|
A Chronological Survey Of Some Of The Happenings In South
Lake County And Its Surroundings By: Bill
Wink © 2024 Page 3 Fire Middletown December 20, 1895 It was reported by the Napa Register on December 20th,
1895; that prior to that date, fire struck the business section of Middletown
destroying a block of buildings. Those buildings housed C. M. Young’s general
merchandise store, the Post Office, J. B. Lynn’s notions and grocery store,
G. W. Warren’s bakery, C. H. Teller’s jewelry establishment and Mathews and
Lampel’s saloon. <<<>>> In 1896
a man named Andrew B. McCreery started buying up land, part of what
had once been included in the Rancho Guenoc land grant. He bought out Bowen,
Emile & Honorine Lalanne, Ike Shaw, Jim Watson, Theron Ink, and Freddie
Gebhard’s 3,000 acres. Included in
his purchase from Gebhard was the lake named Wennok which bears McCreery’s
name today. <<<>>> Mrs.
Langtry Divorced 1897 Los Angeles
Herald 14 May 1897 SAN
FRANCISCO, May 13, Mrs. Lillian Langtry, the famous English actress,
was today granted a decree divorcing her from Edwin Langtry by Judge Crump of
Lake county at Lakeport, the county seat, the specific grounds being
desertion and failure to provide. She was also awarded the custody of her
daughter Jeanne. Mrs. Langtry was a bona fide resident of Lake county, having
owned a large ranch near Middletown for the past ten years. <<<>>> W. R.
arrived in California from Fairlee, Orange County, Vermont in the late 1840s
and was living in Yuba, California in 1850. W. R. married Christiana December
10, 1862 in Sonoma county. After
marrying Christina they made their way to Lake county in the 1860s settling
west of what would become Middletown. He registered to vote in Lake county
August 1, 1866 and is listed in Middletown in 1872. In the
early morning of June 25th, 1897, a posse led by Lake
county Sheriff G. W. Pardee encountered W. R. Coburn near Maker’s Corner, the
latter was armed with a rifle. Shortly after the meeting a member of the
posse shot and killed Coburn under suspicious circumstances. Coburn asked:
“Why did you shoot me, I didn’t do anything wrong?” But it
wasn’t a coincidence that the parties involved happened to meet where and as
they did. The Posse had been searching for the younger Coburn, George, as he
was a wanted man, a fugitive from the law and he, George, had just shot and
seriously wounded a member of this same posse. George
Coburn’s deeds were so infamous in the area that he had even earned major
recognition and that was, whenever anyone was missing something, they would
utter: “George Coburn Must Be Back!”. George was
an odd fellow in more ways than one. He was a member of the I.O.O.F., or the
International Order of the Odd Fellows but he was also a kleptomaniac. He
could not resist the urge to steal, period. What he stole did not have to be
of great value, it could be a broom, a school book, a buggy whip, a hat or
women’s clothing. It was the sense of pleasure he felt after the theft that
made him do what he did. He stashed his bounty throughout the area west of
Middletown. George was
indeed an odd fellow, but that does not mean he was a dummy, far from it, as
those pursuing him would learn. George had been arrested during November
1895, tried and sentenced, and he escaped March 1896 and the chase began. What
happened to George is a mystery. George was never reported as being seen
after his mother sold the ranch. However, folks still blamed George when
something came up missing. The old
ranch house burned down in 1912, its occupants barely escaping with their
lives. The cause of the fire was undetermined, it was speculated it may have
been started by mice and stick matches. The
Middletown Independent reported: “If
the old house held any secrets of the doings or ingenious work of young
George Coburn they are forever erased.” I wonder
where George Coburn was that particular night? Possibly playing with matches? <<<>>> David
and Lena Strickler traveled from Iowa to California by covered wagon stopping
off in Colorado where Maud was born in 1883. On 20 August 1890 the family was
in San Diego, CA where they had bought property. On August 2, 1895 David and
Lena purchased 159 acres in Kern County, CA several miles north of San Diego.
The dry conditions in southern California must have made farming difficult.
So within a few years David made another property deal, and by 1900 acquired
land in Lake County in northern California. The family packed up their
belongings in two covered wagons and headed north with the oldest son Ned
driving one of the teams for the two week trek. One
can imagine what Lena must have thought as she began the last leg of their
journey in Lake County, climbing from the low lands around Middletown, up the
ridges of Cobb Mountain on the twists and turns of the stage road, until they
arrived at the summit with the big meadow, the cold mountain springs, and the
tall pines. It must have seemed like heaven compared to the furnace that
southern California had been. Soon she had named the place Whispering Pines
for the afternoon breezes that swayed the tall trees, and their wandering
seemed over. <<<>>> “Dry”
Votes Win In Lake County 1908 “SAN FRANCISCO CALL 11/7/1908 Prohibitionists Carry
Middletown by Thirty-one Majority After Long Campaign SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE
CALL MIDDLETOWN, Nov. 6. — The
greatest election surprise in the history of this town was sprung here
Tuesday when Middletown went “dry” with 31 votes majority, and local saloon
men and their followers make the statement broadcast that “the town is
ruined.” Early in the ballot
counting it was seen that Middletown South would go dry by the local option
law, as votes against the saloon ran about 2 to 1, and at the finish of the
counting the temperance people had gained their victory with a majority of 27
votes. However, as there are no saloons in this precinct no material gain or
loss could be sustained. In Middletown North until
the last six votes were counted the town was wet and the saloonists
were preparing to have a banquet in honor of their victory, but each of the
remaining six votes were prohibitionist and the saloon league was defeated by
four votes. Owing to the inefficiency
of the local telephones all the precincts in `the county have not been heard
from. The reports received give the anti-saloon league the idea that more dry
votes were cast throughout the country than wet. However, this has no effect,
except to show the trend of sympathy and opinion. Lakeport, the county seat
of this county, has all but one saloon voted from its midst, while at
Kelseyville the north precinct went dry, thus abolishing the bars at Soda Bay
summer resort and Grand hotel. Upper Lake and Lower Lake
are the only towns in the county that are not dry or partly dry. These two
towns had large wet majorities. In the precincts heard
from, 14 saloons have been voted closed as follows: Lakeport, four: Kelseyville,
one; Soda Bay, one; Witter Springs, one; Laurel Dell, one; Batchelor Valley
(which includes the bar at Bartlett Springs), one; Middletown, four; Harbin
Springs, one. Probably there will be more when the returns come in. Whether this movement
will be to the advantage of Lake county in general remains to be seen.
Middletown will be affected most, as through this town, the summer travel
pours from the city to the many resorts in the country. Harbin Springs, also,
has heretofore been a favorite retreat of the sporting set and much material
loss in custom is expected at that place. Yet Adam Springs has been
voluntarily dry for some years and enjoys the largest patronage of any resort
in the county.” <<<>>> Strange Deaths At Middletown 1908 Weekly
Calistogian, 8 January 1909 STRANGE
DEATHS AT MIDDLETOWN F. MOROSOLI AND F. SALMINA SKIN DISEASED COW WITH FATAL
RESULTS. —St.
