CCHS

Civil War and the Central Coast

2011-09-25T21:44:00.000-07:00

by Shirley Contreras

Although the Civil War, bitterly fought for four years, came to an end in April of 1865, the scars of this conflict lived on.

Many veterans who had fought on both sides of the War Between the States moved to California with some taking up homesteads in the dust and wind-swept Santa Maria Valley. Although wanting to put the past behind them, the men found that memories die hard.

The May 28, 1911 observance of Decoration Day was held at the Presbyterian Church with a special healing service led by the Reverends Cope, Rhodes, Nelson and Weaver.

The veterans and Ladies of the Relief Corps had assembled at Hart’s Hall before marching to the church where reserved seats awaited them. As the column approached the church Mr. J. H. Haydon, a “reconstructed Confederate soldier” stood at the door with open arms. As the Reverend F. S. Nelson struck the first notes of, “Onward Christian Soldiers,” the former “Johnny Rebs,” and “Billy Grays,” (some with noticeably faltering steps) followed by the WRC ladies marched into the church.

With special music being prepared for the event and Bessie Conkey and Edna Crest both singing solos, the service was both dignified and solemn. According to the Santa Maria Times, “Reverend Nelson delivered a magnificent address filled with patriotism and enthusiasm, doing equal justice to the Blues and Grays alike.”

On the following Tuesday the GAR assembled at Hart’s Hall where carriages and automobiles awaited to transport them to a memorial service at the cemetery where George Lincoln acted as master of ceremonies.

After Litti Paulding opened the program by reading the Gettysburg address, Post Commander, Henry H. Woodruff of the Apomattox Post #50, GAR of Oakland, was escorted to the stand along with Commander R. Yelkins acting as color-bearer for Foot’s Post#89 of the GAR. Woodruff, speaking in a loud clear voice, gave touching words honoring the brave men who were lost in the great battle.

After the Reverend J. E. Cope closed the services with benediction and the order to break ranks was given, all participants in the ceremony placed flowers on the graves of the departed.

The veterans returned to Hart’s Hall at noon to take their places as honored guests at a banquet provided by the ladies of the WRC.

The poem, “My thoughts on Abraham Lincoln” was recited and the ceremony came to an official close.

Ask a Historian: CCC

2011-09-03T12:57:00.001-07:00

Forestry Foreman & CCCs | Charlene Loenhorst Eastman ckeastman@gsinet.net

I am from Redlands, CA but now live in New Hampshire. My father, Bill Loenhorst, was very proud to have been part of the CCCs in the mountains (Idlewild) of Southern California. Yesterday, one of our church members, Dave Diehl wrote to say: I may not be in church. Attending CCC reunion with Emily at my Dad's old CCC camp in Allenstown, he was forestry foreman in "Cs" for 6 years.

They have a museum there named for him. Dave. This brought back so many memories I wonder if such museums are out west?

Years ago my dad drove our family up to his old campnothing left. My brother is Bill Loenhorst, Jr. San Gorgonio Search and Rescue, Mt. Home Village, CA. He stayed in the area where my father worked with the CCC.

Ask a Historian: Golden Gate Bridge

2011-09-03T12:48:00.002-07:00

Golden Gate Bridge in the early 1930's | Jmagit@aol.com

I am involved in a research project for a class re: the building of the Golden Gate Bridge in the early 1930's. I am originally from Worcester, MA., and had been told that the George F. Wright Steel and Wire Co. in Worcester, MA, had supplied the steel and wire for the construction of the bridge, yet I cannot find any information about this. I know that the Wright company closed many years ago, and I believe the Norton Co. in Worcester, took over or employed many of the Wright workers.

Do you have any information about the Massachusetts company being involved in the construction of this historic bridge?

Ask a Historian: Theodore Roosevelt Southern California Political Campaign memorabilia

2011-09-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

Theodore Roosevelt Southern California Political Campaign memorabilia | James Barnes jbarnes73@gmail.com

My grandfather lived in Riverside California, and among his memorabilia was this souvenir, shown in the attached picture, from Theodore Roosevelt's visit to Riverside California. When researching the history of this item, I found an article on your website that mentioned a visit that Roosevelt made to Riverside, arriving on May 7, 1903, during his Southern California political campaign.

I am trying to find out more information about this campaign souvenir, so that I can document the history of it. If there is any information you can provide about this item, or a contact you might be able to give me, I would be most appreciative.

Thank you for your assistance with this matter.

Ask a Historian: Piano Available

2011-09-03T12:46:00.001-07:00

Piano Available | Susan Schroeder susanrschroeder@gmail.com

I have inherited a Wilkens & Newhall square grand piano (No 1210, made in Boston in 1932-36, which came to California over the isthmus of Panama in about 1850-52. It has been in my family since then, most of the time in Sonoma County. I would like to donate the piano to an historic home or museum. It has been rekeyed and re pegged, so that it will hold a tuning, but the action needs work (due to original leather hinges, etc.) It is in excellent condition, no real mars, all original ivory keys, etc.

