Available Now! Visalia Pictorial History Book
Well, the Visalia Then & Now history book that I have been working on for the past year or so is now available. I will be at the Visalia Costco on Saturday, March 14th from 11:00am to 3:00pm for book signing.
Arcadia, the publisher of the book, used a unique format that displays an old Visalia photograph and then a contemporary one from the same vantage point next to it. This allows readers to easily compare the old with the recent and go to the photograph site, which is a really nice way to make history relevant for today. All of my proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the Tulare County Historical Society. Hope to see you at Costco this Saturday. Not a member of Costco? Contact me at (559) 901-3227 or email me at histerry@comcast.net. If you are a member of a club or organization and would like to schedule a book signing, please let me know.
Well, the Visalia Then & Now history book that I have been working on for the past year or so is now available. I will be at the Visalia Costco on Saturday, March 14th from 11:00am to 3:00pm for book signing.
Arcadia, the publisher of the book, used a unique format that displays an old Visalia photograph and then a contemporary one from the same vantage point next to it. This allows readers to easily compare the old with the recent and go to the photograph site, which is a really nice way to make history relevant for today. All of my proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the Tulare County Historical Society. Hope to see you at Costco this Saturday. Not a member of Costco? Contact me at (559) 901-3227 or email me at histerry@comcast.net. If you are a member of a club or organization and would like to schedule a book signing, please let me know.
Mearles – The old icon is getting a makeover —well, maybe just a tummy tuck right now.
On Thursday, March 5, 2009, I was driving past Mearles and saw workers on the roof tearing off old roofing material. In the parking lot I also saw Sonny and Michael Kazarian, the father and son owners of the famous Visalia landmark. (Click on photo to see them. From L-R: Michael Kazarian, Skip Kachadoorian, a family friend, and Sonny Kazarian.) I stopped and had a t
alk with them about a number of things relating to the old drive-in including the quality of the building construction, and their desire to get a restaurant operator to take over. We also talked about restoration and I was impressed and pleased with their comments about restoring the building to its original appearance. They asked about the original awnings that circled the front area of the restaurant and they also asked about the original color of the exterior. In addition, while I was there, they were talking to a neon lighting company representative about replacing the neon lights as part of the restoration.
All in all it was a nice visit and I came away with renewed hope that the declining appearance of Mearles is coming to a halt. Now the old restaurant needs an operator that will flip burgers like Mearle used to and continue the Mearles tradition. By the way, Tads opened in September, 1940. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a September birthday party with a fully restored Mearles? OK, what about September 2010. Mearles 70th birthday has a nice sound to it!
alk with them about a number of things relating to the old drive-in including the quality of the building construction, and their desire to get a restaurant operator to take over. We also talked about restoration and I was impressed and pleased with their comments about restoring the building to its original appearance. They asked about the original awnings that circled the front area of the restaurant and they also asked about the original color of the exterior. In addition, while I was there, they were talking to a neon lighting company representative about replacing the neon lights as part of the restoration.All in all it was a nice visit and I came away with renewed hope that the declining appearance of Mearles is coming to a halt. Now the old restaurant needs an operator that will flip burgers like Mearle used to and continue the Mearles tradition. By the way, Tads opened in September, 1940. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a September birthday party with a fully restored Mearles? OK, what about September 2010. Mearles 70th birthday has a nice sound to it!
Visalia Olive Oil Company—Processing Plant Building Found!
About a week ago Mary Alice Johnson contacted me and offered to give me a few sheets of old Visalia letterhead stationery with the name Visalia Olive Oil Company on them. The old stationery had been given to her by Catherine Schomer who had given them to Jean Kirkbride as scrap paper for her grandchildren. Anyway, the vintage she
ets of paper traveled through many hands, but were saved. None of the ladies knew anything about the Visalia Olive Oil Company, but I was referred to Frances Cutler, a long time Visalian, now living in Portland, Oregon, who was the original owner of the letterhead. Frances, who is 91 years old, told me her husband Frank Cutler had worked for his brother-in-law, Angelo T
urano at the company in the 1940s. The stationery gave the address as 421 E. Willow, and guess what? The building is still being used today. Not as an olive oil processing plant, but an auto repair shop. I talked with Angelo’s son, Tony, who lives in Fresno, and he provided history on the old building including the construction date of 1939. Also the letterhead as you can see shows an image of an olive oil can labeled “Perfetto,” which in Italian means “perfect” or “perfection.” Thanks to all involved in this long successful historical journey. Is this what they mean when they say “follow the paper trail?” If it is, it was “perfetto.”
