100 years ago – April 9, 1925
PARACHUTE JUMPER SECURED FOR JULY FOURTH EVENT
Arrangements have been made by the amusement committee, Frank Corrick, chairman, with W. F. Warner, a parachute dropper, who will come to Healdsburg for the Fourth of July celebration, and will jump from an airplane with a parachute, beneath which he will float to the earth.
This spectacle is said to be very thrilling. It is a highly dangerous sport, and but very few can be found who will undertake a jump from an airplane with a parachute. Indeed, it is said there are but two professional jumpers of this type in the United States, and Mr. Corrick considers himself fortunate to be able to sign up this man.
Warner is a former service man, with the Canadian forces. He served two years overseas during the war as captain, and was an observer from the air.
75 years ago – April 14, 1950
NOW A SQUINT-PROOF BASEBALL DIAMOND
There’s one thing for certain. Healdsburg is a cooperating city. Take for example, the story of the Towle house, a two-story structure situated just north of centerfield at the local ball park and in a direct line with home plate and the pitcher’s mound.
The house was painted a nice clean white. The south side would catch the warm and sprightly sunbeams that fall so plentifully in this valley and reflect them into the eyes of the ball park hickory swingers. Besides that, baseball manufacturers insist upon making all baseballs white, blending in perfectly with the white side of a house. They were particularly difficult to see.
When the Yakima baseball team arrived in Healdsburg they ran the full scale of emotions in their praise of this area, but they couldn’t see the balls pitched to them because of Frank Towle’s house. The city’s peppy sportsmen got busy and within 24 hours had the ball park side of the Towle house painted a cool cactus green. Later the entire house was painted the same color.
Healdsburg insists upon having a squint-proof baseball diamond, because everyone here knows tired eyes cannot appreciate the natural beauty of this area.
50 years ago – April 10, 1975
BARNYARDS NOT ALLOWED
City Building Inspector Gridley Clement has warned residents that unless they live on very large lots they are not allowed to keep farm animals on their property. His office has received several complaints about persons keeping chickens, which are not allowed in the city except on lots of 20,000 square feet or more. They are too unsanitary on smaller lots.
This rule also covers rabbits, goats and guinea pigs. Horses can only be kept on lots of one acre or more. All cloven-hoofed animals are prohibited from the city. Clement said the problem is growing, apparently because more people are keeping animals, particularly chickens, to beat the high price of food.
The Flashbackers are docents of the Healdsburg Museum and Historical Society, at 221 Matheson St., healdsburgmuseum.org.
