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Thanks for visiting Historic Happenings! If you are not on the email list yet, 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 not share your email address with anyone without your permission.

Art Browning correctly identified the last mystery spot as the old Purity Store building on the northeast corner of Center and Court streets. Congratulations, Art! This is two in a row for you.

Check out the new mystery spot. I don’t think you can miss this one. Here are the clues:
1) Julius Levy was an early founder of the organization that continues to occupy the building.
2) It was known as the Brown Building for many years because it was built by Samuel Carr Brown.
3) The building at one time housed the Model Department Store
4) The building had a serious fire in 1949.
Where is this building? Good luck!


Kaweah Hospital

Art Browning and Barbara Hinds Joseph both shared early recollections of old Visalia and both mentioned the early Kaweah Hospital. Barbara in fact was born there, and so was Pauline Crutts Bowers. Art recalls after it ceased being a hospital it was converted to an apartment building called the Victoria Apts. Art and his wife rented the old operating room after the Brownings were married in 1958. By the way, the old Kaweah Hospital served from 1921-1937 and its address was 415 W. School, where the Visalia Times Delta is now. Before becoming a hospital in 1921, it was owned by J. V. Garcia and some still refer to it as the Garcia Home. Before the Garcias, it was owned by Donald Malloch.


Woolworths/Sam Goody—Visalia Fair Mall

In the last issue of HH, I mentioned that an HH follower asked about a photograph of Woolworths and Sam Goody, businesses in the old Visalia Fair Mall. I actually had a photo showing Woolworth’s located on the north side of the mall. Regarding Sam Goody, I’m told it was where Red Robin is now. I have found no exterior photographs, but here is an interior photo showing, on the left Karen Russell Kirkpatrick and on the right Ann Celery Hansen, both Sam Goody employees in the mid 1980s. Notice the shelves lined with music cassette tapes—almost all museum pieces now. Karen is a faithful HH follower and thanks for allowing me to share this photograph. One other historical point. Visalia Fair Mall reportedly was the first of the San Joaquin Valley’s air conditioned mall shopping centers. It was built in 1964.

Old Visalia Illustrated Map

Recently, native Visalian, Alan George gave me a copy of a historically illustrated map of Visalia. It is marked Visalians, Inc. 1992 on the lower right corner. Very nicely done with great artwork. Anyone know who did the artwork? Thanks Alan.

Interior Hotel Johnson—A Beauty on the Inside, too.

In the last HH, the Hotel Johnson was featured. In its heyday, it was a real beauty and James Hitchcock asked about interior photos. Here are a couple during its glory days in 1938. As mentioned before, it was located on the northeast corner of Main and Church streets and built in 1917. A fire destroyed it in 1968. By the way, Nancy Barnes mentioned that her aunt and uncle ate every lunch and dinner at the hotel for over 20 years. That’s pretty amazing!

***A couple of postings back of HH, I mentioned the “Blood Bucket.” HH follower George Reece recalls a bar near Linnell Camp unofficially called the “Blood Bucket.” He was a liquor control officer in the early 1950s and recalls the bar acquired the rather descriptive name Blood Bucket for obvious reasons.
***After several years of preliminary work, the Home Builders Tract of homes just north of Mt. Whitney is edging closer to historic status. The 100+ homes represent 1920s and 1930s architectural and deserve recognition as a historic district. The area lies between Watson and Conyer and Mineral King and Myrtle streets.
***Pauline Crutts Bowers would like to know if anyone knew any member of the Cigrand and Crutts families of Visalia. Let me know and I’ll pass along the information.
***Art Browning shared that he thought the Visalia Chicken Hawks team was a girls softball team. Any former Chicken Hawks out there?
***Erin Hayden believes Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, after a Visalia Country Club Golf Tournament, visited the Crowe’s.

The Slop Man

Slowly he drives around the town
With his ill-smelling load,
And as he goes a trail of filth
Streaks and defiles the road.
A scene like this disturbs one’s nose
And aggravates one’s sight;
The city dads should make the chap
Pursue his rounds at night.
Visalia Daily Morning Delta, February 25, 1897

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Thanks for visiting Historic Happenings! If you are not on the email list yet, 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 not share your email address with anyone without your permission.

