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 7, 1918
Turned back in mid-ocean — Dr. Waid Stone on transport bound for France
Dr. J.S. Stone received a telegram Tuesday, from his son, Dr. Waid Stone, who left San Francisco about three weeks ago with his company bound for France, stating that when the transport was two days out from New York, a wireless message was received ordering the vessel to return to port. The transport was laden with several thousand soldiers on their way for service in France. No information was given as to why the vessel was ordered back to New York, but it is believed that the peace news was the cause of the return of the soldiers. This is undoubtedly a great disappointment to Dr. Stone, for he had been on duty at Camp Fremont for many months, and was chafing for an opportunity to go across to France.
75 years ago – November 5, 1943
Legionnaires will collect scrap Nov. 11
Strafe the Axis with your scrap is the plea of the U.S. Government brought to residents of this community through legionnaires of Sotoyome Post, who will act as collectors of the scrap. The junk metal will be piled in a “scrap bank” on the Norton-Warfield lot at Matheson and Center Streets. People of this area are urged to make a careful survey of their property for every bit of scrap metal overlooked or accumulated since last year’s drive. Ancient farm implements, rusty pipes, old tools, toys, lighting fixtures, can be converted into fighting equipment. An old flatiron will make two steel helmets or 30 hand grenades. Costs of promoting the project have been met by chamber of commerce funds, it is reported. Following the drive, the Ladies Auxiliary will serve a potluck dinner to the legion men.
25 years ago – November 3, 1993
Could fire disaster happen here next?
Three Healdsburg firefighters returned from the devastation of the Los Angeles fires this week with a simple and frightening message for local populace. It could happen here. The city’s planned development to the north could go up in smoke if proper precautions aren’t accounted for in the area’s plans. According to the California Department of Forestry, as more people move into outlying rural areas, especially suburban regions that interface with wildlands, the average incidence of fire and number of acres burned each year steadily increases. Fire Chief Taylor said it is imperative that the Healdsburg Fire Department acquire more firefighting personnel and equipment to offset the greater area the department will be responsible for protecting. Because the new area will be established as a wildland interface area “a fire in that area, with the right wind conditions, could be very serious.”