Helena Sentinel. Fulgenzlo Morosoli anil Felix Salmina, of
Middletown, Lake county, are dead as the result of skinning a diseased cow. Morosoli conducted a dairy at Middletown and Salmina was in his employ. About the 19th of December the
two men skinned the carcass of a cow which had died of disease. There was a
large lump on the animal’s jaw which was full of matter and when cut open
emitted a frightful stench. Two or three days after the skinning operation
both men were taken ill with what Dr. G. G. Hawkins of Middletown pronounced
progressive bulbar paralysis. Morosoli died on the
23rd and Salmina on Christmas day. By direction of
Dr. A. J. Kahn, of the county board of health, C. R. Pickering went to
Middletown and brought the body of Salmina to St.
Helena, placing it in his morgue. There an autopsy was performed by Dr. Kahn
and a physician from the United States Marine hospital San Francisco. The
result of the autopsy confirmed the diagnosis of the attending physician, but
did not determine definitely the cause of the paralysis, although in view of
the circumstances of the case, the men were doubtless infected with anthrax. About
1882, Andrew Rocca and his friend J. C. Voluntine
invested in a large tract of land and then continued purchasing more land
until their 'ranch' was 4,000 acres. It was to become a 'dairy ranch'. This
property was located about 2 miles from Middletown alongside the road going
to Lower Lake. The Voluntines lived on the place in
the 80s into the early 90s and made extensive improvements. But Voluntine's poor health forced him to sell and Rocca
purchased his interest in 1894. It
was the custom to have the place managed by some Italian-Swiss family. One
family was the Salaminas, who later opened a
successful resort on Cobb Mountain. The
dairy was under management of another family when tragedy struck in December,
1908. The dairy was operated at the time by a man in his early thirties,
named Fulgenzio Morosoli, and he had as his
assistant a man of forty-five named Felix Salmina.
Shortly before Christmas, first Morosoli and then Salmina became desperately ill with symptoms which the
local physician. Dr. G. G. Hawkins, found both baffling and alarming. Their
illnesses began with great lassitude and general debility, accompanied by
severe headaches and some nausea. Soon they were suffering from disturbed
vision, they experienced great difficulty in talking or swallowing, and their
tongues were swollen. On December 23, Morosoli
died, and two days later, on Christmas Day, Salmina
passed away. In each case death was preceded by gasping, labored breathing
and by choking on saliva as the neck and chest muscles gradually became
paralyzed. It became increasingly difficult for them to move their tongues,
and finally all of the muscles of respiration and the vocal chords became
rigid with paralysis. The cause of death was listed by the attending
physician as "progressive bulbar paralysis." Dr.
Hawkins had, of course, been questioning Mrs. Morosoli
about every aspect of her husband's and Salmina's
lives shortly before they were stricken. For the moment, at least, food
poisoning was ruled out, not only because of the strange symptoms, but
because there did not appear to be any source of such infection. But
when Mrs. Morosoli remembered that on December 19,
only a day or two before they became ill, Morosoli
and Salmina had found and skinned a dead cow, the
doctor thought that he might have stumbled on a clue to the mystery. Could
it, he wondered, have been anthrax? And while he was careful not to state his
fears as a positive diagnosis, anthrax was mentioned as a definite
possibility. An
autopsy was performed on Salmina in St. Helena by
Dr. A. J. Kahn of the Napa County Board of Health, and by a physician from
the United States Marine Hospital in San Francisco. They confirmed the local
doctor's diagnosis of "bulbar paralysis" as the immediate cause of
death, without determining the reason for the paralysis. By the time their
findings were reported in the local press, however, the story had been
considerably embellished, and what was still mere conjecture, was now stated
as fact. The Sentinel article stated categorically that Morosoli
and Salmina were "dead as a result of skinning
a diseased cow," adding that "doubtless the men were infected with
anthrax." In
the meantime, the proper authorities had quarantined the dairy as a
precautionary measure, pending further investigation. That action made it
impossible for anyone to care for the herd, even if sufficiently hardy souls
could have been found to brave the
dangers of contagion. As a result, the cows suffered untold miseries,
when they were not milked as they should have been and were turned
out to fend for themselves. Rocca,
skeptical of the anthrax theory from the first began making some inquiries of
his own. In particular, he questioned Mrs. Morosoli
in minute detail about everything the men had eaten for several days before
they were taken ill. Apparently,
the two men had worked late one evening, long past the usual supper hour. The
rest of the family ate their supper, and when the men came in, Mrs. Morosoli opened a can of beans as part of their meal. The
remainder of the beans was left in the can and served to Morosoli
and Salmina for their lunch the next day. Rocca
exclaimed: "It was the string beans that killed Morosoli
and Salmina—I'm sure of it." In
the light of later medical knowledge, it became fairly obvious that the men
had died of botulism, the deadly food poisoning caused by the "toxin
formed by the growth of the botulinum microorganisms usually in under
processed canned foods," a poison which was in the food before the can
was opened and which could
only have been destroyed by vigorous boiling over high heat for at least
fifteen or twenty minutes. NOTE*
The intimate details of this event came from a
story written by Helen Rocca Goss titled
“Belated Diagnosis” <<<>>> The Murder Of Ham Herrick 1914 For
several years Hamlin Webster was a very successful teamster with his own
freighting business in southern Lake county. His
brother, Ossian engaged in teaming, working for others. In the 1900 census,
Ossian was living in Leesville, Colusa county, California. Brother
Augustus rented the family farm and
continued to farm in Lower Lake. Brother
Silas became a well-respected agriculturist and in 1898 he went to the
Hawaiian Islands where he became the general foreman of the Kappa Hulu estate
which was an extensive dairy ranch. He returned to Lower Lake in 1900. Brother
Edward became a blacksmith and hired on at the New Idra
mine in San Benito, California. Eventually returning to Lower Lake then to
Middletown. He and a brother also dabbled in mining. In
1890 Hamlin Webster, “Ham”, married Alice Maude Lewis, a native of
California. They originally made their home in Lower Lake but in a short
while relocated to Middletown. In January 1892 they had a son, Fred Raymond. Brothers
Ham and Silas opened Herrick’s General Store in Middletown in 1900. It was an
immediate success and their reputation around the area grew. In
1907 Silas married a local Middletown girl, Cora Brooks. Ossian
R. never married. He lived with his mother on the family property until she
passed. On
April 10th, 1908 Hamlin Nelson Herrick (father) passed at the age
of 72. His final resting place is in the Middletown Cemetery. In
1912 the Herrick brothers, Ham and Silas formed the Herrick Company that
consisted of three members. Those were, Mr. and Mrs. Hamlin Webster Herrick
and Silas Herrick. By this time they were also agents for the Wells Fargo
Express Company. Ham