Good job Art! The last mystery spot was correctly identified as Pacific House on the northwest corner Church and Oak streets. Art Browning was the first to get it, but over 20 of you also identified it correctly. Now the next one is going to be a little harder. Here are the clues:

1)      The building was built as a market and sold meat, groceries, fruit, and vegetables

2)      It was part of a grocery chain

3)      The building was built in 1937

4)      The business boasted that the building had “produce fixtures of the latest type with the use of water sprays and suction fans to keep vegetables garden fresh.”

Good luck.

Johnson Hotel—One of the Finest

The 5-story Hotel Johnson was finished in 1917 and for many years it was considered one of the finest hotels in the San Joaquin Valley. It proudly stood on the northeast corner of Main and Church streets (where the Bank of America is now.) J. C. Hickman, as a Visalia Times Delta reporter went there often to attend service club meetings including Rotary. Many remember the beautiful old hotel. On May 3, 1968, a fire started in the building, probably from a guest smoking in bed, and J. C. Hickman covered the story. The building was not totally destroyed, but the age of the building and the damage made it an easy mark for the wrecking ball. By the way, the Hotel Johnson fire claimed two lives.

Visalia’s Night Hawks

Barb Armo, daughter of Jack and Lillie Armo, asked a question about what team her father might have played baseball for in the 1930s. According to my records, there were a number of teams during that period of time, some representing businesses and service clubs in town. But by far the most successful and popular of the teams was the Visalia Night Hawks. My guess is that Jack Armo played for the Night Hawks. The team was big in the 1930s and played other valley teams like the Hanford Kings, Porterville Reds and the Dinuba Sun Maids. The Night Hawks played at Recreation Park and the ticket price was ten cents per game. Can anyone help Barb in identifying the team that perhaps her father, Jack Armo, might have played for? By the way this team logo patch is believed to be from the Night Hawks, although it is possible that it represented the female team known as the Visalia Chicken Hawks. Does anyone know which team used this patch? It is a beauty!

Bing and Bob at Sequoia Field
Several postings ago in HH, the subject of Bing Crosby and Bob Hope coming to Sequoia Field was mentioned. There was good circumstantial evidence to suggest that it was true, but now we have what I believe to be, smoking gun evidence. This photo came to me from a credible source and on the back of the picture is written Sequoia Field 1941. Clearly it now appears that Bing and Bob did make their appearance at Sequoia Field. On a related subject, Leslie Caviglia, supplied this photo of Bing Crosby in 1975 showing her father-in-law James “Jim” Caviglia with Bing Crosby in one of the family’s orange groves. Bing came to the Caviglia orange grove to shoot a Florida Orange Juice commercial. Yes a Florida orange juice commercial and it raised some eyebrows among the neighboring Tulare County orange growers.

 Mineral King Ave

Mineral King Ave has its origin with the old mountain mining and resort area by the same name. As early as 1898 references were being made to the Mineral King road heading east out of town. When the town was first laid out, the street on the town’s south boundary was called South St. Later it was changed to Mineral King.

Two Old Publications Surface

J. C. Hickman, a career newspaperman and former managing editor of the Visalia Times Delta, recently shared two important historical Visalia publications. One was a magazine called “Achievement Number” published by the Visalia Daily Times in 1914. It is packed with ads, photographs and stories. The magazine provides valuable insight into the life in Visalia almost 100 years ago. The second magazine called Sunset was a publication of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company and was published in 1904. Inside there is a 10-page article called “The Story of Visalia” with photographs. Both of these magazines are great resources. Thanks for sharing, J.C.

***In the January 26, 2011 posting of HH, a reader asked about a bar east of Visalia known as the “Blood Bucket.” Joseph Vicente did some checking and noticed in the October 19, 1946, Visalia Times Delta a reference to a “bloody bucket district.” It was just a passing reference and apparently was referring to an area east of Visalia. Not much, but a little something for those interested. Still no Blood Bucket.

***The Visalia United School District is asking the public for possible names for the new schools they will soon build. So far, two HH readers are suggesting the names Michael Mooney and another Ralph Moore. Both names are well-founded in Visalia history and both would be positive names for a Visalia school.

