Grateful for firefighters; meeting scheduled?to discuss historical fires

Colors of fire season Last week while heading down Arnold Drive toward Sonoma, I glanced left, passing Jack London Village.|

Colors of fire season

Last week while heading down Arnold Drive toward Sonoma, I glanced left, passing Jack London Village. The steep, live oak-covered hillside behind the village glowed with an unnatural fiery orange. Glancing right I saw an eerily glum, red sun dipping behind the Sonoma Mountains. The scene was unsettling. Colors that might otherwise be beautiful broadcast fire. 

That day’s out-of-season hues were caused by the nearby fires in Napa and Lake counties, providing a stark reminder that we are not far from danger here in Glen Ellen. All this gives us evermore reason to be grateful for our Glen Ellen Volunteer Firefighters and the Cal Fire folks adjacent to the regional park. And evermore reason to be careful.

Fires in memory

Do any of my readers remember the devastating fires of the past?  

Jim Shere writes to me, “The Glen Ellen Historical Society is planning its next public presentation at the firehouse, on the Great Fires of the valley and the history of our fire department.” The meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, 2 to 4 p.m., and the Historical Society would like to hear from local folks who remember the big fires, and especially to hear from those who fought them. Bring your stories of fires like the Nunn’s Canyon Fire of 1964, the fires that destroyed St Mary’s, the Rustic Inn, and the Weiss barn in 1974, the fire that destroyed the general store at Jack London Village in 1977, the fires that gutted the grist mill at Jack London Village in 1990 and 2002, and the Cavedale Fire of 1996. 

Fires in history

The historical meeting at the Glen Ellen Firehouse will also include information on long ago conflagrations including Poppe’s Store in 1905, Jack London’s beloved Wolf House in 1913, the Great Fire of 1923, and the Glen Ellen Schoolhouse fire of 1925. 

Seating will be limited at that Historical Society meeting, so if you’d like to attend, you need to drop a note to the GEHSociety at P.O. Box 35, Glen Ellen CA 95442.

In addition, Jim Shere is still seeking folks’ memories about the Jack London Village, from any time, on any experience. If you have pictures or memorabilia, he’ll be doubly pleased. Contact Jim by email at jshere@sonic.net. 

It takes a village to raise a ruckus

Although it’s still only August it’s truly time to start thinking about our annual Glen Ellen Village Fair. The quilt’s completed, the fair committees have been meeting, and folks have already started buying their raffle tickets. 

Shannon Lee shared that this is “officially” the 25th annual GE Village Fair. But I know Jim Berkland, for one, would attest to many more fairs than that. In fact, he’s even shared old movies from some of the earlier fairs, back in the ‘60s.

While Glen Ellen has been favorably referred to (by folks at the SFChron) as a “gourmet ghetto” it was once a wild west town that sported bars that attracted a rough crowd. In fact, Glen Ellen was so favored by outlaw motorcycle groups, that the fair was discontinued because of general mayhem. 

But that was then, long before my time, so what I say here is merely hearsay. Jim Berkland could give you the straight story. And he will gladly do so if you ask.

Gourmet space aliens abounding

For now, our cleaned up town offers elegant eateries, fine folks and a good clean fun family fair. All that happens on Sunday, Oct. 11, from noon to 5 p.m. when this year’s “Glen Alien” festivities begin with parading extraterrestrials and their local friends. Plan for an out-of-this-world extravaganza. 

I’m telling you now so that if you’d like to enter (or exit) your spaceship (or anything else) in the parade, you can contact Dawn Kemp at mollypichr@aol.com. 

Call 996-5995; email Creekbottom@earthlink.net.

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