to consult with Boards of Supervisors of the various counties and then make recommendations as to a future highway program throughout the state to the next legislature, visited Sonoma Valley Tuesday while enroute from Napa to Santa Rosa. The committee ordinarily stops only at the county seats, so the visit of the gentlemen to Sonoma was greatly appreciated. … The Harvest Festival opened yesterday at Santa Rosa and will continue today and tonight. There will be a barbecue and abundance fun entertainment for visitors. … The Pride of Petaluma Brooder Stove Company has secured the exclusive manufacturing rights of the Kitchen egg turning device, which is in use in Petaluma among the largest hatcheries and is meeting with great success. This device was formerly manufactured in Sonoma and later the concern was moved to Petaluma. … Bids for the construction of the remaining bridge across the Harry Weise ranch in the Valley of the Moon will be opened Oct. 13, Supervisor Fred Lowell states. The bridge will be completed by Dc. 1, at which time the entire highway will be finished from Schellville to Santa Rosa. … The Sonoma Valley Improvement Club is planning a big dance to celebrate the highway opening at the Springs. The dance will be given on Saturday evening, Oct. 25. Among the attractions will be a $5 gold piece as door prize, box lunch and free coffee. … Captain John Ploog, of Oakland, who used to sail up Sonoma Creek to the Embarcadero 40 years ago, visited the old landing and Sonoma Valley scenes last Sunday for the first time since he made the trip with the Three Sisters years ago. Ploog was surprised at the changes in Sonoma City and wanted to know where Pauli’s general merchandise store was.

77 YEARS AGO

(From the Index-Tribune files of Sept. 28, 1934)

At the recent convention of the California State Firemen’s Association, at Santa Cruz, William Locarnini, chief of the Valley of the Moon fire department, was elected to the office of director for the state association for the northern district, comprising 15 counties of the state. Chief Locarnini urges all firemen to join the California State Firemen’s Association. … Picetti Bros. Who are among Sonoma Valley’s most progressive and successful farmers, report a good harvest season to date. They have just completed shipment of five carloads of tomatoes to Honolulu and in addition to the 100 acres planted for export, had 15 acres for the cannery. The tomatoes were not irrigated. … W. P. Downey, the painter and decorator, is building a new house on his property on Austin Avenue which, it is reported, will be rented to the Misses Monahan. … The Veterans of Foreign Wars believe in doing things in a big way and so for their dance at Sebastiani hall Oct. 13 they have signed up San Francisco’s famous aggregation, Val Valente and his orchestra, radio stars and crooners. This will be the first appearance in Sonoma Valley of Val Valente and his band although Val is a former Sonoma boy and brother of Sonoma’s popular mayor, Jep Valente. … In an early morning fire of mysterious origin Thursday, the Sonoma Valley Improvement clubhouse at Fetters Springs, went up in flames which started in an unoccupied cottage belonging to Mrs. Victoria Hahn Lowell adjoing the hall. Beside the cottage which was destroyed other property was menaced and oly the fact that there was no wind, averted a general conflagration. Insurance on the clubhouse was $2,500.

 

67 YEARS AGO

(From the Index-Tribune files of Sept. 29, 1944)

Sonoma county’s share of the California War Chest is more than $100,000, it was announced by leaders of the county-wide committee. The official county drive will begin Oct. 9, but seven communities in the county have been organized for the drive under Judge Hilliard Comstock, county chairman. … Work to start on the Sonoma Valley Community Hospital in two weeks is the news that was released by the Hospital Committee on Thursday. With the lease ready to sign and with the 88 percent of the goal needed for the project reached, the committee feels bound by the wishes of the subscribers to proceed without delay and to give to Sonoma Valley a modern well-equipped hospital.  … At the end of one week of school the local grammar school had its all-time high enrollment, 444 pupils. The second grade takes first place with 65 pupils and the first, fourth and eighth grade tie for second place with 60 students each. While the beginner’s class was not as large as last year’s, the gain in the upper grades was sufficient to more than off-set the difference. … The old redwood cabin built by Mr. and Mrs. John Sears, parents of the late Rachel Snyder in the forties, has been removed by Mr. and Mrs. Vic Leveroni, the new owners of the Snyder ranch. The weathered pioneer structure, rich in sentiment, stood in the foreground of the fine residence on the property. It will now be rebuilt across the road and used for a recreation room and office by Vic Leveroni and his sons. … The Lucy Roller Skate Club has their hospital benefit program all ready to present to the audience Sunday night, Oct. 1. It is a half-hour show which will be shown two times during the evening. This will enable everyone in town to see it at their convenience.