***The Southern Sierra Archaeology Society has asked if I would present a program on Fort Visalia. I agreed to do it and it is free and open to the public. The program will be at the Tulare County Office of Education building on Burrel in Visalia at 7:00pm on Tuesday, May 17, 2011

***Remember Woolworth’s and Sam Goody’s in the Visalia Fair Mall? Remember Gemco and Kay Bee Toys on Mooney Blvd. An HH reader would sure like to see a photo of these from that 1980s period.  Any pictures out there?

“There is no town in California that can compete with Visalia when it comes to graceful and accomplished lady dancers.”    Daily Morning Delta, September 17, 1896

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Thanks for visiting Historic Happenings! If you are not on the email list yet, 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 not share your email address with anyone without your permission.

Congratulations Susan! Susan Mangini was the first to identify the mystery spot. It is east wall on the Starbucks building at the corner of Main and Court streets.

Okay, here’s the next one and much easier. The clues are:

1) It was an early lodging house

2) It was the site of the Andrew Belz Blacksmith Shop

3) The building was built in the 1880s

4) The building is within a stone’s throw of an early hoosegow.

Sequoia Walnut – James L. Parks

Jim Parks, a former Visalian, shared some early information about his father, James L. Parks, who managed the Sequoia Walnut Growers facility in Visalia at the corner of Goshen and Ben Maddox. Sequoia Walnut started about 1933 and James was the company’s 2nd manager (1934-1973). The Parks family had a ranch at Lovers Lane and Caldwell. Here is Jim’s father as manager. By the way, Jim attended Conyer and Jefferson Schools in Visalia. Thanks Jim for sharing.

Sugar Beet Factory – William Root Chivers

Recently, I heard from Evan Long who while going through family photographs came across this interesting old one. Taken at the Sugar Factory at Visalia, this photograph shows workers there, one of which is Evan’s grandfather, William Root Chivers is the man kneeling at the far left. He’s holding something, but we are unsure what it is. The Sugar Factory was on Santa Fe (notice the tracks) at Tulare Ave or “K” road. It closed in 1919 and the operation moved to Hooper, Utah, Evan believes. Thanks Evans for sharing this great and old photograph.

Mobil Executive Meets Bob Morris – Visalia Airport

Dana Lubich recently looked at the Visalia pictorial history book and surprisingly on page 163, he saw his grandfather unidentified in one of the photos. Robert “Bob” Morris is the man on the left. Bob was apparently meeting with a Mobil executive. Neat old photo, car, and trailer! It was taken at the Visalia Airport.

Oaks Are Disappearing - 1904

Gilbert Gia, a very good historian and writer from Kern Co., shared a Bakersfield Morning Echo newspaper article from 1904. In part it says, “It is a very sad fact to record that those fine groves of handsome oak trees that nature planted about the country between Tulare and Visalia are being rapidly wiped out by the wood-chopper’s ax. Many of the finest of them have already been reduced to a dreary stretch of stumpage and others are dotted with the white tents of the destroyers. Since the first settlers came to Tulare County, these oak trees have been its chief feature of beauty and attractiveness. They have tempered the weeds in winter and summer. They have been a godsend to the picnicker and the wayfarer and have given the country a picturesque, woodsy and home like appearance in sharp contrast to desert plains both to the north and south.”

1855 Visalia Postal Cover

John Crenshaw acquired a cover or envelope a couple of years ago. It is dated December 1855 and John said it is the only known manuscript cover from Visalia. Wow, that is rare! It is about 5 ¼” x 3”. J. P. Majors was Visalia’s first postmaster appointed in 1855 and served until 1858. In 1855 about 300 people lived n Visalia. Thanks, John for sharing. Thanks also, Marian, for your research.

Street Signs – Dudley St.

Benjamin Dudley, son of the pioneer Tulare County cattleman, Moses Dudley, built the house/mansion at Giddings and Main. Still standing and beautifully restored, the Dudley House was built about 1917. Ben Dudley became a wealthy oil man and was one of the developers of this area (Main just east of Giddings) and it was called Parkside Tract.

***After the last HH and the article about the fallout shelter, many of you shared your stories. It is amazing how many underground shelters honeycomb Visalia.

***Regarding the Dr. Rey story in the last HH, a reader mentioned the registered quarter horse named Joe Pan that the vet had owned. Can you give more detail, MSC?