ets of paper traveled through many hands, but were saved. None of the ladies knew anything about the Visalia Olive Oil Company, but I was referred to Frances Cutler, a long time Visalian, now living in Portland, Oregon, who was the original owner of the letterhead. Frances, who is 91 years old, told me her husband Frank Cutler had worked for his brother-in-law, Angelo T
urano at the company in the 1940s. The stationery gave the address as 421 E. Willow, and guess what? The building is still being used today. Not as an olive oil processing plant, but an auto repair shop. I talked with Angelo’s son, Tony, who lives in Fresno, and he provided history on the old building including the construction date of 1939. Also the letterhead as you can see shows an image of an olive oil can labeled “Perfetto,” which in Italian means “perfect” or “perfection.” Thanks to all involved in this long successful historical journey. Is this what they mean when they say “follow the paper trail?” If it is, it was “perfetto.”
Mystery Marker at Oval Identified
Mary Beatie, Vice President and Senior Planner for TPG Consulting here in Visalia, is working on the current plan with the community to revitalize the Lincoln Oval area, and has asked about a granite marker that was placed near the Service Center building. The marker identifies 6 memorial trees planted in honor of 6 historical figures—national (Abraham Lincoln ) and local. The marker contains the years each tree was planted and the general location of the planting within the park. The marker says it was placed there in honor of Annie R. Mitchell, but does not credit any individual or organization for placing the marker there or give the date the marker was placed. Mary recently discovered that it was placed there by Pat Finger, long time Oval advocate and Doug Copley, former owner of Copley’s Bakery. Thanks for solving that mystery. It has also been said that the Abraham Lincoln tree located in the Oval, that is decorated every Christmas, has been recognized as the tallest tree of that type to be used as a Christmas tree. We will try and verify that and also the year the marker was placed in the Oval.
Assorted
{{}} In 1952 as part of the Visalia Centennial Celebration, the Visalia Times Delta published the entire collection of Annie R. Mitchell’s Golden Memories she had written throughout the year. The Delta put them all together in a publication called “Golden Memories” and it includes 52 stories of early Visalia pioneers. Thanks to my good friend and valuable historian, Alan George, who provided me with a copy of this very useful publication.
{{}} Recently, Donna Klein sent me a history of the Visalia Garden Clubs written by Annie R. Mitchell in 1998. It is very complete and is packed with documented history of many local garden club activities including various tree and garden plantings in Visalia. Thanks Donna for maintaining and sharing this special history.
{{}} It was sure nice to hear that the beautiful Fox Theatre has received a $500,000 donation from the Lyles-Porter family. I hear this is the family of Tom Porter, former mayor of Visalia (1973-1977), who also authored a book called The Silver Rush at Mineral King published in 1965. If anyone who can confirm this family connection to the donation, it would be nice to hear from you.
{{}} One Historic Happenings subscriber sent me this link. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~usgenweb/special/ppcs/ppcs.html By clicking on it, you can see some old “penny postcards” of Visalia and Tulare County. Just follow the prompts. In fact, there are postcards from all over the country, so you can historically explore other states and cities via old postcards. Some nice old images here.
{{}} Recently, Donna Klein sent me a history of the Visalia Garden Clubs written by Annie R. Mitchell in 1998. It is very complete and is packed with documented history of many local garden club activities including various tree and garden plantings in Visalia. Thanks Donna for maintaining and sharing this special history.
{{}} It was sure nice to hear that the beautiful Fox Theatre has received a $500,000 donation from the Lyles-Porter family. I hear this is the family of Tom Porter, former mayor of Visalia (1973-1977), who also authored a book called The Silver Rush at Mineral King published in 1965. If anyone who can confirm this family connection to the donation, it would be nice to hear from you.
{{}} One Historic Happenings subscriber sent me this link. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~usgenweb/special/ppcs/ppcs.html By clicking on it, you can see some old “penny postcards” of Visalia and Tulare County. Just follow the prompts. In fact, there are postcards from all over the country, so you can historically explore other states and cities via old postcards. Some nice old images here.
“The land in this vicinity generally contains a growth of oak timber, and has to be cleared before it can be devoted to orchards. The acreage would have been much larger this season had it not have been for this fact. Wood choppers have been hard to find, and several gentlemen who had intended to put out orchards failed to do so because they could not get their land cleared.” This excerpt was taken from the April 30, 1891 Tulare County Times (It helps us understand why many Valley Oak trees in and around Visalia have disappeared).
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