Wednesday, February 25, 2009

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Rock of Ages Re-Discovered!

It goes without saying that the Tulare County Museum at Mooney Grove Park is filled with relics of our past. But there is a piece of Visalia history that was almost lost forever right on the museum grounds.

When Visalia began, one of the first businesses established was Matthews Grist (flour) Mill. The Matthews family had a long history as millers. When they arrived in Visalia they were ready to establish a mill on Mill Creek having carried their millstone with them. The mill was set up at what is now the southeast corner of Main and Santa Fe streets.

The Matthews’ eventually sold their business and the mill change hands several times over the years. In about 1974 the site was excavated and what is believed to be the Matthews millstone was discovered. It had been broken into two pieces and was brought to the museum. Over the years grass and debris covered it. Haworth A. Clover, Ed.D., while doing research on the Matthews family, contacted his friend Troy Tuggle and asked him to try to find the millstone at the museum. And miraculously Troy found it, almost totally covered by grass.

Thanks to Dr. Clover and Troy, the millstone has been rediscovered and it now has an appropriate plaque, thanks to the generosity of Dr. Clover. He has written the Matthews story including the Visalia part, in a book called The Matthews Family—Community Builders From Coast to Coast. By the way, I am told the book is available through The Book Garden in Exeter. Also Troy Tuggle will be writing more about this remarkable story in a future issue of the Tulare County Historical Society newsletter Los Tulares.




Historic Machinery --- Part of the Décor of a Visalia Church?

Savior’s Community Church, lead by Pastor Mark Condie, occupies a very historic building in Visalia…a building that for many years was The Visalia Planing Mill. The old brick structure is located at 515 E. Center Street and for years specialty wood products were manufactured there. Many older homes and business in Visalia have wooden doors, cabinets, trim, etc. made at the Visalia Planing Mill. When Savior’s Community Church bought the building, some of the old, impressive woodworking machinery was still inside and the church decided to keep the equipment in place.

They are proud of their home and now the church would like to gather more history of their building. Who knows, a book might be in the offing. The Pastor and Ken Mayer, one of the parishioners, would appreciate hearing from anyone with The Planing Mill history. Ken can be contacted at kenmayer@hotmail.com and please put on the subject line “Planing Mill history.”

Wow, how appropriate is that for a Christian church to have carpentry equipment inside? I’ll bet the divine spiritual leader of all Christian churches, also a carpenter, feels very much at home at Savior’s!




Civil War Comes to Visalia

Mary Miller asked that I include in this posting the Civil War Reenactment that is coming up again this year. It is the 19th annual reenactment and it will be at Mooney Grove Park on March 7th and 8th. It is always enjoyable and packed with history. All sorts of attractions are included and it is a good way to enjoy a weekend of history. Check it out and see the flyer by clicking on the photo here and it will enlarge to a readable size.






Interesting Visalia History Surfaces


A few weeks ago I was contacted by Kate Gibson-Cates. She and her husband Steve bought the house that belonged Steve’s grandparents, Ben and Patricia Owens here in Visalia. In the home were several interesting things she wanted to make sure got preserved. There were 2 large Bank of Visalia leather-bound ledger books both containing names of early Visalia residents, one dating back to the 1870s. Both are very good resource books. There was also some cardboard embossed newspaper plates from the Visalia Times Delta in 1939. But the item that is most intriguing to me is what looks like an old Chinese diary. It’s in very bad condition, falling apart and probably not complete, but it is filled with both Chinese or Japanese characters and symbols. Each page is a combination of these characters along with some English notations. I’m not certain at this point if it is even a Visalia related book, but very possibly is. I don’t see a date, but it is old. If it does have a Visalia connection, it could potentially be a very important find in preserving our history from a Chinese or Japanese point of view. Thanks to the Owens family and Kate for keeping all items and not discarding them as oftentimes people do.



Historic Progressive Dinner


In a previous Historic Happenings, it was announced that the Visalia Convention & Visitor’s Bureau was organizing a Historic Visalia Progressive Dinner. Erin Capuchino, the Marketing and Tourism Coordinator with the CVB, tells us it is now firmed up. On March 12, 2009, at 5:30pm, those who sign up will have appetizers and beer at Brewbakers, soup and salad at Lum Lum’s Market, main course at Jack & Charlie’s and dessert and wine at the Ben Maddox House Bed and Breakfast. Attendees will be driven by special trolley to each of the locations and historical presentations will be included at each site. Space is limited so contact Erin at (559) 334-0141 or email her at erin@visitvisalia.org. Sounds like an enjoyable evening at some very historic spots.




Visalia Then & Now—A New Pictorial History Book is Announced


For the past year I have been working with Arcadia Publishing Co. on a Visalia pictorial history book. It is now completed and will be available the week of March 9th. It is a “then and now” type of approach to Visalia history. It is packed with historical photos, placed side-by-side with current photos taken from the same vantage point so readers can not only see the historic photo but also see what is at the historic site now. The captions included present historical material about the photo. Arcadia paid for the cost of the book so as the author, I have to buy copies from them. I do, however, get a special discount. The book retails for $21.99, but I will have a limited number of copies available for $14.00 which includes sales tax. You’ll be hearing more about it, but just wanted to alert you that it is coming. I think you’ll find it interesting.



Assorted

{{}} Thanks to Marian Cote for her unrelenting hunt for L. Guggenhime, the name painted on the old wall mentioned in the previous Historic Happenings. Marian is an avid genealogist and history detective, and she has been very helpful in the past on searches. Look out Mr. Guggenhime, Marian is on your trail.

