Petaluma etaluma Museum useum Association ssociation Preserving the Unique History of Petaluma and Providing Educational and Cultural Services to the Community Quarterly Newsletter Petaluma Historical Library & Museum Union Lodging House & Bar on 932 Main St. Wilson Bar (next to Andresen’s Bar) Fat Jack’s on Main St Mike Bianchini’s Saloon on Main St. Eagles Saloon on “B” St. See “On the Cover” and Skip Sommer’s article on Prohibition in the 1920’s on page 3 WINTER 2014 VOLUME 24, ISSUE 1
Transcript
Petalumaetaluma Museumuseum AssociationssociationPreserving the Unique History of Petaluma and Providing
Educational and Cultural Services to the Community
Quarterly Newsletter
Petaluma Historical
Library & Museum
Union Lodging House & Bar on 932 Main St.
Wilson Bar (next to Andresen’s Bar)
Fat Jack’s on Main St
Mike Bianchini’s Saloon on Main St.
Eagles Saloon on “B” St.
See “On the Cover”and Skip Sommer’s
article onProhibition in the1920’s on page 3
WINTER 2014 VOLUME 24, ISSUE 1
Petaluma Museum Association Board
Executive Officers
President: Faith Ross
Vice President: Harry Nieuwboer
Treasurer: Jodi Clinesmith
Recording Secretary: Ruth Robeson
Directors:
Sandra Campbell
Paula Freund
Solange Russek
Carol Sachal
Marilyn Thompson
Elizabeth Walter
Parks & Recreation Dept.Don Phoenix
Recreation Music and Parks CommissionBeverly Schor, Representative
Historic and Cultural Preservation CommitteeKit Schlich, Representative
The Petaluma Museum AssociationNewsletter is published quarterly and
distributed to our members. Many thanksto all our contributors and to our
proofreaders and volunteers who help withour mailings.
If you would like to contribute any news oritem of interest to our newsletter you canemail to [email protected]
Deadline for submission is April 15, 2014Newsletter editor: Mary Rowe
On The CoverOn the CoverCheers!By John Benanti
FROM AN EARLY time in the history of Petaluma therewere "places of refreshment" where gentlemen couldwash the dust of the road from their throats and enjoy
the conviviality of other gentlemen. As the cover shows, therewere no lack of such places.
Few Petalumans, however, know of the town's long history ofproducing those "refreshments." Two of the early ones werethe Sonoma Brewery and the U. S. Brewery. The SonomaBrewery was established in 1872 and by 1877 a man namedGeorge Griess was the owner. The 1884 city directory saysthe brewery was at the corner of Upham and Western and thatGriess lived nearby at Upham and Bodega. By 1895 the citydirectory lists Griess as a distiller, wine maker and brewer, Hiscompany became the U. S. Brewery and by 1906 he and hiscompany were at 511 Bodega, Griess died in 1914; but theU.S. Brewery continued on under different ownership until theadvent of Prohibition.
The 1895 city directory also lists the Capitol Soda and BottlingWorks located at 725 B Street. By 1906 it was located at Postand Stanley Streets and owned by two local businessmen,Hammermann and Jarr.
However, the oldest such business we can find information onwas the Petaluma Soda and Seltzer Works, founded in 1860by B. F. Connoly and first located on Main Street. Thecompany had several different owners and was in severaldifferent locations into the 1920s. The most popular of theproducts it made was Sarsaparilla, made from a root andtasting like ginseng. Another of its drinks was called "TheRadium Ore Revigator" that was said to be able to cure almostanything. "This radioactive water dissolves and eliminates theclogging waste matter which poisons vital organs, being thechief cause of most diseases."
This company eventually became part of the Coca-ColaCompany and had offices at second and G Streets. Thebuilding still remains, but with other businesses.
The Lachman and Jacobi Winery came to Petaluma in 1906following the earthquake. The company's facilities in SanFrancisco were destroyed and the City of Petaluma and theChamber of Commerce lured the company here because wecould offer facilities undamaged by the quake. In its heydayin Petaluma the winery produced hundreds of thousands ofgallons of wine and tens of thousands of gallons of brandy. Itwas located on East Washington, where CVS/Mary's Pizzaare today. Prohibition put the company out of business.
Petauma Museum Association
20 Fourth St.
Petaluma, CA 94952
1
President’s Message
Happy New Year!
