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 – February 24, 1921
Camp ground site offered; John Miller says arrangements can be made for Luce Tract
Members of the Chamber of Commerce, who realize how essential an auto camp is to a progressive town, and how difficult it is to find a suitable location, are pleased at an idea expressed by one of the members, John F. Miller, who has advanced the idea of locating the camp on the former site of the Luce tract, which he has under lease as a dry yard. Mr. Miller thinks that proper arrangements can be made whereby he can move part of the yard north, and that the attractive madrona grove can be reserved for tourists. The matter will be brought up and no doubt agreeable arrangements can be perfected. Mr. Miller is an enthusiast on attractive camp grounds, having made a tour, and realizing what it means to a community to accord the traveler all the courtesies possible, and as a progressive citizen, is willing to do all in his power to help the project along, for which he will find appreciation by those who are for a better city.
50 years ago – February 11, 1971
Building above normal, wineries top list
Major construction at two Healdsburg wineries has boosted building in northern Sonoma County to the half-million-dollar mark during January, a considerable increase over the $160,000 figure of one year ago. Windsor Vineyards, Healdsburg, is completing interior work at their new winery valued at $211,000 and Simi Winery, 16275 Healdsburg Ave., is constructing a wine tasting room valued at $97,828. Windsor Vineyards’ winery building is an eye-catching pyramid affair with four inclining sides joining at the building’s center. The entrance will be over a large fountain in front of the winery. Lack of sunshine was all that held up construction of Simi Winery’s tasting room. Originally owner Russ Green planned to convert an existing nine-sided building into the tasting room and add a terrace to it. But problems in converting the building arose so it was demolished and the new facility begun. Its design is set to conform to the original building, providing a unique building for visitors to use in sampling the historic vineyard’s products.
25 years ago – February 14, 1996
ER expansion planned
Healdsburg and the surrounding communities will finally get the health care facility they deserve, said Dr. Walt Maack, Emergency Room Director at Healdsburg General Hospital.  $2.9 million worth of improvements are expected to be made to the Emergency Room and Intensive Care unit at the hospital. Groundbreaking should begin within a year and the new site to be open for patients about a year after that. The emergency room as it is now is very crowded, has only three beds and the space is not adequate for the state-of-the-art equipment the ER uses.