and Alice’s son Fred, at this time, was going to school and working as a
bookkeeper in Sacramento. May
6th, 1914. Ham and his brother Ossian were in the store in
Middletown on Calistoga Street. There
was a moving picture showing in town that evening and it was about 9:30pm
when three strangers entered the store. The
local Doctor, who was relatively new to Middletown, was passing by the store
and noticed the three men. Not recognizing them as anyone he knew he passed
on by. A few minutes later he heard a gunshot, but that was nothing new for
Middletown and he gave it little or no attention. When
the three men entered the store two of the men were clean shaven and the
third had his face covered. They brandished weapons and demand the brothers
put their hands up. Ossian did as was told but Ham took a step toward the
robbers. One of the three men opened fire hitting Ham in the head. Ham fell
to the floor dead. They pushed Ossian to the back of the store, gaged him and
tied him up. They left with about $50.00 and never touched the Wells Fargo
safe. Seems
their original plan was to make Ham open the safe but one robber panicked and
ruined the plan. Several
of those attending the moving picture had left their horses tied outside. The
murders each helped themselves to a horse and made their escape. The
three stolen horses belonged to; Willie Hardester, Roland Clark and Leonard
Reese. After
about half an hour, Ossian freed himself and raised the alarm regarding the
robbery and murder of his brother Ham. Five
miles east of Middletown up Bucksnort Canyon was the Hardester mine where the
Hardesters had a cabin. It was reported that the
three murders were holed up in the mine shaft. As
one of the three suspects came out of the brush heading for the cabin to get
food he was surprised and captured by the Sheriff’s posse and didn’t put up a
fight. His capture was effected by Deputy Sheriffs John Crabtree, Newton
Booth, W. D. Jeffreys and F. R. Penny. The man they captured was identified
as Jack Crane. However, during questioning, he said his name was Arthur
Fitzgerald. He was wearing a bloody shirt. Within
a short time the identity of the three suspects was determined. The one in
custody was for certain, Arthur Fitzgerald, the others were; Arthur’s brother
Earl “Eddie” Fitzgerald and Robert “Bert” Bell, all known criminals. There
were ten posses of five men each scouring the area for miles around the
Hardester mine, searching for the other two men, but to no avail. The two
desperados were able to slip through all that man-power. It
was reported that the two fugitives stopped at a home on Union Street in Napa
and got food. There are conflicting reports about the reception they received
at that house. Eventually
they made it all the way to Pennsylvania, where in September, they split up
and went different directions. On
July 9th, 1914 the Healdsburg Tribune Enterprise reported: “TO PRISON FOR LIFE Arthur Fitzgerald, found
guilty of murder in the first degree by the jury, in his trial for the
killing of Hamlin Herrick at Middletown on May 6th, last week received his
sentence of life imprisonment from Superior Judge M. S. Sayre in Lakeport,
and was taken to San Quentin. Mrs. Fitzgerald, mother of the prisoner,
accompanied him.” The
same newspaper had reported a week earlier: “Fitzgerald practically
convicted himself, when he admitted on the stand his participation in the
robbery of the store, although he insisted that he was coerced into the
crime. Damaging evidence against the man was given by Detective P. Fisher of
Sacramento, who testified that Fitzgerald was a member of a holdup gang, the
other two members of which are still at large.” After
Ham’s death, his son, Fred, moved back to Middletown to work in the store. Early
in 1915, January, it was being reported that fugitive Bell had been captured
by a Wells Fargo detective. The arrest took place in Coffeyville, Kansas
where Bell had been seen and identified by an associate he had served time
with in prison. Bell was returned to Lakeport. Bell’s
trial started in April and on April 23rd, 1915 the Weekly
Calistogian reported: “BELL IS GUILTY; GIVEN
LIFE TERM” It
took the jury only three hours of deliberation to reach their verdict and
most of that time was spent debating whether the punishment should be death
or life in prison. Bell
was sent to San Quentin to join Arthur Fitzgerald. Lake
county Sheriff McKelly had sent out reward circulars with photographs of
Fitzgerald and Bell and soon received information about Earl Fitzgerald. It
was reported on July 30th, 1915 that Earl Fitzgerald had been
captured in Missoula, Montana. He had been arrested on a robbery charge and
identified as Fitzgerald by Sheriff McKelly’s circular. Extradition papers
were filed and soon Fitzgerald would be returned to Lakeport. On
August 13th, 1915, the St. Helena Star reported the following: “Sheriff Lon McKelly and
Dr. W. R. Prather, of Lake county, returned Tuesday from Missoula, Montana,
accompanied by Eddie Fitzgerald, one of the trio accused of the murder of
Hamlin Herrick, a year or more ago. Fitzgerald was arrested in Montana for a
highway hold-up and lodged in jail as Moran. The sheriff decided that the
fellow looked like the photograph of Fitzgerald so communicated with the Lake
county Sheriff. The result was that Sheriff McKelly and Dr. Prather left ten
days ago for Montana and on Tuesday evening reached Napa with their man.
Fitzgerald was lodged in the county jail at Napa until Wednesday when he was
taken to Lakeport to face trial on the charge of Murder. Bert Bell and Arthur
Fitzgerald, the two other men arrested for the killing of Herrick, are now
serving life sentences in San Quentin prison.” Earl would face the same fate and was sentenced
to life in prison. <<<>>> It
was after church services on Sunday, March 3rd, 1918 and well into the
noon-time meal hour when the alarm was raised; FIRE! Spier’s Garage. March
is the month that marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring and is
known for being a windy time and this day was no different. The wind was
blowing, sometimes fiercely, from the south to the north fanning the flames
into a wind driven blaze that was going to have its way with the entire
business district of Middletown before it burnt itself out. The only places
of commerce reported left untouched were the Post Office and a garage at the
south end of town, however, there were conflicting reports about the Post
Office. Bucket
brigades were formed and people worked themselves to exhaustion trying to
tame this wild beast called ‘fire’ but without success. It moved back and
forth across 80-foot-wide Calistoga Street at will, burning one business
after the other giving those who owned them little or no time to try and
salvage anything from their establishments. The
burning buildings fell into heaps of white-hot coals, producing showers of
sparks and sending burning embers onto their neighbors, thereby, feeding the
appetite of the beast. A barber shop here, a butcher shop there, an empty
saloon next, it continued to burn building after building, destroying
business after business for two full hours, sometimes taking only minutes to
ruin a future. Those
who were fighting the beast experienced the futility of trying to beat back
the intense heat and destruction that had been released on them from the
gates of hell, but they tried. Those
businesses and individuals who were later reported to have fallen victim to
this beast were: C.
S. Piner's general store. D.
F. Reinike’s dry goods store Frank
Vallette’s bakery Herrick's
General Store James
Rees’s barber shop. John
Nelson's barber shop. Mrs.