I also have a "calling suit" for a woman from 1870's complete with bustle, and hat which I would be happy to donate as well.

It is possible for you to send a notice to your members about this? I need to find a home for it fairly soon.

CCHS ANNUAL MEETING JUNE 23-26, 2011

2011-04-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

Berkeley is a state of mind. It harbors an aura of individual freedom not unlike the search for new beginnings that lured thousands to California in 1849. Come experience it for yourself.

Headquarters will be in the spacious Doubletree Hotel on the Berkeley Marina. Each room has either a private patio or a balcony with superb views of the Berkeley Hills or the San Francisco skyline and Golden Gate Bridge.

Thursday afternoon is devoted to serious work by our committees who tend to the vital business of helping CCHS function. Those who aren’t committees members can check at the registration desk for ideas about what to see and do in Berkeley. Exhausted committee members will enjoy a good diner with the RVP's and Julia Morgan. Everyone is invited to join us.

Friday will be spent at the one-and-only Bancroft Library on the campus of the University of California. You need to be aware that Bancroft staff can handle only 75 of us so you had better decide about coming as soon as possible.

Friday will start right off with the first of 3 workshops. Susan Snyder, head of public services, will tell you all you need to know about using primary source materials to produce accurate and reliable history. Susan is the author of Bear in Mind: The California Grizzly, Past Tents: The Way We Camped and Beyond Words: Two Hundred Years of Illustrated Diaries, all based on indispensible primary source materials she ferreted out in Bancroft. Susan knows what she is talking about.

Next we will go to Bancroft’s press room to participate in an uncommon adventure. Using an Albion hand press that was brought around the Horn to California in the 1850s, master printer Les Ferriss will print a keepsake that he designed to celebrate our visit. Then each of us will print our very own copy of the keepsake on this historic Albion press. How about that!

Following a tour of a special exhibit of Bancroft treasures, everyone will be turned loose to explore the much-publicized Telegraph Avenue and People’s Park. You can enjoy lunch on your own at one of the many diverse restaurants along the avenue or have lunch on campus. A map will be in your registration packet.

After lunch Richard Schwartz will conduct a workshop on the value of newspapers as primary source material. Richard knows the subject well. He is the author of several books including Earthquake Exodus, 1906: Berkeley Responds to the San Francisco Refugees; Eccentrics, Heroes, and Cutthroats ofOld Berkeley and Berkeley 1900: Daily Life at the Turn of the Century. These volumes are all based on newspaper accounts of our past.

Our final workshop will be given by Linda Kirwan, Bancroft’s collections manager. Linda is an expert on conservation techniques and will share her extraordinary knowledge with us.

At 4:45 our bus will take us back to the Doubletree for R and R and then happy hour and dinner followed by an illustrated talk by Gray Brechin, project scholar of California’s New Deal Project. (See California Historian, Spring 2010, for Gray’s article about the project.)

On Saturday morning you can join genealogists for breakfast complete with a genealogy-related talk or do breakfast on your own. Either way, we will board a bus for a tour of Berkeley buildings designed by famed architects Julia Morgan and Bernard Maybeck. Our tour guide will be Peggy Darnall, architectural historian and authority on both of these architects.

At noon we will gather at Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto for our traditional awards luncheon followed by a visit to the nearby Takara Sake Museum and Tasting Room. We will return to the Doubletree in plenty of time for R and R.

A short automobile drive will take us to Playland Not-At-The-Beach where we will spend the evening. This is a totally fun place with all kinds of displays including hundreds of miniature scenes of San Francisco and artifacts from the original Playland At The Beach which was a long-lived and incredibly popular amusement park located at the beach in San Francisco. There are pinball machines and penny arcades to play – all free. The entire building will be ours for the evening complete with wine and a hot dog dinner cooked on the premises just for us.

Coming to Berkeley is a must. We’ll see you there!

CCHS and Social Media

2011-03-28T12:24:00.001-07:00

CCHS and Social Media:

Saturday, at the Workshop in San Jose, Chris Mieuli gave an outstanding presentation on the value of social media. Social Networking is an outreach and marketing activity that few historical societies take advantage of (including CCHS). However, there are thousands of blogs focused on California History published by local historians and millions of local historians on facebook and twitter. Our historical societies should reach out and extend the conversations about local history that happens in our historical society to these "iHistorians."

So...

Let's jump in this together!

Let's learn to tweet, friend and blog togeher. CCHS has signed up for a twitter account, a facebook page and a blog, but we need "followers" and we need "friends."

Please follow us! | Read Our Blog

Let's work through this together

This little experiment may not be pretty, but once we work out the tweaks and learn to how this works, our historical socieities will be stronger. This will be time well spent...together.

Riverside Symposium

2011-02-24T17:14:00.000-08:00

We are having a great time at the Riverside Symposium. the Executive Committee is very interesting.