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Remember When Week of February 8

Tidbits from yesteryear

89 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of Feb. 9, 1924)

At a meeting of the Sonoma city trustees Wednesday night, Trustees Bulotti, Bates and Lindley were present. Ordinance No. 161, authorizing a tax of 15 cents for park purposes, was given its first reading. The ordinance will be voted upon at the regular city election April 14 and if approved by the people, will enable the trustees to improve the Plaza planting it to lawn and maintaining it after a suitable irrigation system has been extended to areas to be improved. About $1,000 has already been donated. … The annual May Day Carnival will be held again at Boyes Springs this year, the Boyes Springs Improvement Club having decided to sponsor the festival for the benefit of the new clubhouse to be erected by the organization. The fiesta will be held for four days. … T. Beaudet of San Francisco is erecting a $15,000 residence and country place at Kenwood which is to be improved in real country villa-style and will be one of the show places of the Sonoma Valley. … Jack Farris, the well-known Vineburg blacksmith, took out a license this week at Santa Rosa to wed Mrs. Nellie Sullivan Montgomery of Broadway, Sonoma. … The Sonoma Valley Apple Growers Associated met in annual session last Monday evening at Vineburg, re-electing the old board of directors, with one change. The new grower on the board is W. J. Suggett, who has the former Seipp orchards and has been actively interested in the welfare of the organization.

 

88 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of Feb. 7, 1925)

Sonoma is to have the rare opportunity of witnessing early in March a play to be directed by Garnet Holme, who will coach local players in a drama to be given at the high school auditorium for two performances. Mr. Holme, who came to Sonoma’s romantic and restful environment to do some writing in preparation for several big productions he is later to put on, has generally offered to put on the play, the title of which will later be announced. … That people on the air all over the United States and farther may know that Sonoma, Valley of the Moon, is a real place, local boosters are preparing a fine program which they will broadcast shortly from the General Electric Company’s well-known and powerful KGO station at Oakland. … J. G. Marcy, the pioneer Sonoma businessman, was honored Tuesday evening by Sonoma Lodge, I.O.O.F., the occasion being Mr. Marcy’s half century affiliation with the Order. After the regular meeting of the Odd Fellows, the members and guests assembled and Mr. Marcy was presented with the veterans jewel by Past Noble Grand John Wagnon.

 

85 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of Feb. 4, 1928)

The new Ford arrived in Sonoma Valley Thursday and is being demonstrated by the local agency at various places. Delivery will start shortly to 67 prospective owners in this district who area already listed for a car. … George H. Cassidy, pioneer farmer of Sonoma Valley, has announced his candidacy for supervisor of the First District. The present incumbent is Supervisor Fred Lowell, who has as yet not declared himself. … The social evening given for the teachers of Sonoma Valley and their friends at the high school on Friday evening of last week was most enjoyable. There were games and contests, music and cards. The program consisted of select musical numbers, a talk by Professor L. H. Golton and clever monologue by Robley Harbort.  … The directors of the Boyes Springs Hotel and golf links property at a meeting in San Francisco this week, decided to change the name of their beautiful Spanish-type hostelry to the Sonoma Mission Inn, and the Sonoma Mission Inn Golf and Country Club. The tract at the golf club to be subdivided this spring will be known as the Sonoma Mission Highlands.

 

 

75 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of Feb. 4, 1938

Picturesque Wake Robin Lodge in Graham Canyon, where Jack London spent many happy hours and did some of his notable work, has been leased to Joan Stroller of Santa Rosa as the headquarters for the Artists and Craftsmen of Sonoma County, affiliated with the group she organized some time ago. Studios will be established and work of the talented members displayed and sold. A circulating  library will also be a feature. … In the Honolulu Advertiser’s Editional columns of Jan. , there appeared under heading, “Jack London Memorial Appeal” these words: “Jack London, who achieved fame at the turn-of-the century as a writer of virile, red-blooded stories, was well known in Hawaii. Many Honolulans still remember him. These, as well as others, will be interested in the appear from the Glen Ellen Womens’ Improvement club at Glen Ellen.” Jack London and his talented mate, Charmian, lived at Waikiki for some time, and the latter wrote a classic of the islands. … Through the enthusiasm and facile pen of Fred Helberg, the fishing streams of Sonoma Valley got some fine publicity last week in the sporting section of the San Francisco News. Helberg, an ardent and successful fisherman, told of steelhead and bass fishing in Sonoma creek and declared that anglers who went long distances to fish could not duplicate some of the catches here, let alone get such good sport as the steels and strippers afford in the Valley of the Moon.

 

73 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of Feb. 2, 1940)

The 1940 birthday ball of the president for infantile paralysis sufferers was another grand success, August Pinelli, chairman of the Sonoma committee, reports. The Kiwanis Club was well pleased at the response and ticket sales. About 150 tripped the lights fantastic at Sebastiani Hall last Saturday night. … Mrs. Walter Bundschu is driving a new 1940 Oldsmobile. … With the infield turf looking as green as an emerald isle, and the spacious outfield as smooth as a ballroom floor, Fetters Field really began to look like a major league baseball park this week. The grandstand and bleachers, capable of holding 1,500 people, are well construction, the cement foundation being laid during last week. The lumber to be used in the building of the stands should arrive this week, according to Rudy Lichtenberg, who stated hat it would have arrived sooner but for the fact that rain halted mill operations at Fort Bragg. … Assemblyman Hubert B. Schudder who in 1937 aide din lowering the dry wine tax to one cent per gallon, will oppose Gov. Olson’s request increase in wine levies. One of the new revenue-producing measures introduced in the assembly would raise the tax on dry wine to five cents a gallon.

 

71 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of Feb. 6, 1942)

Daylight savings – or rather, national war time – goes into effect by the President’s proclamation at 2 a.m. on Feb. 9, when all clocks will be set one hour ahead of present standard time. Before you retire Sunday night turn the clock hands, and you will be ahead and ready to get up on the new schedule Monday morning. Daylight savings will enable workers to et home an hour earlier. … At the Kiwanis Club meeting Tuesday evening Kiwanian Lyman Marsters acted in a dual capacity, namely chairman of the evening as well as guest speaker. His subject was the Far East, but his principal topic was the Philippine Islands. These were discovered by Ferdinand Magella, Portuguese explorer, who circumnavigated the globe and who lost is life in the Philippine Island of Mactan in 1521. … The spring training camp of the San Francisco Seals in the Valley of the Moon received a nice boost in the New Press Book of the San Francisco Baseball Club for 1942. There is a map in the book showing that the training grounds here and at Napa, where the Oaks training, is close to a population of two million people of the Bay Area, many of whom are baseball fans. Fetters Springs field and Boyes Hot Springs are praised and the Jack London country and historic Sonoma publicized.