G. Barker's candy store. Mrs.
G. Warren's home. Mrs.
G. Warren's unoccupied livery stable Odd
Fellow's Hall Robert
Smith's vacant saloon. Robert
Tocher's blacksmith shop and planing mill Thomas
Albert ‘Bert’ Read's drug store. The
Commercial Hotel The
Lake County House The
Odd Fellow's business block containing C. E. Lewis realty and the Middletown
Independent. The
unoccupied Exchange Saloon Vacant
building owned by F. C. Deering W.
F. Snow's butcher shop White
Transportation Company's garage and automobiles William
Spier's Garage. Several
of these structures were two story. Most, unfortunately, had little or no
insurance. It was estimated that only about 10 percent of the loss was
covered by insurance. Devastating as it was though, no one had lost their
life, was burned or injured. Fire
was certainly nothing new to anyone who lived in this area and because fire
was a reality, Middletown had raised 350 dollars toward the purchase of a
hand-drawn combination chemical fire-engine. But its cost was 450 dollars and
being 100 dollars shy, no order had been placed for the engine. However,
there was no remorse as everyone knew that had the town possessed the
fire-engine it would have played a very small part in dealing with the
monster that had devoured essentially every business and building on
Calistoga and Main streets. It
was reported that one of the greatest losers was Mort Stanley, editor and
publisher of the Middletown Independent, who was unable to save anything from
his office and who had no insurance. He was quoted as saying: "The only
thing saved from my shop was the front door key and I haven't a front door
anymore". Unfortunately, the newspaper would soon become a fatality of
the fire. After trying to publish the paper from Lakeport he issued the final
paper March 16th, 1918 but not without reporting that certain parties were
stealing goods from doomed businesses during the fire and how these people
were low enough to kiss the belly of a snake. After
the monster had satisfied its appetite and the business district lay in a
smoldering heap, the town’s people traumatized and in shock, still vowed to
rebuild. A
moment of levity was produced when a vat of pickled pork, minus the vat and
the brine, was pulled by W. F. Snow from his devastated butcher shop, fully
cooked, and he shared it with all present. That
evening the community pulled together to feed all the firefighters and the
ones who were still monitoring the smoldering remains. The
monster was finally dying. But
what had started the fire? Progress started the fire. The automobile, the
wonder of transportation at that time, required different services than just
those of a blacksmith. So those in the transportation business had to embrace
progress or die. Therefore, they had to be prepared to provide the services
the automobile required and one of those items an auto needed was rubber
inflatable tires. To repair those tires required a new process called
vulcanization which required heat. It was reported that an un-attended
vulcanization plant, inside Spier’s Garage, caught fire and spread rapidly
through the wood structure. The beast fed on other flammable materials
within, growing in strength. Then the wind, it did the rest, releasing the
beast on Middletown with a deafening roar and wind driven burning embers. <<<>>> The Lake County House Is No More 1918
From
the beginning in 1875 through 1918 there were a few different owners of the
Lake County House. By 1890 Charles M. Young was no longer the owner as John
McGreer had acquired the hotel from Young. Then in 1911 it was reported that
the new owner was Bert Levy and he would take control that September. After
the 1918 fire, Silas Herrick bought the remnants and built a new hotel. The
Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported in their April 9th, 1920
edition, that a Santa Rosa contractor had just completed the building of the
Herrick Hotel “a fine structure of brick and stucco, finished with 28
rooms, equipped with hot and cold water and all modern conveniences”. The
Lake County House had been both a famous and infamous landmark during it’s
time, often mentioned in local newspaper reporting. It was in front of the
Lake County House where Tom Dye shot and killed Charles Bates. It was where a
bartender, working at the hotel, Albert Davis, shot and killed an inebriated
client “Skippy” Mathewson. The Lake County House was where John Good sought
refuge after being shot by Buck English in 1876. John McGreer, who had
acquired the hotel from Young, one evening had a dispute with his son over
the leasing of the hotel. Seems the son thought he was acquiring the lease,
however, John had decided otherwise. This so upset the son that following the
dispute, he shot and killed himself in the parlor of the hotel right in front
of his father. And it was where a depressed Chinese chef had committed
suicide by jumping off the water tower behind the hotel. So,
after nearly forty three years, the Lake County House was replaced by the
Herrick Hotel. The new structure, built in 1920 following the 1918 fire,
still stands today but is no longer a hotel. <<<>>> After
the 1918 fire, Silas Herrick bought the remnants of
the Lake County House and built a new hotel. The Santa Rosa Press
Democrat reported in their April 9th, 1920 edition, that a Santa Rosa
contractor had just completed the building of the Herrick Hotel “a fine
structure of brick and stucco, finished with 28 rooms, equipped with hot and
cold water and all modern conveniences”. So,
after nearly forty three years, the Lake County House was replaced by the
Herrick Hotel. The new structure, on the South West corner of Calistoga and
Main streets, still stands today but is no longer a hotel. <<<>>> In
1912 William Ferdinand Detert sold his Argonaut
Mine in Jackson, CA and went into cattle ranching. He began buying up land in
south Lake county. He bought out Mastick, McCreery, Brookins, Herman and
Hennessey and when he was finished he had acquired total acreage nearly equal
to the original land grant and he named his holdings Guenoc Rancho. This was
around 1920. At
Guenoc he built, at the time, the largest earthen dam with a rock core in
existence, effectively damming up Bucksnort Creek. The reservoir, which
encompassed 120 acres and held 1300 acre feet of water, was to provide
irrigation water for several hundred acres of pasture. The
irrigation was flood irrigation and it was all gravity flow. The piping for
this was all concrete pipe that was purchased from the Cement Works in St.
Helena, California. This was around 1925. The reservoir is named after Mr.
Detert. Guenoc
Rancho experienced many improvements while under the ownership and guidance
of the Detert family. They not only built Detert Reservoir they improved
Wennok lake as well. The creek bed of Bucksnort was dredged and levied on
both sides as well as the lake was levied on the south side and a spillway
put in place. This effectively increased the size of the lake dramatically. During
the Detert Families stewardship Guenoc Rancho was self-sustaining, growing
huge vegetable gardens, orchards of fruit trees, producing milk, butter and
cheese from their dairy cows and raising farm animals for food as well as
having access to large numbers of wild game, such as; rabbits, deer, raccoon,
several different kinds of fish, amphibians, game birds and water fowl. <<<>>> Middletown
Times-Star 1928 Napa
Journal 15
April 1931 Editor
Edward C. Runyon, of the Middletown Times-Star, was a business visitor in
Napa yesterday. Under the direction of Editor Runyon, the Times-Star has made
rapid progress and is a publication of which the residents of lower Lake
County may well be proud. Mr. Runyon's publication has now been in existence
over a year and he is making application with the courts to have it
established as a newspaper of general circulation, in order that legal
notices may be accepted.
In
an article published by the Napa Valley Register
dated 2 June 1922 we find the following: Ed.
