The following snippets of history are drawn from the pages of the Healdsburg Tribune, the Healdsburg Enterprise and the Sotoyome Scimitar, and are prepared by the volunteers at the Healdsburg Museum & Historical Society. Admission is always free at the museum, open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
100 years ago – November 21, 1918
Merchants duped
A fortnight since, a man and a woman visited Healdsburg, and on the scheme of presenting a local church with song books, visited the business houses and secured, as near as can be estimated, $200 in advertising. They avoided securing the official endorsement of the chamber of commerce, which has a censor committee especially appointed to investigate just such appeals to the public. Where there was hesitancy on the part of any of those solicited for an ad, emphasis was given to the fact that it was the earnest appeal of the church members that the advertising be taken as a means of assisting the finances of the church. Officials of the church, it is stated, assert that 200 song books were promised, and 100 only were delivered. Many who gave their aid did so under pressure, as the plan looked irregular, but as a rule, the business man can be beguiled into such traps by the artful methods that are used by these traveling get-rich-quick artists.
75 years ago – November 26, 1943
New air craft warning post is completed
With the rough construction of the Healdsburg observation post completed, Sergeant Emmet of the air craft warning service, ground observer corps, inspected the post Tuesday and announced it ready for use as soon as the telephone is installed. The room, which is 10×12 feet with a catwalk around it, was constructed by Elwood Stevens with the assistance of the city crew. It is on top of the city hall and was built according to approved specifications of the city, county and military authorities. The post will be operated on the alert basis with observers subject to call at a moment’s notice. In a recent test Mrs. Zayda McEachern, chief observer, said that the post was manned within two minutes of receiving the warning signal.
25 years ago – November 24, 1993
New river access in Alexander Valley seems unlikely
Interviews with nearly two dozen residents along the Russian River in Alexander Valley reveal that people oppose increased public river access and support enhancing the natural resources of the river. The survey was conducted as part of the Russian River Enhancement and Access Plan. The reasons for the residents’ opposition to more river access mainly fell into three categories: litter, pollution, noise and danger; damage to agricultural operations; and loss of privacy. While damage is done by people recreating along the river, a small number of people living illegally along the river are creating the biggest problems to the land and property owners. Off road vehicles also present a problem, especially in the upper Alexander Valley, damaging vines, trellises and irrigation equipment. There are only two sheriff’s deputies covering the entire area.
