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 – April 21, 1921
Workers busy on local ball field
In spite of the discouraging weather of Saturday and early Sunday, real progress was made at the local ball grounds on Sunday. Carpenters were on the grounds early, and small boys who wanted to take advantage of Manager Weston’s free admission program were out to rake rocks off infield and outfield. Once the work began, the construction of the grandstand moved like the sprouting of a mushroom. This part of the work was not quite completed during the afternoon, but excellent progress was made. By 3 o’clock the diamond had been worked to the smoothness of a billiard table by the boys, of whom there were about 15 real industrious workers. By the end of this week the field will have been put in shape to rival any amateur diamond in the state. A real snappy workout was indulged in by the players, all holding down the positions they are expected to play on the regular team.
75 years ago – April 19, 1946
Ride and show attracts large crowd Sunday
Seventy members of the Russian River Riders, following trailmaster Owen Sweeten on the first long ride of the season, rode to the MacMurray ranch on the west side Sunday. Upon their arrival at the ranch, the group enjoyed a barbecue and amateur horse show. Burrel Howell, manager of the MacMurray ranch, and assisted by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Bacon and Glenn Kitchens, cooked and served the barbecue to almost 300 persons who attended the event. With ideal weather for the outing, the riders traveled along the highway for a short distance, then cut off across the rolling hills, which at this time of year are deeply carpeted with grass and wild flowers of numerous varieties native to this locality. From all accounts, the ride was one of the most beautiful trips yet made by the club.
25 years ago – April 17, 1996
Hardware store that’s closing will give what’s left to charities
Coast to Coast Hardware is going out in style with a give-away to local charities. Ray Knapp told The Tribune that his closing sale went faster and was more successful than he hoped. But he still has $20,000 worth of merchandise left. Monday, April 22 is the final day of the sale, and on Tuesday, April 23, Knapp will give $300 worth of merchandise to any local charitable organization that shows up. “I’ll need to see proof of non-tax status, and some letterhead stationery to list what they take,” he said. Available for local nonprofits will be lighting fixtures, fishing and sporting goods, paints, locks, lawn sprinklers and tools.