Runyon Publisher in Lake County Edward
C. Runyon, until recently publisher of the “Napa County Motor Review,"
is now publisher and owner of the “Twin City Times,” which is dedicated to
the interests of Middletown, Lower Lake and Southern County. If Mr. Runyon’s
future products are to be judged by his first, his success is assured. He has
prepared a weekly paper filled with spicy news, attractive headings, and a
goodly number of ads. And
by 1928 the Middletown Times Star was a reality. Napa
Journal 17
June 1928 Editor
Edward C. Runyon of the Middletown Times Star is visiting in Napa over the
week end. So
it seems, 10 years after the death of the Middletown Independent, Middletown
once again had a newspaper. <<<>>> Twelve Years After The Spier’s
Fire 1930 Around
11 o’clock in the morning on July 7th, 1930, at the corner
of Stewart and Lake streets, tendrils of smoke wafted into the air. This was
because some local boys smoking, had inadvertently started a fire. Would this
breathe life back into the monster that had died 12 years prior? The
answer came soon enough as the tendrils of smoke soon turned into a column
releasing the beast once more. Middletown
would be little better prepared to fight the monster this time than they were
before. With a south wind it was soon apparent this demon would do as it
pleased for some hours to come. The
fire start location was near Elbert ‘Pinkie’ Wilkinson’s sister Abbie’s home,
at the south end of town. She raised the alarm by going to her brother’s
garage and shouting FIRE! The
first fire fighter on scene, Orval Brennen, Pinkie’s mechanic, soon realized
a bucket of water and a burlap sack were not going to be adequate. Middletown
did have some equipment by this time, compliments of Lake county, but no
organized group to respond as a unit to fight fire. The county had provided
them with a Packard truck with hard rubber tires with an 800-gallon water
tank, a Star four-cylinder engine and a Viking one-and-a-half-inch
high-pressure pump. A hose was inserted into the tank and the Star engine
fired the pump. The
county also provided a 50-gallon four-wheel soda and acid trailer. The soda
and acid would boil, creating pressure creating a large fire extinguisher. Brennen
returned to the garage to get the Packard but saw it was already leaving the
garage headed for the fire. This
time the fire was some distance from the business district but there were
plenty of homes for it to feed on, and it did, as it traveled north along the
west side of town near Rabbit Hill. The
beast, burning north on Stewart street, consumed 5 homes, several barns and
out buildings, jumped Main street and gutted the Presbyterian church before
leaving the town limits where it then consumed several acres north and east
of Middletown. The new elementary school, situated near the church, was
spared as it had fire proof tiles on its roof. It
was reported that a force of fifty men
followed the fire northward as
it burned a milewide path through brush property on adjoining ranches for a
distance of four miles. Plus an additional fire was started three miles from
Middletown, near Coyote Valley, by
wind carried embers. By
this time apparatus from Calistoga were on scene once again helping their
neighbors to their north. Eventually the fledgling State Division of Forestry
took over the suppression activity. Reported as being at the fire were
District Inspector R. E. Roach and Forest Rangers A. A. Wilkie of Sonoma
county and Buck Erickson of the Middletown district along with Taylor Day,
Lake county ranger. Those
reported to have suffered a loss from the fire were: Charles Johnson, Dave
Lundquist, Dennis Childers, F. J. Crabtree, Henry Knight, James Mason, James
Rees, Justin Reed, Max Cavanaugh, Mrs. Abbie (Wilkinson) Cranson, Mrs. Ludwig
Pikesch, Mrs. Mary Tripp, Mrs. Ray Young, Ralph
Read, Robert Tocher, Sam and Joe Rees and Sam Delany. Eventually
the beast was slain but what arose from the ashes of this latest fire were
the future dragon slayers, Middletown’s original first responders, the
Middletown Volunteer Fire Department was formed. <<<>>> LANDOWNERS AGREE TO 12 CENT TAX
The
local landowners agreed to tax themselves an annual 12 cent tax on their
property to go toward operating the M.V.F.D. The
first new piece of equipment purchased was a siren that would be used to
alert everyone of a fire. The siren was mounted on the roof of Pinkie
Wilkinson’s Garage. Before
this purchase, the bell at the Presbyterian Church was used as the fire
alarm, however, the church had been destroyed in this most recent fire so it
was time to move forward. When
the fire siren went off the firemen just left their businesses open and went
to the fire counting on friends and neighbors to “take care of business”.
The
departments next big purchase was a 1926 Chevrolet truck that they mounted
three old Standard Oil gasoline tanks and a pump on. The tanks would hold a
total of 500 gallons of water. This was around 1932. The
success of the Fireman’s Frolic allowed for the purchase of another Chevrolet
truck in 1936 and a ford in 1941.
The
Volunteers and their equipment in front of the fire house. The firemen are,
back row L-R: Ellis Field, Ray Moody Jr., Orval Brennen, Reed Hardester,
Marvin Higgins, Doc Barker, Al Terry & John Irwin. Front row L-R: Moss
Hunt, Dick Puser, Al Cook. <<<>>> Middletown
Luncheon Club 1930 Napa
Valley Register, 25 September 1933 MIDDLETOWN,
Sept. 25 - Closely linked with the progress of this community and indeed
responsible for a great deal of that progress the story of the activities of
the Middletown Luncheon Club is replete with highlights since its
organization in the fall of 1930. Today this club enjoys the sense of
responsibility of a group that has functioned and is still functioning for
the betterment and welfare of its community. The
original program of the club was the carrying to successful completion the
work of securing a community library in Middletown, fostered by Mrs. S. B.
Herrick and a group of local earnest ladies. C.
W. Gibson, now passed away, donated the building that houses our modern
library and it was built on a lot purchased through funds raised by the club.
In
every way the club has taken an interest in its schools and its children.
Christmas programs have been put on each year, as well as egg hunts at Easter
At the recent visit of Old Ironsides at Mare Island, trucks were furnished by
the club and expenses paid for transporting a large number of children to
visit the historic vessel. The formation of the local fire department and
fire district, meaning the saving of thousands of dollars to the community at
large, was the work of the Luncheon Club In
every community project attempted by any of the local organizations, the
Luncheon Club has freely granted of its time and funds to aid in carrying
these plans to a successful conclusion. <<<>>> Hardester's
Markets started as the “Corner Store” owned by partners John Irwin and Reed
Hardester RUNYON at RANDOM In
1953 On their 10 year anniversary A
Tribute To America The
story of the Corner Store Middletown's
largest local Industry The
success of these boys in their Corner Store is the story of all America -- it
is the result of our heritage and our ability to grab hold and ride'er to the ultimate goal or conclusion. We
salute you Corner Store—and all the rest of you who have had the courage and
energy to reach your goal of success. In
April of 1943 the Herrick Co business was bought. In the fall of 1943 the competitive Rood
grocery store business was bought, located in the IOOF building. This
business was closed out and a lease taken on the building. In the spring of 1944 this was opened as a
separate grocery store, arches cut through to the Herrick building and the
original store converted strictly to a hardware and appliance business. In
1945 the partners purchased the building between the IOQF building and the
post office but did not make use of it until 1952 when it was completely
remodeled to become the clothing store.
