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Congratulations to Peter Cowper who was first to identify the brass box as being the old letterbox in the Bank of Italy building at Church and Main streets. Many others got it right, and congratulations to all, but Peter, you’re the man.
Let the New Mystery Spot Game Begin
This name is embossed on the exterior wall of a building in Visalia. Where is the building? Here are the clues:
1) The building sets on a site that had been a harness shop continuously for 80 years.
2) The building was built in 1941 by Fred Uhl.
3) There are two financial institutions within sight of this building.
4) It is located at an intersection.
Good luck!
This name is embossed on the exterior wall of a building in Visalia. Where is the building? Here are the clues:
1) The building sets on a site that had been a harness shop continuously for 80 years.2) The building was built in 1941 by Fred Uhl.
3) There are two financial institutions within sight of this building.
4) It is located at an intersection.
Good luck!
Stocking Repair Kit
My good friend Betty Treaster gave me this little advertising item the other day and it took me back to an early time. During World War II, this little sewing kit, that looks like a matchbook included something called a “matchless run arrestors.” The arrestors are shown here with the blue arrow pointing down to them. Got a run in your stockings? Remove one of these arrestors, moisten the tip, and apply it to each end of the run or snag in the stockings and it was suppose to stop the spread of the run. Repairing stockings was commonly done. as it was easier to repair them than it was to get a new pair. There were lots of shortages during the war. This little kit was a giveaway from the Hougham Richfield Service Station at the corner of Mineral King and Court streets in Visalia. Now that we are talking about it, whatever happened to the almost forgotten skill of “darning socks?”
The World is Interested in Visalia History
My daughter recently explained a feature that is available on the Historic Happenings blog that is kind of intere
sting. You’ll notice under “hit counter” on the left side margin, there is a heading called “Live Traffic Map.” You will also see a world map under the heading with little red dots. These dots represent the locations of visitors who have come to see HH. If you scroll down to the bottom of that section and click on “Watch in Real Time” you will see more information about where specifically the visitors to HH are coming from. Visalia history seems to be popular really throughout the world. One more thing, you can search past issues of HH by topic or name by typing in the topic/name in the “Search this Blog” section. Try it out. In effect it becomes the index to the collection of all HH issues.Everybody Ready for the Treasure Hunt?
Well, the long awaited Visalia treasure hunt game is only about 3 weeks out. The game name been chosen and the prize has been acquired, and boy is it a good one. But remember, only subscribers to the free Historic Happenings newsletter are eligible to play and win the prize. So get your friends and relatives to join. Have them email or contact me in some way to get on the list. Remember, if they are not on my list, they can’t win. So…..
I know you’re getting anxious 
But the time is not quite here
To search for the clues that will
Lead you to a prize so dear.
The prize will make the wait worthwhile,
I can certainly tell you this,
A relic from Visalia’s past
Is something you don’t want to miss.
Both the treasure hunt game name and prize will be announced in the next Historic Happenings.
But the time is not quite here
To search for the clues that will
Lead you to a prize so dear.
The prize will make the wait worthwhile,
I can certainly tell you this,
A relic from Visalia’s past
Is something you don’t want to miss.
Both the treasure hunt game name and prize will be announced in the next Historic Happenings.
Medal of Honor Winner Passes
Alejandro Ruiz died November 20, 2009 at the age of 85. This long time Visalian is one of few Americans to receive the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in Okinawa in 1945. I had the distinct pleasure of shaking his hand—it’s not often one comes face to face with a real American hero. He lived his last years in Yountville, California and is buried there. You can read about his historic actions during World War II at http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_living/ii_a_ruiz.html
meofheroes.com/moh/citations_living/ii_a_ruiz.html . Ruiz Park here in Visalia is named in his honor and is near the intersections of Burke and Buena Vista. The photograph shows Mr. Ruiz at the November 11, 2006 dedication of the Greatest Generation Wall on Mooney Blvd. He is shaking hands with an unidentified well-wisher, and singer song/writer Paulette Carlson of the country band Highway 101 is standing nearby.
Ben Maddox Way 
I believe Ben Maddox Way has the distinction of being the only street in Visalia using an early pioneer’s full name. Born in 1859 in Georgia, Ben Maddox came to Visalia in 1890 via Bodie and other California communities. At that time he purchased the Tulare County Times newspaper and gained a reputation as a good newspaperman, an organizer of the Mt. Whitney Power Company and a key leader of the Visalia Electric Railroad. He died in 1933. Ben Maddox was well known in California and beyond.
