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Remember When Week of March 8

92 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of March 5, 1921)

M. J. Hibbard is now in the local field with Golden Gate Ferry Co. stock. You will have the opportunity to aid in the great constructive work to develop this section through the building of the new auto transportation ferry server. Be a stock holder. Ride in your own boats. … At a meeting in the Sonoma City hall Monday night the contemplated big water merger was discussed and many pertinent questions put and answered. R. L. Darborn, who heads the project, addressed the meeting. Wm. F. Clewe presided. F. H. Tibbetts, consulting engineer, described the plan for the building of a big dam in the western foothills at a cost of approximately a quarter of a million dollars. He said after going into the plan and supply he was convinced that 3,000 acres in the Sonoma Valley could be furnished water for irrigation purposes. … The city trustees met Wednesday night, passing the regular claims for the month just passed, and spreading on the minutes a letter from Senator Slater pledging aid in presenting the resolution sent to the state highway commission, asking for state aid for our street paving plan.

 

89 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of March 1, 1924)

A double christening took place at the Jack London ranch Sunday afternoon when Rev. Hanneford of Kenwood christened the two children of Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Shepard in the presence of relatives on both sides of the family, including Mrs. Jack London, just home from abroad. Mrs. London stood as godmother for Jack London Shepard, little 2-1/2-year-old son of her nephew, and Mrs. George Geary was sponsor for Mary Margaret Shepard, her 9-month-old niece. … The new baseball park at Boyes Springs, declared by the San Francisco Seals now in training there to be the greatest training ground in America, will be dedicated Sunday, March 9 with appropriate ceremonies. The Seals will play the Rosebuds of Santa Rosa and the public be given its first opportunity to see some of the stars of the San Francisco baseball club in real action on the new diamond. … Next Monday will be the first Monday in March and the assessors of the counties as well as the cities and their deputies, will get busy and the field deputies will take t the field and list the assessable property of the taxpayers of the county for the assessment roll for the new fiscal year.

 

81 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of March 4, 1932)

Wednesday evening the city council approved a comprehensive plan for further improvement of the city Plaza; executed all legal formality for the municipal election to be held April 11, authorized the street committee to restore streets which had been torn up during the laying of sewer pipe; passed numerous claims, and expressed themselves favorable toward a contribution to the Vallejo park memorial fund. … Howard Knight, rancher and orchardist of Schellville, and deputy assessor in this part of the county, announced this week that he intends to be a candidate for the office of supervisor, as a member of the board from the first district. … The California Highway Commission will make improvements costing more than $910,000 on the highway from Santa Rosa to Schellville – Route 51 – during the next 10 years, according to information coming direct from Earl Lee Kelly, chairman of the commission, to the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce. … Fire destroyed one of the cottages in the Richardson-Ware tract at Agua Caliente Wednesday night, the fire started about 8:25, and spread to two of the other cottages in the tract. The buildings are back of the Agua Caliente post office and this building was endangered for a time, but the Boyes Springs department by heroic work, kept the flames from spreading.

 

71 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of March 6, 1942)

Many more women are needed for the Red Cross Volunteer Special Services in order to make a workable set-up in training and preparation for self defense. There should be a place for every woman in the Red Cross services. Choose the work you are interested in and able to do. The periods of training are essential to a smooth running set up. Everyone one must have the same training as his fellow worker in order to avoid confusion and give efficient service. … It seems like the good old days around Boyes Hot Springs with the noted sportswriters in evidence around the ball park, bathhouse and hotels. There is Abe Kemp of Examiner fame, Tom Laird, scribe for the San Francisco Daily News, who also does sport stories for big magazines, Bob Stevens of the Chronicle, and Jimmy McGee of the Call-Bulletin. … Chief of Police Ries, of Sonoma, was told by the District Attorney to arrest anyone who fails to comply with the Sonoma ordinance governing blackouts when the siren sounds air raid warning. … Otto Dresel, of Sonoma, has again been named deputy assessor for Sonoma Valley and is in the field hard at work. … An important business announcement was made this week by Joseph Vella, of the Sonoma Mission Creamery, when he told of leasing the ice cream parlor of the firm to H. B. Warner, owner of Silva’s Creamery in Santa Rosa and formerly expert ice cream maker for the Sonoma Mission Creamery plant.

 

70 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of March 5, 1943)

A Chinchilla rabbit, perfectly normal in every other way, was born at the Fox ranch in El Verano recently, and is now making a sturdy growth, without ears. John W. Fox has been raising rabbits for a long time but this is the first freak of its kind he has ever had in his pens. … The Northwestern Pacific railway depot in Sonoma, of which Dave King is agent, is being renovated. Carpenters are replacing worn-out boards and otherwise putting the building in first-class condition. As soon as this work is completed, painters will give the depot a new coat of paint, which will add very much to the appearance of the structure. … Plans are under way by the directors of the Sonoma County Tuberculosis Association for the establishment of a series of free X-ray fluoroscopic chest examinations in Sonoma as part of the county-wide health program financed by Christmas Seal money. … So successful was the party honoring Mission Inn Navy men Monday night at the Sebastiani Rollertorium that James Gordon, manager of the rink has designated every Monday and Thursday evening as Service Men’s Night. The men must come in their uniforms and young ladies will be admitted free those evenings. … Owing to the scarcity of help the Sonoma drug stores have decided upon a new arrangements for their Sunday patrons. One drug store will remain open each Sunday to serve the public. … A party was given to Ralph Kenyon, who has gone to join his buddies in war training. Kenyon wants to be a flyer and has reported at Hamlin Field.

 

67 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of March 8, 1946)

The opening dance tomorrow night at Boyes Hot Springs Casino will honor the Oaks baseball squadron in training in our Valley of the Moon. It will be another red letter night in the history of the well-known resort and its customary welcome to the baseball players and newspapermen. … Gen. Henry Arnold and Mrs. Arnold arrived by plane from Washington, D.C., on Monday. They inspected their ranch improvements and while the new house is being completed and their furniture shipped from the East, they will motor to southern California and visit relatives. …  Sonoma Grove, famous eating place, will be reopened by Robert Bertolucci with a grand Italian dinner Saturday, March. 10. Mr. Bertolucci is widely known as a chef. … A local motors who failed to stop when a Sonoma school bus was discharging its passengers, was fined $25 this week by Judge J. L. Small. … With the state capitol of California moved to Sonoma for a colorful Bear Flag Centennial “preview” celebration and bill-signing ceremony by Gov. Earl Warren, on Sunday, March 10, the Valley of the Moon will present a festive appearance this weekend. … Mr. and Mrs. Howard Snyder of San Bruno, are having a delightful time here enjoying the new nightclubs and sightseeing with Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rohr, proprietors of the Vienna Gardens at Fetters Hot Springs.