I hope you had a great holiday season and areenjoying a wonderful start to 2014.This year has started out with lots of thingshappening at the museum. Our WinterWonderland exhibit has beentaken down, and the chairsremoved from the New Year’sEve concert. We relaxed for asecond and then started on theChildren’s Art Show. I’ll tell youmore about that later.Winter Wonderland was a greatexhibit, thanks to the manycommunity members and groupsthat help to make the exhibit andthe many activities enjoyable.We had something going on almost everyweekend. From bands playing, BalletFolklorico of Petaluma dancing, Santa RosaChildren’s Choir singing and Santa appearing,the museum had something for almosteveryone. We had over 1,000 people comethrough our doors. Many of them were visitorsfrom other states. It was fun watching the facesof small children as they looked at thedecorated trees and doll houses. We hadseveral children try to ride the big dog that wasunder the Christmas tree in the center of theroom.New Year’s Eve at the museum was magicalwith a classical concert that was produced byour own Elizabeth Walter.The museum is now full of children’s artwork.We are having, what I hope will be an annualevent, a Children’s Art Exhibition. Theexhibition opened on January 10 with an artistreception on January 12. Children from LiveOak Charter School will perform. I hope youget a chance to visit the museum to see theawesome art work done by our amazingchildren. The exhibit will run through January26.On January 28, some very fortunateelementary music students will get toparticipate in a one hour presentation at themuseum by Trio Ariadne. The three CarnegieHall Fellows are attending Sonoma StateUniversity and participating in a year long, firstof its kind program designed to preparetalented young professional musicians forcareers that combine musical excellence withteaching, community engagement, advocacyand leadership. The museum visit wasarranged by Marilyn Thompson, one of our
board members, and a professor at SonomaState.To learn more about Trio Ariadne visit:http://www.bing.com/search?q=trio+ariadne
&form=APMCS1or do a web search forTrio Ariadne.February is Black History Month.We will team up with PetalumaBlacks for Community Developmentto co-sponsor two great events. Ajazz concert is planned forSaturday, February 1 to open ourcelebration. Local musicians,Dorian Bartley (vocals/bass), BobJohns (piano/cornet), David Scott
(sax) and Tony Blake (percussion) will beperforming. The evening will open with abeverage and food reception at 6:30 p.m.,followed by the concert at 7:00 p.m. Pleasecheck our website for more information. Theblack history exhibit will include a tribute toNelson Mandela, but focus on music.
April is all about Petaluma. We will host theGood Egg Awards Celebration and participatein the Butter & Egg Days Parade. Plans arebeing made for an exhibition about Petaluma“Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, so staytuned for additional information.I believe the greatest events for the museumare happening in September. The PetalumaMuseum Association and Petaluma GapWinegrowers Alliance are teaming up for afundraising event at Keller Estate Winery tocelebrate the opening of a Petaluma ViticultureExhibit at the museum. The exhibit will openthe end of September.As we start the New Year, I want to encourageyou to become more actively involved with themuseum if you are not already. Encourage yourfriends and family members to becomeinvolved. We have some very rewardingvolunteer opportunities and a chance for youto do something worthwhile for yourcommunity. In addition to your time and tal-ents, please make a tax- deductible contribu-tions to the museum. Your contribution canhelp in so many different ways. It could helpfund our school tour program, or help buyupdated equipment and materials desperate-ly needed for the museum. Any amount, anytime is always welcome.
Exciting Events Planned for 2014by Faith Ross
2 Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 2014
RegularFeatures
PetalumaHistory &
Commentary:The Repeal ofProhibition in
1933
MuseumHighlights
VolunteerSpotlight
Calendar ofEvents
Collector’sCorner
Petaluma History & Commentary by Skip Sommer
THE WOMEN’S CHRISTIANTemperance Union waswell-established in
Petaluma by 1880.The local brancherected amonument at thecorner of Westernand Main streetswith theinscription: “Totalabstinence is theway to handle thealcohol problem.”That monument isstill there. But, the saloons,which hadn’t arrived herequietly, surely weren’t goingaway easily.
On January 16, 1920, the 18thamendment to the Constitutionof the United States was passed.It stated: “The manufacture,transport, import, export and saleof alcoholic beverages isforbidden by law.” Although theoriginal ideas of Prohibition wereto promote health and hygieneand to reduce crime, it didn’twork well at all. The message tosaloon destroyer, Ms CarrieNation, from Petaluma,California, was “Take your axeelsewhere!”
In the early 1900s, therehad been more than 700
wineries, with over21,000 acres of vineyardin Sonoma County, and1,000 of those vineyardacres, were HERE, in
Petaluma.
Most of those 700 wineries wereforced to shut-down by 1922 andnever came back, but, the
beaches of SonomaCounty were found to befairly safe, convenientand close to SanFrancisco for thelanding of illegal hootchfrom overseas, and thatdelivery continued toflourish well into the1930s, until Prohibitionwas finally repealed.
December 5, 1933 was amomentous day in Petaluma aswell as in the entire UnitedStates. The greatly despised18th amendment to the U.S.Constitution was repealed! Whathappened in the six monthsbetween October of ’33 andMarch of ’34, made for big newslocally. Just one month prior torepeal (for instance) on October28, the Argus headline was:“TWO DRY AGENTS SHOT INCOAST BATTLE!” “Highpowered rifles used by rumrunners on Sonoma Coast atBowen's Landing.” Prohibition
here wasn’t “over” yet, by anymeans.But much was normal inPetaluma at that time. Forinstance, one could rent a “6room cottage w/garage onBodega Ave. for $12./Mo.,” andyou could buy a Studebakermotor car for $648 at WesterterpBros. on Main Street. Also onMain, the Mystic Theater wasfeaturing Bela Lugosi in “DeathKiss” and Clyde Beatty in “BigCage.” (Your choice: 25 cents).And the boys in the back roomat Volpi’s were laughing aboutTHIS one: “In New York City,Fan Dancer Sally Rand wasarrested [the Argus commented]because her fan was too small.”(Details, details.)
However , th ings were NOTnormal in Europe in 1933, asNazi Germany was threateningFrance for “immediate return ofthe Saar Basin.” That coal-richarea had been awarded Franceas part-compensation for WorldWar I, and during the following1 5 y e a r s , i t h a d b e c o m eFrance’s principle source of coal.At that same time in Italy, a man
named Mussolini wasconsolidating all theItalian armed forcesunder his sole control.Meanwh i le , i n theSta tes , Pres iden tFranklin Rooseveltannounced formalU.S. recognition ofthe Soviet Union. Theworld was tensing upa n d o n c e a g a i n
The Repeal of Prohibition in 1933
Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 20143
Corner of East Washington and Lakeville
choosing sides, in 1933.