{{}} Dallas Pattee has found another reference to a picnic at Mooney’s Grove. This time 1892—17 years before it became a park. It’s very interesting that the property owned by the Mooney family was a popular picnic ground long before it became a park. The article, dated June 1, 1892, from the Daily Morning Delta also ties to the St. Mary’s Catholic history project that is underway. It says, “The children of the Catholic Sunday School will have a picnic on next Monday, June 6th at Mooney’s grove. All the children and their parents are expected to attend.” The grove of oak trees was obviously very popular long before it became a park.

{{}} George Pope, who lives just outside of Visalia, is in love with carousels. In fact, he has one on his property that he restored. It’s a beautiful old carousel that once belonged to a traveling carnival on the west coast. George also reminded me that the old carousel that was once at Mooney Grove Park is restored and in the city of Hanford. Thanks for refreshing my memory on that, George.



"I am not one of those people who think because a man is a preacher he is necessarily a good man, or if a man is a gambler he is necessarily a bad man. I will go further, and say that I think a bad gambler is better than a bad preacher because a bad preacher pretends to be good and a bad gambler makes no pretences.” Daily Visalia Delta, January 10, 1906 – probably the words of Alonzo Melville Doty, philosopher and part owner of the Delta.

Friday, February 6, 2009

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Mysterious Sign Revealed – Billboard?

Some of you may remember the old barns along the road advertising “Chew Mail Pouch Tobacco”. Well, it seems Visalia has its own version of that billboard. No, it isn’t “mail pouch”, but instead “L. Guggenhime Dealer in Wagons, Farming Implements & Grain”. These words were discovered recently on a building wall that is believed to have been the old Pioneer Warehouse. When the building to the east was torn down on the northwest corner of Willis and School, the sign was revealed. Miles Shuper, a longtime reporter for the Valley Voice, wrote about it as did Lew Griswold, a veteran reporter for the Fresno Bee. The faded sign is somewhat mysterious because I have not found the name Guggenhime ever in Visalia history. My belief is that the wall was used as a billboard for the L. Guggenhime Co., perhaps out of San Francisco. A Historic Happenings (HH) subscriber, Brian Stone, who lives in San Francisco found the name L. Guggenhime in the 1890 San Francisco Directory at 1119 Post. Another subscriber, Patrick Barszcz, found that L. Guggenhime was a partner in a gold mine. But the mystery of the sign remains. Why was the ad in Visalia and why on this building? As always, any help would be appreciated.



Mooney Grove Park is 100 Years Old

In 1909, the Mooney family sold the land that is now Mooney Grove Park to the County of Tulare for a bargain price on the condition it would become and remain a park. It did and it has, and now this famous hangout is celebrating its centennial. Mila Magana, Tulare County Donations Coordinator, is working on a suitable event to celebrate. More information will follow on the centennial activity as it becomes available. One more thing: Recently I found a newspaper article from 1893 announcing a picnic at Mooney’s Grove, a full 16 years before it became a county park!




More Tunnels!!!!

Recently, a subscriber to HH asked for help. He indicated that he had looked “down the hatch” in the foyer of L. J. Williams Theatre some time back and there appeared to be doorway structures at both ends of the basement. He indicated that the doorways appeared to be filled with sand, dirt and debris, perhaps covering what may have been passageways or tunnels. He couldn’t see beyond the doorways, but is curious to know if there were passage ways or tunnels beyond those doorways. Is there anyone who might know about possible tunnels? As some of you know, the building that is now L. J. Williams Theatre was originally the Montgomery Auditorium and it was built in 1932. In 1972, the building was refurbished into the L. J. Williams. The site on which the theater sets has been part of a high school campus since 1910. Any information on these mysterious passageways would be appreciated.



Another Celebration –70 Years
in Recreation

John Bradley, Recreation Supervisor for the City of Visalia has informed me that the Parks & Recreation Dept is celebrating its 70th Anniversary. Starting in 1939, the department has operated under many names, but they have always been the lead agency providing recreation activities to the community. Their responsibility is broad, but the most visible part of their duties is the care of 42 parks and 249 acres of developed parkland. John is looking for any historical park photographs to add to the photo archives of the department. If you are willing to share, please contact him at 713-4585. More Parks and Recreation history can be found at http://www.ci.visalia.ca.us/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=6640




Assorted



{{}} It looks like the fundraising goal for the Robin Fountain at the Tulare County Library in Visalia has been reached. Now we just need to find a vendor who can install the pump/ filtration system. It is anticipated that there will be a re-dedication of this interesting piece of art in April, the date to be announced.

{{}} Ground has been broken and construction has begun for the new agricultural museum at Mooney Grove Park. Just south of the existing museum grounds, you can see dirt flying.

{{}} I have contacted the only known relative of Celia Miller in Arizona and am still waiting to hear from her family to see if it’s okay to publish the Miller story in Arizona. I’ll keep you posted.

{{}} A couple of weeks ago I heard from John Bianco, an HH subscriber, who said he happened to be watching TV and a commercial came on for “Carhill.” As he watched, the commercial flashed photographs of old time diners and one of them was Mearle’s Drive-In. The old 1940 drive-in may be idle now, but it continues to be symbolic of an earlier age. Thanks John, for the heads up.



Dogs—Our town is overrun with that most intolerable nuisance—a surplus of dog flesh. We are the friend of intelligent, respectable canines, but as for these “curs of low degree,” we are decidedly down on them, and hope that some philanthropic individual will devise a speedy and effectual plan to abbreviate their sojourn with us. September 7, 1862, Visalia Equal Rights Expositor