A Publication of Press and Publications, Mchenry Museum & Historical Society
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A publication of Press and Publications, McHenry Museum & Historical Society HPNbooks A division of Lammert Incorporated San Antonio, Texas PHOTOGRAPH BY RUBEN PORRAS. First Edition Copyright © 2017 HPNbooks All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to HPNbooks, 11535 Galm Road, Suite 101, San Antonio, Texas, 78254. Phone (800) 749-9790, www.hpnbooks.com. ISBN: 978-1-944891-38-1 Library of Congress Card Catalog Number: 2017954682 Touchstones: Life and Times of Modesto editor: Ken White contributing writer for “Sharing the Heritage”: Joe Goodpasture cover artist: John Mattos HPNbooks president: Ron Lammert project managers: Daphne Fletcher Jennifer Folkert Autumn Link administration: Donna M. Mata Melissa G. Quinn Lori K. Smith Kristin T. Williamson book sales: Joe Neely production: Colin Hart Evelyn Hart Glenda Tarazon Krouse Tim Lippard Craig Mitchell Tony Quinn Christopher D. Sturdevant 2 ✦ TOUCHSTONES: Life and Times of Modesto CONTENTS 5 SPECIAL THANKS 5 LEGACY SPONSOR 6 PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS 8 INTRODUCTION Our People Are Our Strength 11 FOREWORD Touchstones 15 A MODESTO POEM Prayer for You, On the Way to Wherever You’re Going 17 PREFACE Modesto: My Favorite Place 20 A HISTORY OF MODESTO From Sleepy Railroad Town to Bustling Metropolis 26 DOWNTOWN MODESTO The Heart of Our Hometown 33 GRAFFITI HERITAGE Graffiti USA 38 THE ARTS Extraordinary Arts and Entertainment Experiences 46 COMMUNITY The Gift of Time and Talent: Philanthropy and Volunteerism in our Community 54 GOVERNMENT Balancing Urban Amenities with Rural Values 62 ENTERTAINMENT, RECREATION & SPORTS A Year-Round Playground 72 HOMETOWN HEROES Modesto Notables 80 AGRICULTURE The Life-Blood of Our Economy 86 DIVERSITY Common Threads: Diversity in Modesto 97 FAITH COMMUNITIES A Tapestry of Hope 103 PUBLIC SAFETY Honoring the Past While Moving into the Future 113 EDUCATION A Model of Collaboration 120 HEALTHCARE Modesto Delivers Local, High-Quality Healthcare 129 ARCHITECTURE Cutting Edge Design 135 BUSINESS Improving the Quality of Life for Modesto 141 CREATIVES Artists of the City 148 OUR FUTURE On the Road that Lies Before Us: The Future of Modesto Contents ✦ 3 156 TRIVIA In Pursuit of Modesto Minutiae 161 TIMELINE Important Dates in Modesto History 167 AFTERWORD Ever After is Here and Now 170 CONTRIBUTORS 175 INDEX 179 SHARING THE HERITAGE 289 SPONSORS 291 ABOUT THE EDITOR 292 ABOUT THE COVER Although “Draggin’ 10th” is long gone, our love of classic cars, chrome, and rock ‘n’ roll still shines bright. PHOTOGRAPH BY CORY WARNER, STUDIO WARNER. 4 ✦ TOUCHSTONES: Life and Times of Modesto SPECIAL THANKS My thanks to the artists, photographers, and writers who volunteered their time and talent; the businesses that shared their stories; and the following individuals, who contributed to this uniquely collaborative effort. I could not have done it without you. Carl Baggese Daphne Fletcher, HPN Ken McCall James A. Ewing Jennifer Folkert, HPN Suzanne McCaslin Janet Lancaster Becky Fortuna Mary McGranahan Michael Mangano Marc Garcia Maggie Mejia Scott Mitchell Melissa Gascon Kristin Mostowski Henrietta Sparkman Curtis Grant Ana Murphy Amy Vickery Tom Hampson Caroline Nickel Cory Warner Bill Harris Natalie Nielsen Doug Highiet Tracy Norris Todd Aaronson Dana Hohn Jamie Norwood Ralph Anaforian Amanda Hughes Susan Patricola Don Aspito Ruben Imperial Kristin Platts Debra Banuelos Jessica Irish Michele Proffitt Lois Belt Danny Johnson Janet Rasmussen Susan Belt-Highiet Dr. Jim Johnson Lynn Reeves Patrick Burda Ron Lammert, HPN Lisa Ribeiro Tiffani Burns Catherine Larsen May Rico Suzanne Byrd Gwen Larson Marijke Rowland Vickie Chu-Hermis Joan Lee Robert LeRoy Santos Sandy Clark Judy Leitz Carin Sarkis Florence Combes Autumn Link, HPN Mike Sessions Tonja Conway Roni Lubliner Talbott Smith Sean Copeland Wendy Lucas Leo Stutzin Brad Cornwell Katharine Martin Barbara Tregea Kathleen Correia Wayne Mathes Kevin Valine Maria Cortez Donna Mata, HPN Connie Wethington Doug DiFranco Dominique Maurer Scott Williams, HPN Mike Dunbar James McAndrews Kathy Espinoza Dina McCall LEGACY SPONSOR Through their generous support, Stanislaus Food Products helped to make this project possible. Stanislaus Food Products 1202 D Street Modesto, California 95354 800-327-7201 www.stanislaus.com Special Thanks ✦ 5 PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS M C H ENRY M USEUM & HISTORICAL SOCIETY, PUBLISHERS OF T OUCHSTONES: L IFE AND T IMES OF M ODESTO BY GWEN LARSEN Why do we need another history of Modesto? Actually, we don’t. Our city history has been chronicled over the years by a number of knowledgeable, dedicated, and respected authors. Virginia White, Modesto Arch in Each either examined a small slice of that history or presented a larger, more expansive view. November 2006, watercolor. These publications continue to give us a credible and comprehensive account of our city since