On November 6, the EditorialColumn by Emmett Olmsted inthe Argus-Courier was headed,“The End Of Prohibition.” Mr.Olmsted wrote, “It marks theend of a great experiment andthe start of another. Our firststep must be to delineate beerand wine from hard liquor.” Theheadline on the front page thatday was:
“STATE AWAITS LIQUORFLOOD” and
“CELEBRATIONSPLANNED FOR S.F.!”
That same issue of the Argushad this sub-item, as well:“Wedding of a pair of nudists inElysian Fields Colony lackedsartorial effects, as The Rev.Clarke Irvine wore only a solemncountenance.” (Sorry, I know itdoesn’t fit the subject, but Icouldn’t leave it out.)
L a t e r t h a t m o n t h ,regarding repeal, our Mr.Olmsted editorialized,“Our liquor problems arebeg inn ing anew. Oh,wha t a t e r r i b l e messwe’re in!--legalized liquorand we don’t know how toh a n d l e i t . W h e n i s asa loon not a sa loon?A m e r i c a n s s e e m t odesire nothing so muchas, to do as they please,and, to hell with the law!”(Not difficult to see wheret h e A r g u s e d i t o r ,Olmsted, stood on theissue).
On December 14, just nine daysfollowing repeal, the Petalumabranch of the WCTU met at
108 West Street where theReverend Woten gave anaddress titled, “Alcohol StartsMan on the Road to Hell!” Thepaper reported, “Refreshmentswere served, as The Rev. gavemany reasons why Prohibitionwould return.” (One can onlyimagine how much FUN thatmeeting was). On the followingday, the Argus reported, “Half-dozen local speakeasyproprietors given warnings.”Those warnings were givenbecause California hadn’tfigured out a method to issuelegal licenses by that date. Howto distinguish between cafes andhotels was one vexing problem.(Seems to me, one had rooms,the other didn't.)
Tragically, on January 1, 1934,as the Great Depressioncontinued, the worst rainstorm“ever” hit Los Angeles. NewYear’s Day was a disaster in theCity of Glendale, with 42 listedas dead, and many moremissing. An incredible 4.5 inches
of rain fell in that one day! If oneneeded a reason to drink booze,it was thus provided, inCalifornia.Finally, this: in a January 1934headline: “CALIFORNIA STATEC O N T R O L O F L I Q U O RLICENSES RELAXED!” Alcohol,by the g lass , cou ld now beserved in hotels, restaurants andc a f e s ! T h e A r g u s - C o u r i e r(guardedly) remarked, “Theserving of liquor, by the drink, iswhat people want . ” And, onJanuary 20, a long-awaited billwas introduced to Congress towipe out “all charges against15,000 liquor law violators in theU.S.” It was really over.To put an exclamation point onthe repeal of what her husband(FDR), had called “a badexperiment”. First Lady EleanorRoosevelt announced, “SimpleAmerican wines, but no distilledliquor, would be served at theWhite House.” (Yeah sure, wink,wink . . . FDR was world-knownfor his “cocktail hours”).
The 13-year prohibition ofalcohol consumptionin the United States(which the Presidentof France had called“America’s silly law”)was finally gone.During those 13years, organizedcrime had flourishedand more than everyother person in thecountry cheatedconsistently, actuallybreaking the law ofthe land. It proved tobe a gross mockery,but it took the U.S.many years more to
completely repeal the idea, assome states kept “Prohibition” orsome facsimile of it in place fordecades.
Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 20144
U.S. Brewery at 511 Bodega, owned by George Griess
Cypress Hill Cemetery tour was held on Oct. 26with the Petalumans of Yesteryear giving an enrichingtalk about the history of the cemetery. Those giving thetalks were Bill Hammerman ( William Howard Pepper),Marshall West (Isaac Wickersham), Barbara Harden( I d a B e l l e M c N e a r ) , a n d H o m e rJohnstone(CaptainThomas Fulcher Bayliss.
We also had a River Cruise on Oct. 25(see Carol Sachal’s write up on page 7)
MUSEUM HIGHLIGHTSPetaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 20145
October 2013
Barbara Harden as Ida Belle McNear talks in front of the McNear Monument
Jim Cohee & Elizabeth Hart hand out treats on the museum stepsduring Downtown Association’s Halloween Trick or Treat Trail
Petalumans of Yesteryear at Cypress Hill Cemetery
November & December 2013
Nov. 10th we had an autumn concert titledConversing Tones with the Navarro Chamber Players(Victor Romasevich - Viola, Jill Rachuy Brindel - Celloand Marilyn Thompson - Piano) performing Mozart,Andriasov & Ravel. It was a thrilling and exhilaratingpresentation of intricate pieces performed with amasters touch.
Winter Wonderland Exhibit
It was a magical time at the museum with ouropening of the Winter Wonderland exhibit onNov. 15th. There were many decorated andlighted trees, doll houses, toys, trains anddolls from around the world. There was alsoa Children’s Coloring Corner with holidaythemed coloring sheets. Children displayedtheir work on the panels behind the coloringtable. Music filled the museum almost everyweekend during its run. The Wings of Glorykicked off the beginning of this holidayinspired exhibit with a wonderful concert.
