James O’Donnell at twenty years old, 1909. (The James O'Donnell Collection, Kelley House Photographs) In 1886, Elizabeth “Lillie” Williams met John O’Donnell. He came from New York and had been rafting logs with a partner, O.M. Stone, on the Albion River before coming to Mendocino. John and Lillie were married a few days before Christmas in 1887. Before their son James was born on [...]
On January 2, 1926, the Mendocino Beacon published its first edition of the New Year. New Years Day had landed on a Friday, and the Beacon included a small column on the town’s holiday celebrations. Most businesses were closed, and “the day was warm and delightful, and many took advantage of it to spend the greater part of it outdoors.” There weren’t any great town-wide parties [...]
Portrait of Aline Mary Ford, 1888, given to her Aunt Susan Hayes Chalfant as a Christmas gift. Portraits were common holiday gifts in the early days of photography. At this time of year people ask us, “How was Christmas celebrated in the early days?” The answer is it was celebrated much as in all small towns across America. Christmas trees (Mendocino had plenty), church [...]
This modest Christmas card offers a personal glimpse into family life in Mendocino during the 1880s. The envelope is addressed to “R. B. Kelly, Mendocino, Calif.” and bears three 2-cent stamps. Inside is a small, handmade card. One side reads, “Happy may your Christmas be,” and the other, “A Happy New Year.” Written simply in the margin is the name “Jean.” The signature suggests the card [...]
Advertisements in the Mendocino Beacon, December 18, 1964. Weekly newspapers before the holidays in the 1960s were packed with gift ideas, and many Fort Bragg merchants advertised in the Mendocino Beacon. Here’s what readers were being offered in 1964: Matson’s Men’s Wear suggested electric cigarette lighters, Scotch-filled golf balls, ice buckets, and clothes. Saarinen’s Radio & TV had stereophonic high fidelity console phonographs. Rex [...]
To a casual visitor, the coastal town of Mendocino, California, might seem timeless. However, much of its rich past has been meticulously preserved and documented, thanks in no small part to the efforts of author and historian Bruce Levene. Through his books, oral history projects, and multimedia presentations, Levene ensured that the vibrant stories of Mendocino and its people would not be lost to time. At the [...]
“The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!” was filmed on the Mendocino Coast in 1965. As part of the 60th anniversary of this classic cold war comedy, we asked folks who were part of the production to share their stories. Here’s what we learned. Jone Lemos I was 10 years old when I had my acting debut as an extra in TRAC. I was there [...]
On March 4, 1933, the United States banking system collapsed. Citizens could not retrieve their deposits and the panic that ensued affected everyone. Large banks reopened first, while some smaller banks like those on the Mendocino Coast never reopened. Many jobs were lost in the coastal lumber industry, and the Study Club felt the impact from both these events as many families left the area in [...]
Dr. Homer H. Wolfe was born on January 10, 1884, in Lathrop, California, the youngest of five children of a Brethren minister. He studied at Cooper Medical College and received his M.D. in 1909. Early in his career he worked briefly at San Francisco City Hospital before spending a season in Alaska as a physician for a large fish-canning company. After returning to San Francisco, he [...]
When the Baltimore clipper Frolic wrecked on the Mendocino Coast in 1850 while returning from China with a cargo of porcelain and silk bound for booming Gold Rush San Francisco, it came to rest in a cove north of today’s Point Cabrillo Lighthouse. As the crew abandoned ship, they gathered what provisions they could. Six sailors refused to leave the rigging and were left behind, while [...]