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Thanks for visiting Historic Happenings! If you are not on the email list, and would like to be notified via email when a new posting of this newsletter is made, please email Terry Ommen at histerry@comcast.net. I will add you to the list. I will never share your email address with anyone without your permission.
Congratulations Pete Cowper for
being the first to identify the mystery spot as the telephone company building
on Acequia just west of Locust. Nice work, Pete, with not much to go on. I
would still like to know when this building was built. If anyone has a year I'd
like know.
So, for those of you ready for
the next mystery spot, here it is. Where is the building? Your clues are.
1.
This building saw its share of conflict.
2.
The building opened for business for the first time in 1965.
3.
The building site was once the location of the Masonic hall.
4.
The building is between an old hoosegow and a building
once
owned by A. P. Giannini.
Good luck.
Visalia Underwater Again—1955
This is an interesting old
photograph. I have never seen this particular view. Usually flood photos are
taken
A Throwback to an Earlier Time
What is this? Susan Mangini has
had this floating around her house for as long as she can remember. It
advertises Schaub Radio Service at 108 S. Church Street. Do you give up on what
this is? It is a record cleaner! You remember records, don't you? Anyone know
anything about the Schaub Co. or family?
C. K. Ragan—Headstone Artist
Dallas Pattee, Tulare County
cemetery historian and an HH follower, made a request. She noticed that in the
past we have highlighted "concrete artisans" like J. M. Nelson and
wanted me to share some of the work of another artist named C. K. Ragan. He was
a Visalia businessman, a monument man, a stone cutter and also an artist who often
signed his work. The signed headstone shown here is in the Visalia Cemetery, and
Dallas says his work can be found throughout the county. By the way, in 1877
the local Times newspaper reported: Artistic—We have noticed for several days in
the show window of R. P. Grant on Main Street, a very handsome and artistic
piece of marble carving, executed by Mr. C. K. Ragan, a very superior master of
his calling. The work is a representation of a little child in a position as if
praying, the hands clasped and eyes turned heavenward; there is not a flaw in
the execution of it, and is worthy of the many compliments passed. Mr. Ragan
may well feel proud of his genius in this line. Thanks Dallas.
E. L. Smith---Purveyor of Patent Medicine, etc.
Alan George shared this old
relic of early Visalia with me. It's a bottle he has had for many years. It's a
beauty and marked "E. L. Smith, Druggist, Visalia, Cal." In 1900
Ernest Smith and Frank Mixter bought this drug store in the Harrell Building
(105 E. Main Street). They sold drugs and jewelry. Smith had just graduated
from the College of Pharmacy in San Francisco in 1898. Later the business was
sold and it became Switzer-McCormic Drug Co sometime before 1919. Thanks Alan,
for sharing this nice old piece of Visalia history.  |
Cozy Court—A Visalia Sleeper
There are all sorts of
interesting little residential gems hidden in Visalia. Here's one for you.
Recently, I discovered that in 1929, Thomas Brown built these little "court
apartments" for C. J. Boyd at 440 W. Race Street (between Floral and
Willis). Collectively, these were called "Cozy Court." They remain
standing after 84 years. Good construction there. Anyone know builder Brown or property
owner Boyd?
***If you'd like to know more
about Andrew Carnegie and the Carnegie Library that stood here in Visalia,
check out the history article online in the September 2013 issue of Lifestyle
magazine, beginning on page 20. Here is the web address: http://issuu.com/lifestylemagazine/docs/lifestyle_sept_web
***Ann Moeai, who lived in
Visalia from 1950 to 1969 shared an interesting story about the old Bank of
America building and an experience she had there as a youngster. She writes,
"My father Ted Cooper was not a bank employee but worked in an office on
the 4th floor. I was with him one day on the elevator when the
elevator attendant in uniform, or possibly a security officer with whom my
father was acquainted, took us to the basement and showed us a room that had
bales or boxes of money which I assumed to be old or torn bills. It was an
interesting little tour, but as the years go by I have to wonder if I dreamed
this or if it really could have happened." Anyone ever heard about boxes
of money?
***Patsy remembers seeing
statues on one of the islands at Mooney Grove Park. Anyone else remember them?
What were they statues of? Any help would be appreciated.
***Earl McKee, a well-known and
legendary Three Rivers native, has just written a book called Echoes of Blossom Peak: Cowboys, Horsemen
and History of Three Rivers. It's a mountain history, a Three Rivers
history, a cowboy history, and a Tulare County history, all in one book. Lots
of references to Visalia here also. I strongly recommend it.
Drunken Officials—It is to be hoped that the time may
come when sober men may be had to administer the law. We have lately had our
attention called to the proceedings of an examining court where the court, the
prosecuting attorney, and the prisoner at the bar were all apparently in the
happy condition of a half-spent drunk. Such things are a disgrace to the
community which tolerates them and are bound to call forth a complete
ventilation if persisted in. Visalia Weekly Delta, April 16, 1874