The Ted Baggett String Bandentertained and delighted a holidayaudience with classic elements ofrock, bluesgrass, folk and twang styles ofmusic. A brief history of the music, songs,and culture were discussed with servings of fresh pretzels, mustardsand beer.Ballet Folklorico of Petaluma perfomedon the museum steps on Nov. 30th.Many people gathered on the side walk towatch the splendid display of traditionalM e x i c a n f o l k d a n c e . T h ecostumes were vibrant in colors.Tree was donated by Larsen Tree Farm
Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 20146On Dec. 7th Santa (Harry Nieuwboer-VP of thePMA) arrived accompanied by the Salvation ArmyBand. Children were able to take pictures with Santa,make Christmas wish lists and enjoy candy canes anda holiday coloring corner.We had a Holiday Open House on Dec. 8th andinformation was shared about the various Holidaycelebrations - Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas andothers.
The Santa Rosa Children’s Choir filled themuseum with their angelic voices on Dec. 14th. Theyperformed from upstairs to a very appreciative crowd.
Los Gu’Achis Band performed at the museum onDec. 21. Dressed in holiday attire they entertainedwith an eclectic mix of musical styles. This was anaudience participation event and children weredelighted when asked to be part of the performance.
Dec. 31 we ended the year with our 5th annual NewYears Eve Gala with Elizabeth Walter, pianist andPMA board director and several members of the SanFrancisco Symphony. It was a special night and thosein attendance were treated to very specialperformance by the outstanding talent of the stringplayers Yun Chu (violin), Shu Yi Pai (cello), PeterWyrick (cello), Matthew Young (viola), Amy Hiraga(violin) & Nancy Severance (viola) performingTchaikovsky’s masterpiece “Souvenir de Florence”.
January 10 we opened our doors again with aChildren’s Art Exhibition featuring art createdby elementary age students from many of ourPetaluma schools. Some of the art piecesincluded were from the Mentor Me Petaluma ArtShow.
Photo by Kevin Green
Santa Rosa Children’s Choir photo by Kevin Green
SalvationArmy Bandphoto by KevinGreen
Ted Baggett String Band photo by Kevin Green
Ballet Folklorico of Petaluma
Los Gu’Achis Band - Barbara Arhon (violin),Tracy Grisman (bass), Chris Samson (rhythm)
Wings of Glory Photo by Tracy Bryant
Pictured l to r Shu YiPai, Matthew Young,Amy Hiraga,Nancy Severance,Peter Wyrick,Elizabeth Walter &Yun Chu.
Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 20147
MUSEUM HIGHLIGHTS
Witches & pirates in full regaliawere cavorting on the docknext to the river! Halloweenwas in the air simultaneouslywith the extraordinary IndianSummer sunshine. Docked Inback of the large and splendidyellow Victorian owned by thePaul Lewis Family, the RiverDolphin boat boarded the 38other people for the PetalumaMuseum's 2-hour River Cruise onFriday, October 25 at 4 p.m.Captain Ronn Patterson admirablycircled the boat to depart as the
D - S t r e e t B r i d g e w a s r a i s e dceremoniously for our passing, tom u c h y e l l i n g a n d w a v i n g a n da p p r e c i a t i o n o f t h emovement.John "Fitz" ("son of" Gerald,he explained) FitzGerald wasan engaging Tour Guide,immediately explaining to usthat this is not a "river"(a natural stream flowing ina c h a n n e l t o t h e S a nFrancisco Bay and PacificOcean) , but instead is a"slough, with soft, muddyground and swamps". So we wereon a Slough Cruise, we learned toour glee! Beer, wine, soft drinks andhors d'oeuvres were enthusiasticallyenjoyed, indoors and outdoors onthe upper deck for the brave andfearless, as Fitz related stories ofhow the Coast Miwok and PomoN a t i v e A m e r i c a n s u s e d t h i swaterway. The term "Petaluma"comes from the Coast Miwok phrase"peta luuma" which means hi l lbackside, presumed to be SonomaMountain, which was constantly inour sights on the starboard side.W e s a i l e d p a s t c o m m e r c i a lwarehouses built in the 1950s and
the site of theR i v e r t o w nR e v i v a l("Should it bec a l l e d t h eS loughtownRevival?" wej o k e d a n dc a r r i e d o nabout!) . TheDolphin slid by
the railroad track trestle that hasbeen preserved and will be used bythe new SMART Train, then past thefoundry that dredges the r iver,creating pyramids of muddy riversoil. It made a great turn to the leftafter the Sheraton and ShollenbergerPark, where a few fishermen werehoping for a catch, possibly stripedbass or bat ray. The 66,000 acres oframpant swamps on the port sideinspired our journey southward;wild and wooly land, totally natural ina pure state. It was fascinating tosee such wilderness on the outskirtsof our spirit-fil led town. On thestarboard, Fitz pointed out the landnext to the river, where a 50 room
hotel used to stand, whenpeople from San Franciscowould come to relax on the"river" in the 19th century.Now, barren, we delightedin imagining ther a i l r o a d t h a ta l s o b r o u g h ttourists there.A few homes,one previouslya winery, now a
splendid private home,interest ing l i fe-stylecottages and a few other smallhomes nestled next to the slough, aswe traced Lakeville Highway and the"river" wound down to Highway 37 to
a juncture with the Bay. We saw twogroups of wild swans, one with ababy swan they protected from ourwaves, several egrets, hungry hawkslooking for a meal in the grassy
s w a m p s , aplethora ofb i r d s , a n dthe wildlife atnight couldo n l y b ei m a g i n e d .Faith Ross,the presidento f t h eP e t a l u m aM u s e u m ,
and her charming husband Warren,greeted guests and spread cheer, asMary Rowe of the Museum snappedstriking photos of Gloria Robinson,past Board Member of the PetalumaMuseum, John Praetzel, one of theM u s e u m ' s m o s t d e d i c a t e dvolunteers, Libby, Fitz's wife, whow a s g r a c i o u s a n d h e l p f u l t oeveryone during her husband'sdissertat ion, whi le Mary's funhusband, Ken, chatted with fellowsailors and entertained us withstories about how he fell in love withhis wife at first sight. It was simplyexhilarating as Captain Pattersonskillfully turned the River Dolphin
( " S l o u g hDolphin?") aroundf o r o u r r e t u r njourney. We wereentranced with thebrilliant sunset onour way back andi t s a m a z i n graspber ry -p ink
str iated c louds, a magnif icentd e n o u e m e n t o f a n e x q u i s i t eadventure on the Petaluma River(slough) cruise! If you haven't donethis cruise, you might want to signup for it next October. It was anunforgettable and totally lovelyexper ience and deepened ourunderstanding of the entrancingcommunity we al l share! Bookearly...it gets sold out fast, and bringbinoculars!P .S . Sor ry , F i t z , i f I con fusedstarboard and port!
