We don’t know who took the picture, but we know when and where it was taken. On Halloween 1954, a trio of teenage boys got together at the Westport Store wearing hats, scarves and blackface. The photograph is important because it shows an era when the use of blackface was nothing out of the ordinary. The young men in the photograph were identified, but it seems [...]
Saturday, November 3 “Bars, Bordellos, Mushrooms & Ale” 5-7 p.m. Madame Kate, portrayed by Katy Tahja Discover the aphrodisiac properties of mushrooms while sipping limited edition Frolic Ale - Scottish Wee Heavy at the Kelley House Museum on Saturday, November 3, from 5-7 p.m.. Join Madame Kate for an evening of ribald fun and go back in time to the wild days of the [...]
Anyone who has ever been to Mendocino has likely experienced the marvelous body of work created by the late Perley Maxwell (1869-1931), an amateur photographer, craftsman, and musician who took myriad photos of the Mendocino Coast in early 1900s. On Sunday, October 22, grandsons, great-granddaughters and extended family will share their memories at “Sunday Afternoon With the Maxwell Clan,” part of the ongoing speakers series at [...]
Ethel Silvera’s 1919 graduation portrait Health care, education, transportation infrastructure, and youthful employment are all issues found in today’s headlines. These are mutual concerns, which affect us all and are part of the human experience. They also figure in the sadly brief life story of Ethel Silvera, who lived and died on the Mendocino Coast early in the 20th century. As with much of history, Ethel’s [...]
In October of 1891, a particular form of entertainment came to town. The Pawnee Medicine Company provided “free entertainments in Murray’s Hall” in Mendocino. The editions of the Mendocino Beacon for both Saturdays, October 10 and 17, included brief mentions of the show. In the first story, readers of the Beacon learned that the Pawnee Medicine Company’s performers had begun their circuit the previous Tuesday and [...]
The MacCallum House Restaurant is hosting a benefit for the Kelley House Museum on Wednesday evening, October 11. The “Dine-Out Night” begins at 5:00 p.m. in the bar and continues with dinner in the restaurant from 5:30-8:00 p.m.. All proceeds from both the bar and restaurant go to our non-profit history museum. Reservations for dinner are suggested and can be made by calling 707-937-0289, or online [...]
On Monday, October 9, the Kelley House Museum is hosting a Service Day for volunteers to pitch in and help out with minor repairs, painting and gardening at the 1861 historic house and grounds. Beginning with pastries and mimosas at 8:30 a.m., the work day starts at nine, breaking for lunch courtesy of Mendocino Cafe at noon. At 12:30 p.m., the garden will be dedicated to [...]
Any organization that has been around for a while acquires a history. The Kelley House Museum has a relationship with the Mendocino Coast, as a non-profit devoted to history itself. While there’s the story of the house -- the Kelley family, the town of Mendocino, its life and times, which now span three different centuries -- there’s also the history of this organization. It began with [...]