The Girlie Mahoney breaking through the wharf in Albion Bay, 1919. On December 23, 1919, the steamer Girlie Mahoney, loaded with 360,000 feet of lumber, was wrecked in Albion harbor after stormy seas and a series of failed rescue efforts doomed the vessel. Originally built in 1904 as the James S. Higgins and later reconstructed and renamed, the Mahoney had long served as a [...]
Justin Nelson and Chester Barry at Ocean View Bottling Works, 1908 - 1913 In the early 1900s, young James Peirsol and his gang of local boys found a way to turn summer swimming excursions into soda-fueled adventures with a mischievous twist. Their favorite spot was Griffin’s Pond, a high tide pool carved into the rocky cliffs just south of Mendocino. Sheltered from the waves [...]
Threshing Time on the Coast, 1899. (Gift of John Paschall, Sr. and the Virginia Lycan Estate) Men gathered around a threshing machine somewhere on the Mendocino coast. Two young boys sit atop bags of grain. Work horses are gathered in the background. "Trashing (sic) Time" written on back of photograph. Walking Tours of Historic Mendocino - Join our expert docents for a stroll and [...]
On July 14, 1971, Mendocino was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This achievement was made possible by many hard-working individuals that sought to protect Mendocino’s unique charm and history. In honor of this 54-year anniversary, enjoy the words of Chuck Bush from April 2010. In the late '50's when the Zacha's were developing the Mendocino Art Center and adding a new dimension to [...]
Mendocino Hospital Building, c. 1900. (Gift of Bruce Levene) The Mendocino Hospital Company, founded in 1887 by Dr. William A. McCornack, marked a major milestone in healthcare for Mendocino and the surrounding coastal region. It was a cooperative enterprise aimed at providing reliable, affordable medical care for working men, particularly those laboring in the woods and mills, where injuries were common and often financially [...]
The American flag has had many variations, 27 to be exact. The 13-star flag was adopted on June 14, 1777—later designated as Flag Day— with each star and stripe representing one of the 13 original colonies. This flag would be flown for 18 years, until Vermont and Kentucky were admitted as states in 1791 and 1792, respectively, and two stars were added to represent their statehood. [...]
Artist Larry Fuente's "Cow Float" in the Mendocino Fourth of July Parade, 1990. (Photographer: Bill Wagner) Celebrate the Fourth of July on the Kelley House lawn, one of the best parade viewing spots in town! Dance to the music of DJ Beetroots, play cornhole, and enjoy margaritas, wine, and beer from North Coast Brewing Company. Non-alcoholic options available, plus BBQ hot dogs and hamburgers [...]
1976 Fourth of July Parade, Mendocino. (Photographer: Bill Wagner) Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts marching with flags near the corner of Main and Heeser Streets in Mendocino during the 1976 Fourth of July Parade. Please help us identify the people in this photograph! The photo’s documentation includes (in unknown order): Clint Freeman, Randy Mendosa, Scott ?, Jeff Leroy, Andy Freeman, Judy Schlafer, and Cub [...]
Fourth of July Celebration on Ukiah Street, c. 1900. (Nannie Escola Collection, Kelley House Photographs) A southwestward view of a Mendocino Fourth of July celebration on Ukiah Street near the intersection with Kasten Street, c. 1900. Two costumed people, a woman dressed as the Goddess of Liberty (Columbia), and a man dressed as Uncle Sam, mingle with carriages and the crowd gathered on the [...]
Mendocino Fourth of July Parade, 1884. (Kelley House Photographs) The 1884 Fourth of July parade marching eastward down Mendocino's Main Street, near the corner of Kasten Street. Identified in the parade are, right to left: Michael Byrnes (Parade Marshal), aides, band, GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) Post #58, and the IOOF (Independent Order of Odd Fellows). On occasions like this, the people of [...]