Faith & Warren Ross
Passengers enjoy the views from the lower
Corrine Faraz-Demil, Kit Schlich & Nancy Sasser
John FitzGerald
Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 20148
A special thank you to Linda Shoemaker-Christensen, Jeanne De Lucca and MichaelGonsalves for all the hard work and itemsloaned for this exhibit. Also many thanks toJane & Jessica Toy, Justin Gregori, MargeHodapp, Dan Brown, Deborah Garver and Bob &Ronnie Harriott for their loaned items.
One of the doll houses from the Winter Wonderland exhibit
Thanks to PatDonegan and ChristaBechler who donatedtheir time and skills tomake our MembersHoliday Party awonderfully magicaland tasteful evening.
Thanks to Mary Fassbinder of FassbinderCustom Picture Framing, the Museum's iconicportrait of AndrewCarnegie has beenproperly andprofessionally conserved.The Carnegie portrait is anespecially meaningful oneat the museum; it hashung for many years in aplace of honor beside thefront staircase. Due toage, the image of theMuseum's original patronhad started to pull awayfrom its backing, resulting in extensive ripplingthroughout the bottom half of the composition.Mary secured the paper to its backing andgenerously replaced the lower quality frame glasswith non-reflective museum quality glass. Sinceregratitude is extended to Mary for helping the PMAwith the important responsibility of caring for thecollection.
Fassbinder Custom Picture Framing900 Western Ave.
Petaluma, CA 94952707-765-1939
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Christa Petersen Bechler
Christa arrived in Petaluma in 1954 and remembers the population beingabout 10,000. Her journey started from her home town of Flensburg ,Germany where at the age of 18 she made the decision to immigrate tothe United States and live with her sister who had moved to Petaluma in1950. She boarded a ship and shared a room with eight women and theirchildren. She recalls that it wasn’t the easiest traveling conditions. Theship docked in New York and from there she traveled by train to Oakland.It took two nights and three days and she had $10 in her pocket for
food. Her family was there to pick her up and theyheaded to Petaluma. Both her sister and two unclesowned chicken farms and her first job was helping her sister by gatheringeggs and learning to drive the truck in the fields. After four weeks of this work she decided itwasn’t for her and sought other forms of employment which included sewing for a companylocated on Petaluma Blvd making 60 cents per hour and working as a housekeeper in SanFrancisco for a year. In Germany she had gone to business school and earned a degreeand with that she soon was able to get a job as a bookkeeper for the American TrustCompany. She also got married in 1956 and started a family. She left her job with the trustcompany after 16 months to stay home with her children but still made extra money bydelivering eggs once a week to private homes in San Francisco. She also worked for Empire
Optometry in Santa Rosa for 10 years. In 1984 she worked for the Petaluma Hotel as a manager and retired in1994.Wanting to keep busy and interested in family history, she decided to volunteer at the museum. Christa hasbeen a docent and also volunteered to be our phone tree person when we need to make announcements toour volunteers. She also enjoys helping with the preparations for our Annual Holiday Member party.
9 Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter -Winter 2014
Ron Larsen
My wife Kathy and I have been Petalumans for almost 35 years, movingfrom Marin in 1979. Both our millennials, daughter Emily and sonSpencer were born at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, raised in Petaluma,attended local schools, and graduated from Casa Grande High Schoolbefore heading off to college.Raised in Redwood City, my migration north began after my last MarineCorps duty station in Orange County. It was back to Redwood City, then anumber of years in the City, and on to Marin County where I taught highschool geography and anthropology for 15 years. Kathy and I met at thathigh school and have been married for 34 years.An opportunity to become a principal took me to a position in Sebastopol.I retired from education in 1990 and began a new career in the wineindustry. After 12 years of marketing Sonoma County wines, I retiredagain to work as a part-time host at the local KOA.I have been volunteering as a docent at Petaluma Historical Museum andat the Visitor’s Center since my retirement. Both provide me with aplatform to express my pride in Petaluma with its fascinating history,
beautiful architecture and wonderful community spirit.