 

61 YEARS AGO

(From the Index-Tribune files of Sept. 29, 1950)

A whirlwind week of bond selling with Paul Wolter at the helm, put the goal of the Athletic Field Bond Drive much closer last week. Wolter, who volunteered on Sept. 21 to aid the bond campaign, personally sold more than $2,500 worth bonds since that date – most of them during the two-day Vintage Festival. Bond Chairman Treasurer Tom Pucheu said yesterday that there still remained $2,970 to go to attain the goal of $25,000 in bonds purchased. … Sonoma Valley, where the Bear Flag was raised and where freedom is synonomous with its  colorful history, is this week going all out to support the Crusade For Freedom campaign, currently sweeping the United States. The local committee, headed by Joseph A. Baccaglio, hopes to acquire at least 5,000 signatures before the drive ends on Tuesday, Oct. 10, the day when California’s Freedom Bell will arrive in Sonoma and be escorted to the Plaza by Mayor Warren More, local dignitaries and members  of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. … Unknown thieves broke into the A&D Farmers’ Market at Bisso’s Curve, lower Broadway, last Saturday night and made off with a quantity of wine and cigarettes. … Tony Bruno announced this week that men with motorcycles were being sought to act as messengers for the Sonoma Valley Disaster Council. Bruno stated that anyone possessing a motorcycle who would be interested in volunteering his services, can contact him at the Standard Service Station in Sonoma. … The county project for oiling and paving the several streets in Sonoma has been completed. However, the repairing of Napa and Broadway streets, being done by the state, is still progressing. Work on West Napa Street has been temporarily halted due to a water problem reportedly caused by the old, abandoned Lewis water main. … The new $186,000 Prestwood Elementary School on MacArthur Street will open for the fall term on Monday, Oct. 2. This was announced officially yesterday by Calvin J. Sassarini, principal and district superintendent of the Sonoma Grammar School District.

 

60 YEARS AGO

(From the Index-Tribune files of Sept. 28, 1951)

Close to 150 women will attend the Golden Anniversary Luncheon of the Sonoma Valley Woman’s Club today, Friday. An outstanding program has been prepared to celebrate the 50^th birthday of the club’s founding. “Highlights of Fifty Years,” complied and written by Mrs. Ralph Hotz, will be narrated by general chairman of the anniversary event, Mrs. Allen K. McGrath, and charter members and distinguished guests will be introduced. …  A group of more than 42 residents of the Tule Vista (Schellville) area met at the schoolhouse Tuesday evening to further discuss plans in their fight against the locating of the Valley garbage disposal site in that area. J. N. “Nick” DeMeo, Santa Rosa attorney hired by the committee, gave information on things which could be done before the public hearing. … Unless 125 new members are secured for the Sonoma Valley Community Concert Association by Oct. 15, no artists will appear in Sonoma this season with their excellent and cultural programs. With this in mind, August L. Pinelli volunteers to serve as chairman of the association’s membership committee and this week sent letters out to the present membership list of approximately 300 asking that they secure at lease one new member each. Mr. Pinelli said yesterday “Surely out of 12,000 Sonoma Valley residents there should be at lest 500 who enjoy and want this fine entertainment. We have a beautiful $300,000 Veterans Memorial Building about completed that would be an ideal place for holding future concert.” … Sonoma Grammar School and high school children received a thrill on Monday when the traveling Crusade For Freedom motorcade stopped at the Prestwood School and Sonoma Valley Union High School. On a truck was a model of the radio station such as those used in Western Europe to beam “Voice of Freedom” message to those behind the Iron Curtain.

 

75 YEARS AGO

(From the Index-Tribune files of Sept. 30, 1954)

Bids for construction of the new Sonoma elementary school will be opened tomorrow night at 8 o’clock by the school district trustees, and it is anticipated that construction of nine classrooms and a multi-use room will begin a few weeks later. Originally scheduled for Sept. 3, the bid opening was postponed at the request of the state department of finance. The department made the request in order to certify enrollment figures after school opened and to enable the district to make a count of all new houses under construction but not yet occupied in the Sonoma elementary school district. … The new house-numbering program for the areas on the outskirts of Sonoma, will go into effect tomorrow, Frank Fargo of the Sonoma County Planning Commission staff reported yesterday. … Seven night classes in the Adult Education Program at Sonoma Valley Union high school will begin next week, John Glaese, principal of the school, announced today. … The heavens smiled down last Saturday and Sunday when Old Sol teamed up with Bacchus to provide warm and sunny “grape weather” for the eighth annual Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival. The crowds, judged to be slightly smaller than in prevous years, were no less enthusiastic than in the past.