***Well, it is finally done. The Christ Lutheran Church history book is at Josten’s and should be in our hands by May 12. It is about 200 pages with photographs. It is being done as part of the churches 50th anniversary celebration (1961-2011).

***Former Visalian Bob Goode (1947 Visalia Union High School grad) found HH recently and took a trip down memory lane. He remembered the Sierra Ballroom (where he met his wife to be, Jean Bryant, on St. Patrick’s Day, 1949) and Visalia Police Officer Floyd Depew, who he called “The scourge of high school kids with cars,” were just a couple of topics he shared. He also said that Floyd “pinched me twice for modified mufflers in my 1937 Chevy.” By the way, Bob left Visalia for the California Highway Patrol in 1955 and retired in 1984. Thanks, Bob for returning to Visalia through Historic Happenings.

***Great news! Sounds like the historic Depot Restaurant is going to the Vartanian and Shuklian families. They appreciate the historic nature of the building and I am grateful it is going into such capable hands.

“Judging from the numerous calls for physicians the past week, we should judge that those in attendance at the late camp meeting had more of them caught the chills and fever by camping in the swamp than had obtained forgiveness of their sins.” Visalia Weekly Delta, September 15, 1860.

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Thanks for visiting Historic Happenings! If you are not on the email list yet, 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 not share your email address with anyone without your permission.

Well, we have a winner! Art Browning correctly identified the mystery spot as the Sweet Building in the 100 block of East Main Street; the building that houses Links and other stores. Good job Art.

The next mystery spot for you history detectives is another building with interesting features. Here are the clues
1)      The building is home to several businesses – one being a popular beverage store
2)      It is a building that is in the old “Holt Block
3)      One of the business in this building, some 30 years ago, was known for its tasty treats
4)      One of the business located here in the 1970s had a name that meant    “frugal”. Where is this building? Good Luck

Santa Fe Medallion

As you know, Dana Lubich won the contest for the design of the 4 bronze medallions that now are mounted on the overcrossing pillars at Santa Fe and Noble/Mineral King streets. For his successful artistry, he won a $1,000 prize and the honor of having his work mounted in perpetuity. Quite an honor Dana, your work is beautiful.  Dana was recognized by the Visalia City Council, and was featured in the Visalia Times Delta. Dana is an HH subscriber and is a regular contributor. Here’s a little secret. As you      may recall a while back, we recognized Dana’s grandfather, Robert Morris in HH. He was the Mobil Gas Station owner here in Visalia.  Mobil’s logo at the time was the Pegasus symbol. Well, Dana, in honor of his grandfather incorporated a very small Pegasus in one of the medallions. What a great creative touch Dana! Exeter has their hidden images in their murals, now Visalia has a hidden image in one of its medallions. For those of you who haven’t seen them, go by and take a look and find Pegasus. They are beauties! By the way, after the medallions were mounted, I asked Dana what he was feeling when he first saw them mounted. “It was one of those ‘pinch me moments,’” he said. He added, “Who knows, one day these pictures might end up in the Visalia Community Bank’s historic calendar, when present becomes past.”

Bomb Shelter Away!

The Cold War era was an intense time for our nation and our community. The big fear of course was that the old Soviet Union would launch missiles with nuclear war heads and civilization as we know it would end. To some, a safeguard was to build a bomb shelter. Recently, these photographs came to me from an HH member with impeccable credibility. He said that these photos that he took recently show what’s left of a bomb shelter right here in Visalia. These photos were taken as the house was being demolished. Amazing images! Looking at them, I’m not sure which would have been worse—dying of radiation poisoning from an atomic bomb explosion or dying from claustrophobia while hunkered down in these underground concrete crypts. I have heard there are/were a number of these bomb shelters during the cold war era here in Visalia, but up until now, I haven’t  seen any evidence. Here it is. By the way, during the Cold War in the 1960s, the Mill Creek channel, which runs under the city was also being considered as a potential bomb shelter site. Never did hear details of the plan or how authorities would handle the water flowing through the channel.

