Another Month Has Sped Past Us .Wow! Thanksgiving Is Only a Few Days Away. I

NOVEMBER 2016

Prez Says On The Road By Mardi Bagan Another month has sped past us….Wow! Thanksgiving is only a few days away. I On October 1st I visited the Sacramento City remember teaching elementary school at Cemetery for their Fireman’s Tour. What a Plainfield and organizing a “Thanksgiving fun way to spend a Saturday morning. Feast”. Of course it had to be ‘real’ There were several members from the because we were studying early American fireman’s historical society in period history. So, I sent out a call for deer meat, appropriate attire with a fully restored Hook pheasants, doves, and wild turkeys. and Ladder truck. Remember that Plainfield is out in the country surrounded by farmers who loved to Sacramento had one of the first volunteer hunt. Well, there was not a wild turkey to fire company in the state, organized in 1850. be found….We had deer, pheasants and a The volunteers served until 1872, when a regular store bought turkey, but no wild paid department was formed. turkey. How times have changed! Now we have wild turkeys roaming the streets of our We visited several of the graves of these communities in this county. I almost ran colorful characters from this period and into one group the other day while driving to ended at the fireman’s plot. Each October a meeting. The inhabitants of the cities have the fireman’s society has a ceremony- now decided that the turkeys are no longer recognizing fireman who lost their life while ‘cute’. They are a menace, eating plants and in service by ringing the bell that was placed leaving their droppings all over. Maybe we there in 1863. should all organize another real “Thanksgiving Feast”. Just a thought! Sacramento City Cemetery offers monthly All of us on the Board wish all of you a tours with varied themes. It is a great way to Happy Thanksgiving. We all have a lot to spend a Saturday morning and then stop at be thankful for. The Tower Café for lunch!

Remember, as always… 

History Rules! Business Buddies The following businesses in town have Kathy Harryman financially supported the Yolo County President, Yolo County Historical Society Historical Society. We would like you to support them and keep your money local. If you know of any to join our support list, contact me. Businesses pay $50.00 per year 2016-2017 Patrons for advertising.  Donald & Pat Campbell L & S Printers, Main St. Larry Shapiro  John & Helen Daniels Bernard & Lynn Gough  Jonathan & Barbara Durst Dahlin & Essex Inc. Alderson Convalescent Hospital  Robert & Judy Simas

  Ron & Marilyn Scholz

Mexican Land Grants in Yolo  Claire Childers County?  Jeff & Starr Barrow

Did this county have Mexican Land Grants?  Michael & Debra Truitt Weren’t we too far north to be owned by Mexico? Who had these land grants? How  Steve & Teri Laugenour many acres were involved? How much did these individuals pay for their grants? Did  Richard & Joann Larkey they pay on credit? What were their  Ramon & Karen Urbano obligations? Did they have to swear allegiance to Mexico?  Thomas Crisp

These questions will all be answered by our  Ryan Baum & Alice Wong next guest, Mark Davidson, publisher of “Early Sacramento Land Grants”. Mark is a  Richard & Evelyne Rominger “Certified Signing Agent” for sales and loan documents. He is associated with the  Steve & Lydia Venables Sacramento and El Dorado Association of  Charles & Claudia Owens Realtors Instructor. We will meet Mark at our monthly presentation on Sunday,  John & Kathy Harryman November 27 at 2:00 at the Gibson Museum , 512 Gibson Road in Woodland. Come and  Edmund & Margie Blake spend an afternoon learning about the Land Grants of Yolo County.  Katharine Cobb  Marc & Gerda Faye   Corner Drug Thanks to the following for generously supporting the Society. You too can be a  Valerie Vann Patron by donating $100.00 to help us run our projects  Sandra Wright  Roger & Ann Romani  “Due to fuel shortages, no tour will be scheduled for February but plans are being Looking for an old article published in the made for the membership to attend the newsletter or upcoming events? Check it Almond Festival in Capay Valley.” out on our website. www.yolo.net/ychs February 1974 “Finally, after months of problems and If you have a story you would like to share delays---sinking ground, hallow sidewalks, that relates to Yolo County, send it to bad weather –work on the Opera House [email protected] and we can include it as Plaza will begin. Chairman Tom Inks and space is available. Photos are also his committee will start leveling the ground encouraged! Our members enjoy reading as soon as weather permit. Plants and trees about the memories that have been shared in will be the next step. This work on the the newsletter in the past. Plaza will be done in areas close to the Workers Needed…. sidewalks because part of the Elliot property As many of you know, we have two storage may be needed for additional space in the units in the basement of the IOOF building Opera House when the restoration begins. in Woodland. One unit is for book storage In any case, expect a bit of beauty to emerge and the other unit is for ‘everything else’. in the downtown area …soon!” Well, needless to say, the ‘everything else’ unit needs to be organized and items need to March 1974 either be donated to the County Archives or, “Through recent passed legislation, if multiples, thrown away. We also need to AB1032, the Junior League of Sacramento, catalog the contents and publish the catalog Inc., is selling the State’s surplus brick. in case anyone wants to do research. Terry This is Historic Old Sacramento Brick, Laugenour has agreed to be on a committee made here from 1849-1870. It can be to help do this. But, she can only do it on picked up at the warehouse on the southwest the weekends and on Monday. If you would corner of Capitol and Front Streets. NO like to help, please e mail me at DELIVERIES. Saturday March 23 is the last [email protected] and let me know day of the sale which is held from 9 a.m. to what day you would like to help. We could 1 p.m. The brick is $50.00 per palette of probably get this done in 2-3 meetings. 500 bricks. Proceeds from the sale of these old bricks will go toward the reconstruction  of the Old Eagle Theatre in the Old Sacramento State Historic Park…” Remember When…… April 1974 The following are excerpts from the Yolo “Work started on the Plaza early Saturday, County Historical Society Newsletters from March 16…Benches were arranged and 1974. We thought it might be fun to trees donated by the City of Woodland were reminisce for some and for others, find out placed in redwood planters on the lot. new information. Twenty volunteers worked most of the morning cleaning, leveling, and grooming January 1974 the lot. While the work went on, the Opera House was open for tours. The Reveille Lions Club of Woodland contributed greatly to the success of this initial step in beautifying the Plaza”

June 1974 “The Society wishes to thank with appreciation member Floyd Myers Marsh of Williams for the donation of a lovely concert grand piano for the Woodland Opera House. The piano, first purchased in 1911 by the Parrish family of Yolo County, will add a new dimension to the concert series being planned for the fall.” Yolo CountyVision Historical Statement Society The Yolo County Historical Society strives to preserve, protect and P O Box 1447acknowledge the diverse history of Yolo County through education, communication and Woodland,advocacy CA 95776

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