Anybody Remember Victor Lombardi?
Larry Baldassaro, Professor Emeritus with the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, is looking for biographical information for a book I believe he is writing on the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers. He is looking for information on Victor Alvin Lombardi who was born on September 20, 1922. Lombardi played for the Dodgers and Pirates. In later life, he moved to Visalia and lived at 121 N. Turner, probably just a few years. While here he married a girl from Tulare whose first name was Margo. They were married sometime between 1958 and 1962. He does not know her maiden name or much about the short marriage, but he would be grateful for any help, especially with her maiden name. If you have any information, please contact me and I will relay it to him. By the way, Victor Lombardi was a golf pro at Sierra View Golf Course and is shown here on an early Pirates baseball card.
Alejandro Ruiz died November 20, 2009 at the age of 85. This long time Visalian is one of few Americans to receive the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in Okinawa in 1945. I had the distinct pleasure of shaking his hand—it’s not often one comes face to face with a real American hero. He lived his last years in Yountville, California and is buried there. You can read about his historic actions during World War II at http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_living/ii_a_ruiz.html
meofheroes.com/moh/citations_living/ii_a_ruiz.html . Ruiz Park here in Visalia is named in his honor and is near the intersections of Burke and Buena Vista. The photograph shows Mr. Ruiz at the November 11, 2006 dedication of the Greatest Generation Wall on Mooney Blvd. He is shaking hands with an unidentified well-wisher, and singer song/writer Paulette Carlson of the country band Highway 101 is standing nearby.
Ben Maddox Way 
I believe Ben Maddox Way has the distinction of being the only street in Visalia using an early pioneer’s full name. Born in 1859 in Georgia, Ben Maddox came to Visalia in 1890 via Bodie and other California communities. At that time he purchased the Tulare County Times newspaper and gained a reputation as a good newspaperman, an organizer of the Mt. Whitney Power Company and a key leader of the Visalia Electric Railroad. He died in 1933. Ben Maddox was well known in California and beyond.
Anybody Remember Victor Lombardi?
Larry Baldassaro, Professor Emeritus with the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, is looking for biographical information for a book I believe he is writing on the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers. He is looking for information on Victor Alvin Lombardi who was born on September 20, 1922. Lombardi played for the Dodgers and Pirates. In later life, he moved to Visalia and lived at 121 N. Turner, probably just a few years. While here he married a girl from Tulare whose first name was Margo. They were married sometime between 1958 and 1962. He does not know her maiden name or much about the short marriage, but he would be grateful for any help, especially with her maiden name. If you have any information, please contact me and I will relay it to him. By the way, Victor Lombardi was a golf pro at Sierra View Golf Course and is shown here on an early Pirates baseball card.
** The contractor that will restore the old buggy step has been selected and work will begin after January 1, 2010. The restoration is going to require about $300.00 so we want to encourage those of you who want to participate in this project to donate. The buggy step is believed to be the last one standing in Visalia, so it's an important project. Thanks to Lynne Brumit and Sandy Newman, who have already contributed $40.00 to the restoration fund. Any amount would be appreciated. We won’t start the restoration until we have the money needed to do the job. You can send any donation to Terry L. Ommen, P.O. Box 3864, Visalia, CA 93278. Thanks for your consideration.** The Visalia Community Bank’s historic calendar for 2010 is available. It was released last night and it really is nice. This is their 11th consecutive year of putting out a historic calendar, and as always we owe them our thanks. Stop by any branch and ask for one. They are free and you will be happy you did.
** After the story of the collapse of the Pioneer statue in the last HH, Bill Allen brought to my attention that in his book Mooney’s Oak Grove, he covered the demise of the Pioneer in some detail and there is a picture of Tom Stillman holding a large piece of the collapse Pioneer. And it is not the horse head.
“We are pleased to note that the large hole at the corner of Court and Acequia streets has been filled up. Many a nocturnal pedestrian has waltzed around on his ear and cussed after unwarly plunging up to the knees in its slush and water. It had been there so long that it had become to be regarded as an institution of Visalia.” Visalia Weekly Delta, November 28, 1879
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