In 1949 the Herrick building was purchased and the upstairs changed
from a lodge hall to a modern clothing department. This was operated here until 1952 and the
move downstairs to the new, present location. In
1946 a walk-in refrigerator was built back of the store and in 1952 a huge
warehouse was constructed on their property back of the clothing store. Several
years ago appliances were moved from the hardware store to the section of the
IOOF building which forms the entrance to the upstairs hall. At
the present time they are engaged in moving the office from the rear of the
hardware store to the upstairs where modern
offices are being installed.
John Irwin & Reed Hardester <<<>>> Guenoc Rancho Detert to Woodland Farms 1952 William
F. Detert died in 1929 but his estate continued to own and operate Guenoc
Rancho until 1952 when they sold it to Woodland Farms and invested in
vineyards in Oakville, Napa Valley, California which they still own today. Mr.
E. T. Foley was president of Foley Bros. Inc., a heavy construction firm
founded by his father and uncles. The company moved from Minneapolis to Los
Angeles after receiving the contract to build the San Gabriel Dam #1 in the
1930's. The company projects also included building the anchoring for the
George Washington Bridge across the Hudson River (NY), and building large
docks and a highway in Iran, which became a key supply route to Russia during
the second World War. Edward
Timothy Foley and his wife Jean owned controlling interest in the 19,000 acre
Woodland Farms. They also owned Foley Farm in Santa Barbara where they had a
purebred Hereford cattle operation . E. T. and Jean leased Guenoc Rancho from
Woodland Farms to develop a commercial cattle operation. <<<>>> Rotary
Dial Phone Service Came to Middletown Saturday November 2, 1957 at
11:01 P.M. Party lines were still being used <<<>>> Press Democrat, 28 September 1958 Middletown Dedicates Minnie Cannon School By Staff Correspondent MIDDLETOWN This community will
dedicate its new Minnie Cannon Elementary School in ceremonies today and at
the same time honor the 90-year-old former teacher for whom the school is
named. Ceremonies at the school,
which contains six classrooms, kindergarten, rest rooms and custodian's room,
will take place at 2:30 p.m. with the Clear Lake Parlor, Native Daughters of
the Golden West, and Lower Lake Parlor, Native Sons of the Golden West, officiating. The Minnie Cannon
Elementary School was designed by Bruce Heiser. San Francisco, and built by
Reynolds Construction Co., Santa Rosa. Contract price was $95,887. Drive to name the school
after Mrs. Minnie Cannon was sparked by Ed Runyon, editor of the Middletown
Times Star, and serving on the committee were Alta Dunkin, Ida Rannells,
Evelyn Nelson and Irma Tarry. The dedication ceremonies
will mark the close of the three-day Reunion and Homecoming of former
students and residents of Middletown. Picnic First Preceding the dedication
will be a huge picnic for all celebrants at Forest Lake. Middletown residents
attending are being asked to bring their own group's refreshments. Those
staying at Forest Lake will have their picnic served by the management.
Middletown's Mrs. Cannon taught for many ears in
the schools here. She began her teaching
career at 19, after attending State Normal School at San Jose. She was born Minnie Ozenberger near St. Joseph, Mo., in 1868. Sha came west with
her parents and two sisters when a small child, settling in the state of
Washington. The family moved to
Middletown when she was 16. She began teaching in 1887 and, except for a
period of about 10 years, when she helped her husband in his merchandising
business, she taught until 1935, when she retired with a pension. : Mrs. Cannon's husband,
Robert, died in the early 1930's. 90 In April Mrs. Cannon
celebrated her 90th birthday anniversary on April 30, 1958. For 75 years she has
lived in the house her parents built on Main St., with the exception of a few
years that she spent with her sister, Mrs. Gertrude Parker, on the Parker ranch, now
owned by Ralph K. Davey. - In 1948 the ranch was
sold and Mrs. Cannon and Mrs. Parker moved back to the family home in
Middletown, where they live at the present time. <<<>>> The Geysers 1960 The
Geysers today is the world's largest geothermal field, containing a
complex of 18 geothermal power plants, drawing steam from more than
350 wells, located in the Mayacamas Mountains The
first geothermal wells drilled in Geyser Canyon were the first in the Western
Hemisphere. The first power plant at the Geysers was privately
developed by the owner of The Geysers Resort and opened in 1921,
producing 250 kilowatts of power to light the resort. September, 1960,
PG&E began operation of their 11-megawatt plant at the Geysers. <<<>>> Press
Democrat, 28 June 1961 Parade
Winners Named MIDDLETOWN
Sweepstakes winner in the grand parade at the recent Middletown Days
celebration was the Middletown Indian Rancheria Float with Susan Simon as the
Indian Princess. Luke Simon took the part of an Indian chief. The float was
covered with greenery, on which a cowhide tent was set up. Authentic headgear
used in the tribal dances around Clear Lake was a highlight of the float.
Other first, second and third place winners were: Organizations Redbud
Ramblers of Middletown (square dancing) , Boy Scouts of Middletown; Cub
Scouts of Middletown. Fraternal groups Middletown Queen float carrying queen
Beverly Noble, Junior Pipers with Shephards Pipes,
Senior Pipers. Old cars H. L. Hubert, Hoberg's Resort, and William Miller;
Comic prospector William Stimson and burro, Harbin Springs Fire Engine,
Middletown Fire Engine. Horse Riders Pope Valley Rebels, Mounted pair of
Indian girls from Lakeport, Spanish Rider of Lakeport horse drawn buggy with
Mr. and Mrs. John Parker and Mr. and Mrs. Elick Armstrong, all of Middletown.
All commercial entries were awarded participation ribbons. More than 1,500
persons attended the beef barbecue held in the new five-acre Central Park. <<<>>> Guenoc Ranch Foley to Magoon 1963 On
October 15, 1963 Magoon Estates Ltd. traded 34 acres of land in Honolulu near
the University of Hawaii for Guenoc Rancho. Foley leased the ranch back for
five years. Over
the next five years Foley dispersed his heard of purebred Herefords and
Magoon hired Earl Huston to run their new ranch and their commercial cattle
operation. At
one point before Earl retired the cattle herd reached nearly 3,000 head. Edward
Timothy Foley died October 8, 1968 just as the lease expired. <<<>>> Lions Club Builds Swimming Pool Park For
Community 1964 In
September, 1960, Kenneth Palmer urged the Lions Club to provide a swimming
pool for the community as part of the club's community service program. This
was to replace the dangerous and unsupervised holes in St. Helena Creek, long
used by local youngsters for swimming. Money
for the Middletown project was raised by the Lions Club from members and
other contributors over a period of 18 months. Six
acres of land was donated by Ralph K. Davies, owner of the adjoining Diamond
D. Ranch. Three acres then were sold to the Middletown Unified School
District and the proceeds were added to the pool fund. The
Lions Club then deeded the property and gave the funds to the county in 1962.