its founding in 1870. That is why our organization decided to publish a book which is much more than a history as we approach the sesquicentennial of that founding, a book which showcases our city’s treasures—people and places, assets and institutions, hopes and values—which are rooted in a rich historical background. A book which tells where we came from, where we are now as a city, and where we are going. Touchstones is a contemporary portrait which has become the most recent history of the city. Who is Press and Publications? We are an offshoot of the early Stanislaus County Historical Society, which was chartered by our County Board of Supervisors in 1966, one year after the City of Modesto chartered a similar group called the Citizens’ Cultural Center Committee. The two organizations had much in common with the similar goal of preserving local history. They each had a collection of artifacts 6 ✦ TOUCHSTONES: Life and Times of Modesto and archives, but neither had a permanent building. The county historical society’s accomplishments are told in detail in Kathleen Gooch’s 1988 Stanislaus County, an Illustrated History. The Modesto Bee published several articles between 1967 and 1972 about Heidi Warner’s and the Cultural Committee’s efforts to acquire the McHenry Public Library building as a museum. This building had been built in 1912 with money left by Oramil McHenry specifically for a library, with the stipulation that if the building ceased to be used as a library, the property would revert to the McHenry family unless the city used the building for a related public purpose. When the library moved into a new, larger site in 1971, the city and the Cultural Committee worked out a partnership involving city ownership of the building and archives, city Since that 1987 merger, there have been a few maintenance, along with Society volunteer name changes of the Publications Committee now Above: McHenry Museum, home staffing. A new name was adopted by the known as Press and Publications, McHenry of the McHenry Museum & volunteers; the incorporated, nonprofit Museum & Historical Society. The Society is gov- Historical Society. organization was named the McHenry Museum erned by a Board of Directors, and its Bylaws des- COURTESY OF THE CITY OF MODESTO. Society, which occupied its new home in 1972. ignate Press and Publications as a Support Group, The refurbished library became their museum, along with Acquisitions, the Docents, and the Below: Press and Publications still known as The McHenry Museum today. Guild. Press and Publications has continued to provides authentic local history in But what happened to our ancestral Stanislaus bring authentic local history in written form to the written form. County Historical Society during the growth and community, with a list of fifteen original publica- PHOTOGRAPH BY SCOTT MITCHELL. transition of the Cultural Committee? They con- tions and several reprints. So now we go a step fur- tinued to build membership and had concentrat- ther and bring you this publication Touchstones: ed their efforts on publishing local history, Life and Times of Modesto which, as stated earlier, reprinting Branch’s 1881 History of Stanislaus builds on our heritage but goes beyond history County, publishing Jack Brotherton’s Annals of with detailed stories of present day Modesto and Stanislaus County, and beginning the quarterly projections into our future. We are confident this journal Stanislaus Stepping Stones, which Press new venture will provide hours of good reading. and Publications still publishes today. However, with no building of their own and with similar purposes and collections, in 1987 the Historical Society merged with the McHenry Museum Society, resulting in the current name of McHenry Museum & Historical Society. The Amended Articles of Incorporation stated that there would be a Publications Committee to carry on the work of the Historical Society, and the Historical Society officers became members of this Publication Committee. The Historical Society added some 500 members to the newly formed merger. The new Publications Committee acquired the $25,000 treasury of the old Stanislaus County Historical Society, a signif- icant figure with which to carry on its book pub- lishing mission. Press and Publications ✦ 7 INTRODUCTION O UR P EOPLE A RE O UR S TRENGTH BY MAYOR TED BRANDVOLD As Modesto approaches the 150th anniversary of its founding, we will have an opportunity to Georgia Herrick, Valley Vineyards, reflect on where we’ve been and to decide where we want to go. This book is a testament we watercolor. share with future generations, as its many contributors express their views of these reflections and decisions. There is no doubt that the strength of Modesto is its people. Whether you were born here and stayed or were born here and left, special qualities exist if you were Modesto-grown. Two brothers started a winery after reading some pamphlets in the county library, stayed, and turned their business into the largest privately owned winery in the world—E.