Stable Becomes Catholic Church

Recently, Bill Allen made me aware of some creative work done by a couple of Visalia architects, Jack Hayslett and David L. Smith. In 1861 Father Daniel Francis Dade, opened up the first Visalia Catholic church and school in a stable. Jack researched the description of the stable building and passed on the information to his fellow architect, David Smith. David who happens to be an artist also, created a virtual rendering of what the stable parish might have looked like. By the way, these pictures were included in a power point presentation to the St. Mary’s 150^th anniversary committee. Nice touch, David and Jack. Thanks for doing great work!

Early Vet Was Active

It all started with the HH article about Visalia Police Officer Floyd Depew. Tom Rey, an HH follower, told me after reading the article that his grandfather, Dr. George S. Rey, DVM (called Poppy by Tom) knew Floyd (called Pappy by me and many others.)  So Poppy was friends with Pappy. A story started to materialize about his grandfather whose veterinarian practice started in Visalia about 1911. At the same time Dr. Rey was appointed Livestock inspector by Tulare County. He retired as a vet in about 1948 after 40 years as a veterinarian. The animal doctor was also a Captain with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Posse. Thanks Tom for sharing the material on your grandfather. By the way, Tom is a retired San Diego PD detective ( 30 years on the force ) and lives down there, but still has an interest in Visalia history. Thanks Tom for sharing this with us.

Sweet Ave

Sometimes it is extremely difficult to know the precise basis for the naming of a street. Was it named for a specific member of a family or was it named for the family in general? Sweet Ave falls into this category. Was it named for Solomon Sweet, who came to Visalia in 1857 or was it named for his son, Adolph Sweet, or was it named for Sol Sweet, the early Visalia aviator, or was it named for Sol’s wife Ardeen? The record is vague on this point, but it is very clear that Sweet Ave was named because of this pioneer Visalia family.

***Last month I wrote an article in the Valley Voice Newspaper about Buffalo Bill Cody visiting  Visalia in 1910. Here is the link if you missed it in the Valley Voice:      http://www.valleyvoicenewspaper.com/fourcreeks/2011/fourcreeks020311_0839.htm          Justin Mosley of Bothof’s Bakery, read the article and mentioned that he had documents to prove that William “Buffalo Bill” Cody was his Great great great uncle. Very interesting! Also, Frank Walker mentioned that he is also related to Buffalo Bill on his father’s side.

***Recently, I heard from Louie Avila, a former Tulare County resident who now lives in Cincinnati, Ohio,. He joined in the discussion about the pronunciation of Visalia. He lives not too far from Visalia, Kentucky and tells me that the local folks around there pronounce the town ViZalia—so the pronunciation mystery continues

***Chuck Loffland shared that he read a book called “Little Known Tales in California History” written by Alton Pryor. One of the stories mentioned included the statement “the slow-plodding camels took the struggling crew over the Sierra to Visalia.” Anyone know any details of camels coming here in around 1860?

***Commenting on the 1955-56 flood logjam, Joseph Vicenti passed along that he had heard that the log that was pulled from the Mill Creek channel actually became part of lawn decoration somewhere on Burke Street. Can anyone help with confirming this story?

***Barbara Armo, who has some great memories of early Visalia,  tells me as she was growing up in Visalia she lived in a house on the site of the Vintage Press restaurant. Her address was 520 W Center and her folks were Jack and Lillie Armo. The house was later moved. Anyone know where?

***Tony Cornett reminded me of something I’d heard about but could never verify. He said that pigeons in downtown in the 1960s were such a nuisance, that the city contracted with a pigeon trapper who caught and relocated them. Can anyone verify? Who was this fearless trapper? Don’t tell me it was trapper John!

***Ed Stewart also commented on the 1955-56 flood and said he had heard a ditch tender had removed the channel grate before the flood because it was always filling up with debris. It was too much work to always clean the grate. As a result of that removal, the huge log was able to flow under the city.

***Donna Robinson shared that Bob Hope also came to the Visalia Convention Center in 1979 as part of a fundraising campaign. She attended the event and recalled that the comedian spent most of time reclining on a couch rather than standing.

“The Visalia high school rugby team was ingloriously defeated yesterday afternoon in the practice game at Porterville with the team from the Porterville high school. The final score was 24 to 0. The Visalia boys proved a pitiful failure when it came to being in that class with the Porterville lads.”  Daily Morning Delta, November 6, 1910.