A journey to Petaluma
By Mary Rowe
Christa -Age 6
In his own words ……………
Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 201410
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
February is Black History Month. ThePetaluma Historical Library and Museum will startthe month off with a jazz concert featuring localmusicians Dorian Bartley (bass/vocals),Bob Johns (piano/trumpet) David Scott (sax) andTony Black (percussion).This year’s Black History exhibit It’s All About theMusic will include a tribute to Nelson Mandela.The exhibit will run Feb. 1 - Mar. 16 Exhibit hours- Thurs-Saturday 10-4 and Sunday 12-3The Annual Black History Program will be held atthe Petaluma Community Center on February 28,starting at 7:30 p.m.Activities for Black History Month are co-spon-sored by Petaluma Blacks for Community Devel-opment.
April is all about Petaluma. The museumwill host the Good Egg Awards Celebration April19 and participate in the Butter and Eggs DayParade the last Saturday in April. We will partici-pate in the Antique Faire Attic Sale the last Sun-day in April.
April 10 – Scotch Tasting and FoodPairing by Preferred Sonoma Caterers.Mark your calendar for this popular event.
April 18 Exhibit – Petaluma Yesterday,Today and Tomorrow. This exhibit will honorPetaluma’s heritage, what it looks like today andwhat we see for the future. The exhibit is sched-uled to open April 18 through end of June.
May - Docent led walking tours of Petalu-ma start in May and go through October ( weatherpermitting) The tours start every Saturday on thesteps of the museum at 10:30 a.m.
May 24 – Jura Margulis Concert – RussianVirtuoso Pianist
July 4th- Annual Bell Ringing at the Muse-um. Ceremony starts at 10:30 a.m., with the bellringing starting at 11:00 a.m. Hear the story of thePutnam Family, the Korbel bell and how it becamean artifact of the Petaluma Historical Library andMuseum.
September 20- The Petaluma MuseumAssociation and Petaluma Gap Wine-growers Alliance are teaming up for afundraising event at Keller Estate Winery tocelebrate the opening of a Petaluma ViticultureExhibit at the Petaluma Historical Library andMuseum. The exhibit will open the end of Sep-tember and run through December.
October - Petaluma River Cruise andCemetery Tour -Dates to be announced.
November/December - To be announced
Schedule for 2014
Nat King Cole - Tracy Bigelow Grisman
Volunteer Coordinator Needed ForSchools Outreach Program
The Petaluma Historical Library and Museum’sSchools Outreach Program is in urgent need of av o l u n t e e r t o c o o r d i n a t e a c t i v i t i e s a n dpresentat ions. One of the museum’s mostimportant missions is making the city’s history realto our third-grade students. Third-grade classesare brought to the museum and docents guidethem through our exhibits, explaining how our citycame to be what it is today. As we expand theprogram to eventually include all third graders theproblems of scheduling and coordinating becomemore important than ever.If you have office skills and like the idea of workingwith kids, teachers and docents this volunteer jobis for you – it will only require a few hours per weekbut will pay great dividends in grounding our kidsin our rich history.Call the office staff at 778-4398 and we will put youin contact with the Schools Outreach Program.
Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 201411
Your financial goals.Our global resources.Kenneth J. Nugent , CFP® AccountVice Presiden t3558 Round Barn Boulevard , San ta Rosa , CA 95403 707-535-2965 800-533-8345 kenneth [email protected]
Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 201412
Fall ReportFacility Care and Maintenance Committee(FC&MC)
Thanks to the initiative and hardwork of Solange Russek, thePetaluma Museum Associationhosted a two-day workshoppresented by the CaliforniaPreservation Program titled,“Protecting CulturalCollections: DisasterPrevention, Preparedness,Response & Recovery.”Six members of the FC&MCattended the workshop along withapproximately 30 additionalmuseum and library professionals. The PMAteam dubbed themselves the “Disaster Busters,”and met monthly to complete their workshopassignments and work towards the goal ofproducing a professional and thorough disasterplan and policy for the PHL&M.
To compliment the disastertraining, Don Phoenixorganized a fire extinguishertraining session attended byapproximately a dozenmuseum board members andvolunteers. Due to thediligence of many committedpeople, the museum and itscollection is in a safer, moresecure state.
Committee members alsoworked hard to spruce up the foyer: all woodworkwas thoroughly cleaned; a handsome, aerial mapof Petaluma was hung on the west wall; a new,larger bulletin board was installed to holdinformation on our upcoming events; a new donorplaque was hung and the old ones were polished.
Disaster Workshop and tidying up of the foyerby Paula Freund
Firefighter/Paramedic Shay Burke
Ann AmyesRuth AndersenGladys Bien / In memory of Alfred BienAnn & Gordon BlumenfeldKris BrownSteve & Linda BuffoKarl Bundesen / In memoryof Herb & Barabara BundesenCharmaine BurdellJodi Clinesmith& Chris SamsonKerry Davison / Mahoney Davison Prop. MgtDorothy DeMareDiane DorfmanMillie FerroAlice Forsberg / In memory of Thomas KaneAlice & Donald ForsythPaula Freund & Paul HeavenridgeMaureen Friedrichsen-ReedDennis & Barbara GuggemosKay HardyGary & Lynn ImmCarolyn Kaufman / In memoryof Dorothy W. KaufmanBill & Lucy Kortum / In memory of Lucille Matteri
Steven Lafranchi / Steven J. Lafranchi & Assoc.,IncSid & Gerry LiptonLeslie & Dave MalloyCharles & Evelyn MatteriMc Dowell Drug Task ForceCollettePurcell & Steve MichaudTim & Lori NelsonLois PasiniHerb & Dorothy PeckJohn & Evelyn PedroniLawrence Reed /In memoryof Legrand EllsworthEd & Bernadetti Ricci / In memory of Angiolina RicciGloria RobinsonAdrienne RodgersFaith RossRichard & Lucille SharkeKaye StackMary Stelzner / In memory of Tom StelznerLoretta StoddardEric & Mary Ann SwansonDavid Watts
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Become a Business Sponsor, Company Sponsor orCorporate Sponsor and enjoy the many benefits atthose membership levels.