Next, the county contracted with William Kirkpatrick of Kelseyville for
construction of the pool. Construction
began in the spring of 1963 and the job was completed in time for use in the
summer of 1964, after unexpected problems with a high early season water
table. The
pool is 35 by 75 feet, with an adjoining pool 20 feet in diameter where
smaller children can wade. The Lions Club built a concrete block building to
house the dressing rooms, pool machinery and snack bar, have expanded the
concrete curbing and a walk around the pool, and enclosed the facility with
an attractive fence. <<<>>> The Murder Of Joan (Hamann) Dole 1966 In the small resort community of Anderson
Springs, in the Mayacamas Mountains of northern California, on a stormy
Sunday, the 20th of November 1966, sometime in the early morning hours, a
voluptuous, 35-year-old, blonde,
divorcee was murdered in her bed as she slept. She was shot 5 times
with a 32-caliber pistol at close range. Twice in the head; once in front of
the right ear and the other through the right jaw, once in each breast in the
areola at the nipple line and once in the abdomen, center to her breasts and
slightly below, which passed through her heart. With her head turned to the
left, the bullet entry points roughly made up the shape of a cross. If killing this woman was the only goal of the
murderer, then the 2 shots to the head would have done the job. But even
someone who is not a criminologist could see the bullet’s entry patterns were
intentional and were left as a message for the living to find. The setting where the murder took place was
nestled in a box canyon in the Mayacamas, that had been founded in the late
1800s. The house had been a summer cabin that was converted to accommodate
full-time residency and was placed along a year-round, spring fed creek. This
all set in tall pines, firs, oaks, madrones and dogwood. Then growing along
the creek were wild blackberries and huge fan ferns. Foard Road was very
serene but very secluded as well. The murder victim was Joan Margaret (Hamann)
Dole, the only child of Hugo and Juanita Hamann of Middletown. Their home was
just over 4 miles east of their daughter’s home on Foard Road. Joan had made her parents very proud. She
attended and graduated from Stanford University and while there had attracted
the attention of John Luther Dole Jr., who asked her to marry him and she
said yes. This murder was never solved. <<<>>> Hidden Valley Lake Subdivision Approved 1968 Press
Democrat, 19 June 1968 Lake
Planners Approve Huge New Subdivision By
GAYLE PEDERSEN The
tentative map for the first unit of a huge new subdivision in Lake County was
approved Thursday by the Lake County Planning Commission. The
subdivision, newly named Hidden Valley Lake, encompasses the Hartmann Ranch
between Lower Lake and Middletown as well as a good deal of adjoining
acreage. According
to the master plan of the Hidden Valley Lake sub division there will be a
total of approximately 2,500 lots, a 110 acre man-made lake and an 18 hole
golf course on the proposed site containing approximately 2,400 acres which
is adjacent
to Highway 29 First
unit of the subdivision calls for "907 lots and the 110 acre lake. Dam
construction for the lake which will inundate part of Spruce Grove rd. is
scheduled, to begin July 1 with completion by Oct. 15. The dam is expected to
fill in one year. The
portion of Spruce Grove rd. that will be involved in the dam site is in the
process of abandonment and before the supervisors, and the road will be
realigned at the subdividers expense probably to the north of the existing
road Developer
of the property is U.S. Land Inc., a subsidiary of the Boise Cascade Home and
Land Corn. Raymond Murphy and Associates is the engineering firm for the
corporation. During
the presentation of the tentative map for the subdivision Edward Robinson,
planning consultant, requested that the subdivision install a sewerage system After
discussion of the matter with Raymond Murphy, who presented the map, it was
decided that a sewer line be installed around the proposed man-made lake only
and this was made one of the conditions for approval of the map. <<<>>>
The
“Jonestown Massacre” occurred on November 18, 1978, when more than 900
members of an American cult called the Peoples Temple died in a mass
suicide-murder under the direction of their leader Jim Jones (1931-78). It
took place at the so-called Jonestown settlement in the South American nation
of Guyana. Jones had founded what became the Peoples Temple in Indiana in the
1950s, then relocated his congregation to California in the 1960s. In the
1970s, following negative media attention, the powerful, controlling preacher
moved with some 1,000 of his followers to the Guyanese jungle, where he
promised they would establish a utopian community. On November 18, 1978, U.S.
Representative Leo Ryan, who had gone to Jonestown to investigate claims of
abuse, was murdered along with four members of his delegation. That same day,
Jones ordered his followers to ingest poison-laced punch while armed guards
stood by. Alvin
Harold Simon Sr. He
was born in Middletown Rancheria, California. He lived in Cotati, California
94928 before he moved to Jonestown, Guyana where he lived in Cottage 45. He
was employed and skilled as an auto mechanic, laborer, and silver miner (Maaga). He entered Guyana on August 17, 1977. He was a
member of the Jonestown Security Team. Son of Jose Simon. Brother of Sue L.
Grimm. Partner of Bonnie Jean Simon. Father of Alvin Harold Simon, Jr.;
Crystal Michelle Simon; and Summer Rene Simon, uncle of Tina Lynn Grimm,
brother-in-law of Ronald Windus Grimm. On November 18, 1978, he wanted to
defect with the defectors with his three children and Congressman Leo Ryan
and the Press but his wife, Bonnie, made an emotional plea that was recorded
and rescinded the decision to leave unfortunately. <<<>>> Guenoc
Winery First Crush 1981 September
1981, Magoon Estates, under the expertise of Roy and Walter Raymond from
Raymond Vineyards and Cellars, finally brought to fruition Mrs. Magoon’s wish
to do something more romantic than raise cattle. After investing 10 million
plus dollars into their new Lake county winery, the first crush has taken
place. <<<>>> South Lake
County Fire Protection District 1987 The
transition from a loosely structured fire department, made up of strictly
volunteers, to a structured fire department with paid personnel was a very
bumpy ride. There
was anger, frustration, investigations and law suits before the wrinkles were
ironed out, however, in 1987 the South Lake County Fire Protection
District (SLCFPD) became an officially recognized district across the state.
It was the 3rd largest fire district in the state at that time. The
district covers, highway 29 from Hofacker lane to the Napa-Lake county line,
Butts Canyon road to the Napa-Lake county line, Middletown, Anderson Springs,
Cobb, Hoberg’s, Loch Lomond, part of Bottle Rock road, Harbin Springs, Big
Canyon to Seigler Canyon road, Hidden Valley Lake & Jerusalem Valley.