Business Sponsors will have their cards appear in the newsletterfour times a year.
Company or Corporate Sponsors will have their logo appear inthe newsletter four times a year.
Please check out the membership brochure enclosed with thisnewsletter for more details.
Support your local museum!
Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 201413
How would you like to do something fulfilling and enriching for your Petaluma community?
The Petaluma Museum Association (PMA) is issuing a call for candidates to run for four seats on the2014-2016 Board of Directors. Recent boards have reflected a diverse group of individuals fromvarious backgrounds who unite in a common cause: to support the work of the PMA in works greatand small, from establishing a two-year working agenda and slate of exhibits to organizing docentsand annual events such as Veterans' Day, the Butter and Egg Days Parade and the River Cruise. Itis rewarding and stimulating work.
The upcoming election is in May 2014 and the new board will gather in early June. There are fourDirector positions open.
An application will be sent to any interested Museum Member. Your wealth of experience in life,professions, schools, non-profits and other cultural organizations would enhance your candidacy forDirector's position. The application will ask you to list your skills in organizing, working with others,and goals for the Museum. We are looking for people who understand development, organization,and volunteer coordinating for our education programs, installations and events. Grant writing wouldbe a great benefit. Whatever your talents, we are open and we welcome your response to serveyour community and thank you for your consideration of the Petaluma Historical Library andMuseum.
Request your application by calling 707-778-4398 or emailing [email protected] will be accepted until March 1, 2014.
Volunteers keep our Museum as a vital center of Petaluma life and being a Board of DirectorsMember is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your community. That gift, you might find, to beits own reward.
Call for Candidates
Petaluma Viticulture ExhibitOpening Fall 2014
At the Petaluma Historical Library & MuseumIn partnership with the
Petaluma GAP Winegrowers Alliance
Petaluma Museum Association
Save the Date!
A fundraising event for the Petaluma Museum in conjunction with the opening of thePetaluma Viticulture Exhibit at the Petaluma Museum
Saturday, September 20, 2014Petaluma Pairings
An evening of farm to table food expertly paired with Petaluma GAP wines, music & entertainmentTo be held at Keller Estate Winery
Research has begun and revealed intriguing information; severalcandidates to author the exhibit catalog havebeen proposed and loans of several important
artifacts have been promised. .
Dear PMA Members,
If you have any authentic, vintage, Petaluma-centric, viticulture artifacts and would like to donateor loan them for our Fall 2014 Petaluma viticulture exhibit, call the PMA at 707-778-4398.Please do so promptly as work on the exhibit's catalog has already begun.
Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 201414
NEW MEMBERS
Lyndi Brown , Ruth Andersen, Laura Camm, Dottie & Greg Catt, Constance Gibson, Kent Gilbert,David & Bonnie Glass, Rebecca & Eugene Lynch, William McKillop, Lisa Orsaba, Frank PaolucciMelanie Phelps, Houston Porter & Andrea Pierotti, Alice Roberti, David SeterPat Skinner, Virginia Stevens-Johnson, Jack Withington
RENEWALSBill Allen, Architectural Design & Restoration, Inc, Dennis Andersen, The Baddeley Family, Lewis & Janet Baer, Ivan Barta,Janine Bender, Elizabeth Bertani, Gerald Besses, Kathleen Favot-Blanquie, Steve Bosshard & Carolyn Carswell,Wally & Marilyn Bragdon, Steve & Linda Buffo, Karl Bundesen, Lynn Camhi, James & Patricia CarrKaren Chambliss-Abraham, John & Linda Cheney, Jodi Clinesmith & Chris Samson, Carol Conley, Laura & Jim Cornaggia,Don & Sue Deals, Charles & Sue Edwards, Pat Faverio, Ted Feldman, John & Libby Fitzgerald, Alice ForsbergPaula Freund & Paul Heavenridge, Vivienne Frost, Sandra & Ken Garber, Joanne Goebel, Janet & Todd Gracyk,Sharon Graham, Kathy Greene, Ray Hendess, Tina Hittenberger, Vernon & Marge Hodapp, Christie Heller, Kim Jacobsen,Ross & Karin Jones, Carolyn Kaufman, Kate Keaton, Mildred King, Jacqueline Klose, Douglas & Linda KarrBeatriz Lagos, Ron & Kathy Larsen, Hector Luevano, Gary Martz, Kathy Nagel, Len Nelson, Jaana Nieuwboer,Bente Niles, D. Norquist, Claire Pass, Donald Patterson, John & Evelyn Pedroni, John Hill Jr. & Laurel Powers,John & Judith Praetzel, Peg Redfearn, Valerie & Greg Reisinger, Jared Reser, William Reser, Hap & Carol Rhoverhamelman,Russell Rice, Timo & Frances Rivetti, Janet Rodd, Adrienne Rodgers, Faith Ross, Vreni Schnirman, Schusters Roost Painting,Donald Scott, Marilyn Sisler, Lorraine Skoog, Catherine Spector, Eric & Mary Ann Swanson, Sgt. Penry Military MuseumDon & Charlotte Siemens, Martin Simpson, Mark & Joanna Tomlinson, Lee & Marj Torliatt, Carolyn Torliatt, Don & Joy Waite,David Watts, Joanne White
Linda Adams & Ken Larson, Mr. & Mrs. Marv Ashman, Ron Bausman & Art Wagner, Jim Becker, Ann &Gordon Blumenfeld, Walter & Marilyn Bragdon, Tom & Kathy Brandal Virginia Breedlove, Arthur & SelmaCader, Codding Foundation, Clark & Susan Coolidge, James and Liz Cohee, John Cota & Teresa Barrett,Jack Dei, Sr., Angela E. De Carli, Daniel & Elissa DeCaro & Family, Marvin & Shirley Dolowitz, DianeDorfman, Karen & James Ely, June Ferguson, Bonna & George Flynn, C. Michael Forrest, Alice &Donald Forsyth, Jim & Kris Foster, Kathy & Richard Fries & Family, George & Margaret Gambonini &Family, Cheryl & Derlin German, Ken & Annette Goltermann Family, Margaret Gossett, AliceGuglielmetti, Bill & Connie Hammerman, Ann Hobrecht, Miriam Hodge, Gary & Lynn Imm, Carol Isaak,Toby Kaehler, Steve & Karen Kemmerle, Mildred King, Bill & Lucy Kortum, Jack & Verna Krout, Rollie &Shirley Leeburg, Catherine & Theodore Lehmann, Paul & Marlene Lewis, Blanch Lieb, Sid & GerryLipton, Constance Mahoney, Amy Malaise & Gary Fusco, Peter Masi/Master Cleaners, Charles & EvelynMatteri, Shirley B. McDonald, Mc Dowell Drug Task Force, James & Sue Mc Isaac, Keith & DebbieMcNeil, Robert & Virginia Merwin, Max Mickelsen, Pierre & Sonja Miremont, Tim & Lori Nelson,Tammara Norman & Edwin Hamilton, Ross Parkerson, Edward & Barbara Peterson, Ray & EttamariePeterson, Charles & Mary Pheil, Russel Pleech, Shep & Velma Porter, Lawrence Reed, Ed & BernadetteRicci, Tim & Deborah Riddle, Katherine & William Rinehart, Walter & Emily Roeder, Rotary Club ofPetaluma, Jerry & Mary-dee Roy, Gloria Salick, Nancy Sasser, Richard & Lucille Sharke, Shep & LouShepherd, Alba Silva, Skip Sommer, Springfield Place, Clarice Stasz, Thomas & Mary Stelzner, BarbaraTornberg, UBS Financial Services, Gene & Lenore Urbain, Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 563,Michael & Elaine Von der Porten, Marcie Waldron, Ruth Walker, Ron & Judy Walters, Margery Wolf,Sarah Young, Scott & Meredith Young, Nick Zaillian
MembershipPetaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 201415
Thank you foryour support!
All membership dues are valid one year beginning the month of enrollment and are tax deductible as provided by law.
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS & CATEGORIES
1. Visit our website, petalumamuseum.com, complete the membership form and make a PayPal, Visa orMastercard payment
2. Complete the attatched form, pay with Visa or Mastercard or enclose your check made payable to thePetaluma Musem Association and mail it to our address on the payment form
3. Call the PMA office at (707) 778-4398 Monday through Friday, between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM, and paywith your Visa or MasterCard.
ADDITIONAL WAYS TO SUPPORT THE PMAVolunteer - the PMA welcomes and sincerely appreciates members who can dedicate their time and energyGive the gift of membership - the cost will be discounted 10%Be a “Legacy Donor” - the PMA is delighted to offer naming opportunities to those giving “Leadership Gifts”
Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 201416
J0IN OR RENEW - It’s Easy to Do
Petaluma Museum Association Newsletter - Winter 201417
COLLECTOR’S CORNERPetaluma Museum Association Newsletter -Winter 201418
Museum Collection Updateby Solange Russek
The Long Voyage to PetalumaThis meta l boxc a m e f r o mGermany in 1893via slow boat onthe lowest deckcalled steerage.Once it docked inNew York it cameby 3 rd class rai lfrom New York to
Petaluma. This box became the “Bread box” in theThorgensen Ranch fami ly ’s k i t chen . TheThorgensen Family came from the Isle of Furnear Denmark . ( I w i l l be in te rv iew ing theThorgensens granddaughter later this month.)
Are You a Cockerel or aPullet?
You wou ld need t h i sl o u p e t o s e e . T h e s eunique lenses were usedto determine the sex ofchicks to fulfill orders.Thanks to Janet Althousew h o d o n a t e d t h e s elenses and many photosof the H&N Hatchery that
was on F & 7th Streets. Her dad Heimer “Ham”Carlson is seen wearing them as he inspects thechicks.
Members Private CollectionsThis thermometer wassubmitted by Dan Brown.The Royal Tallow & SoapCompany once stood at2592 Lakeville Hwy. (nearthe end of Casa GrandeRoad) and wasdemolished in 2008. Itoperated from 1941through the mid-1970swhen it became a transferstation. It closedcompletely in 1994.At its height it employed 14plant workers, 15 truckdrivers and two officeworkers.
Also from member Dan Brown’s collection isthis Golden Eagle Milling Companycalendar dated 1893. The name GoldenEagle acknowledged the mill that wasestablished on this site by Hiram Fairbanksand others in 1888. The company began asa 50-barrel a day flour mill, but by 1893 wasproducing 200 barrels a day. Flourproduction was phased out in 1924.
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Petaluma Historical Library & Museum
Current exhibit - It’s All About the Music - Feb. 1- Mar. 16with a tribute to Nelson Mandela