More than 280 square miles. Rather
than an appointed Board of Directors the district is run by a publicly
elected Board of Directors, all directors coming from within the bounds of
the district. The district has an annual operating budget of over 2.5 million
dollars and its professionalism is apparent and second to none. The
M.V.F.D. served the community of Middletown and the surrounding area
successfully for 57 years and it was hard for some folks to see it fade away. <<<>>> “Lake County Liberal Arts
College to Become a Reality” 1998 Those
were the headlines in 1998 and they were followed up with: “Thanks to people
like Chuck Doty, of Lake County Business Outreach, and Dr. Tim Sanders,
heading up the college project, the dream was not allowed to die. “Orville
and Karen Magoon, both former university teachers, have always hoped Guenoc
might someday be the site for a college dedicated to the idea of building
students for leadership in the world. The donation [the land] makes real a
dream ten years in the making.” <<<>>> Y2K Y2K
bug, a problem in the coding of computerized systems that was projected to
create havoc in computers and computer networks around the world at the
beginning of the year 2000. After more than a year of international alarm,
feverish preparations, and programming corrections, few major failures
occurred in the transition from December 31, 1999, to January 1, 2000. <<<>>> Supervisors Vote To Give Back
Guenoc Valley College Land Donation 2010 “College
at Guenoc Project Progress Report” was
the header followed by: “On May 12 and 13, luminaries from college campuses
around the nation met at Guenoc to discuss the development of the College at
Guenoc. The focus was on the literature of Professor Dennis O’Brien, who
addressed the group. As the aim of the college is to be leadership, the focus
seemed most appropriately turned on the humanities, bedded in the thoughts of
the great classical philosophers.” By
the year 2000 the “show me” group was starting to crow since the locals had
been told the college would welcome the graduates of 2003 and progress didn’t
seem to make that look very feasible.
Yet the PR campaign continued.
People from out of the area were now looking toward South Lake County
as a place to invest as the balloon went higher and higher. In
June of 2000 new energy and direction was brought to the project by Dr. Fran
Peretti and the header read: “Dr.
Peretti takes the Reins for Guenoc Valley College” The
release went on: “Considerable
funding is still necessary to make the college possible, and Dr. Peretti has
been enlisted to drive the campaign.
A newcomer to Lake County, she wants to see ground break for the
college as quickly as possible. The
Guenoc College spells opportunity and enrichment for our community. This
college will be a reality sooner than anyone can imagine, with Fran and
Guenoc teaming up to enlist the hope and vision of our community.” Lake
County News 22
JUNE 2010 LAKEPORT – Following a
brief staff report and no public comment, the Board of Supervisors voted
unanimously on Tuesday to return 1,040 acres that had been given to the
county 12 years ago for the purpose of building a private college. Magoon Estate Limited –
which at that time owned Guenoc Winery, later Langtry Estate and Vineyard –
gave the land near Middletown to the county in 1998 to hold while the board
of Guenoc Valley College raised funds to build the private institution, as
Lake County News has reported. The company put a
stipulation on the land donation that limited its use to the college project
alone, according to county officials. But an additional 200
acres with a flat area suitable for building which had been promised to the
effort was never handed over the county, officials reported. Since then, Hawaii-based
Malulani Investments has taken over Magoon Estate Limited. The company has
undertaken a a series of projects on the 22,000-acre
Langtry property, including a renovation of Lillie Langtry's home and a new
18-hole golf course project. Additionally, in a 2008
interview, Malulani Investments President Easton Manson told Lake County News
that the company was not willing to donate more land for the college plan,
and that its property was encumbered by loans for its projects. Last June the Board of
Supervisors voted to move forward with beginning the work to give the land
back to the Malulani Investments, which now owns the former Magoon Estate
Limited. The resolution that went before the board on Tuesday was a result of
that 2009 direction from the board, according to County Counsel Anita Grant. Given the topography of
the land donation, which Grant said was “mostly vertical,” it wasn't
conducive to a building project. Deputy County Counsel
Lloyd Guintivano worked with Malulani Investments
representatives to put together the proposed resolution, which completed the
process of rescinding the original land donation, Grant said. The agreement also
included a payment to the county of $27,090 to cover back property tax. Katherine Philippakis,
Malulani Investments' attorney, told the board, “We feel that this is the
best solution for all concerned.” When Board Chair Anthony
Farrington asked for public comment, no one came forward. College President Fran
Peretti – who last year had told the board that efforts were still under way
to establish the college – did not appear at the Tuesday meeting. A message
left for her was not returned. “The idea of a college
was a wonderful one and this piece of property is not conducive to that –
unless it was a mountain climbing college” said District 1 Supervisor Jim
Comstock, in whose district the land is located. Comstock moved to approve
the resolution rescinding the land donation, which the board approved 5-0. <<<>>> Valley
Fire 2015 THE
VALLEY FIRE TIME-LINE The
following time-line of the Valley Fire came from posts on the fire-fighters
blog, Facebook and from the scanner. Identity
of post - * These posts are from
the fire-fighter blog, # These are my posts to FB, ## These are my daughter’s
post to FB. Abbreviation
meanings: FB Facebook - PIO Public Information Officer - MOD Moderator - RROS
Rapid rate of spread - AA Air attack - STL Strike team leader - CLD
Cloverdale - GEY Geyserville - WND Windsor - RIN Rincon - BVF _ Volunteer
fire - WT Water tender - IC Incident commander - MROS Moderate rate of spread
– Batt. Battalion Chief – DIV Division Chief – freqs.
frequencies TIME
- LINE 9/12/2015 Saturday 13:24
I’m a person with a survivalist mentality so
I was prepared, but not really. Never in my life did I ever imagine a fire of
such magnitude. Such a destructive, unstoppable force. It could have been a
movie that I was living through, like the “Towering Inferno” or any other
fictional movie of a similar story line. In fact, I believe it would have
taken a mind that gives us those types of movies to imagine what we
experienced that day in September. Unbelievable is what it was. I never knew
that that reality existed. Many
people who lived through the Valley Fire to this day suffer from
post-traumatic stress disorder. They can experience anxiety, nightmares,
flashbacks, avoidance, pre-occupation, negativity and other emotional
distress. These can be random events or triggered. Triggers can be as minor
as the weather conditions to once again witnessing a fire. Valley
Fire was California's 3rd Worst Fire in History at that time Statistics: 76,000+
Acres Burned 1,958
Structures Destroyed 1280
homes 27
multi-family structures 66
commercial properties 585
other minor structures 93
structures damaged including 41 homes and 7 commercial properties It
is estimated 3,600 people are homeless 4
firefighters injured, 4 civilian fatalities
<<<>>> Hardester’s
Market Fire 2018 MAY 28th, 2018
MEMORIAL DAY FIRE! It
was 100 years, 2 months and 25 days after the Spier’s fire had decimated
Middletown’s business district when the alarm went out: FIRE! Hardester’s
Market, Young and Calistoga streets, Middletown. This was again the business
district of the community. The
business district of Middletown had survived the conflagration known as the
Valley Fire nearly unscathed, for which everyone was grateful. But now,
today, this wasn’t just another store, another business, it was Middletown’s
heart, it was Hardester’s Market that the beast was consuming. Hardester’s
Market, along with the Post Office, constitute the main reason locals come to
town. It was where they went to socialize and shop. Everyone felt Hardester’s
Market was their store. They belonged to it and it belonged to them. After
all, the Hardester’s had influenced the history of Middletown for decades.
They were a huge part of what Middletown was this present day. People felt
they were a part of something successful and they were proud of their market!
<<<>>> END |
Free counters provided by Andale