The Kelley House relies on philanthropists. Not the Daddy Warbucks variety with the signature cigar and sacks of money but the dedicated, resourceful, and unfailingly generous philanthropists that support our mission, contribute to our annual appeal, and serve as volunteers. When you hear the word philanthropy, what comes to mind? Wealthy individuals, prominent foundations, and corporations? What about a person with modest means - can they [...]
The Kelley House Museum could use your help in identifying this group of intriguing women. As the original paper matt frame indicates, the photograph was taken by the Fitch and King photography studio in Fort Bragg. We estimate the date between 1904 to 1914. Could this be your great grandmother and her friends? Why are they gathered together at the studio? How are they related? Please [...]
The Bank House on the corner of Albion and Kasten Streets, c. 1908-1956. The view is looking to the north from the Bank of America building. The water tower on the left was dismantled and moved to the Heritage House resort on Highway 1 south of Little River in the early 1960s. Heeser's three-tank water tower can be seen on the right. The second Odd [...]
Mendocino Post Office, corner of Ford and Ukiah Streets, 1966-1986. (Kelley House Collection, Kelley House Photographs) September 21, 1966 - Construction of the Mendocino Post Office, located on the corner of Ford and Ukiah Streets, began. Before his death earlier that summer, Auggie Heeser sold the land east of the Beacon office to be used for the site of the new post office. Don [...]
Photograph by Mendocino photographer Bill Foote of the town of Mendocino, taken across Big River beach, looking north, c. 1966. In the center is the Mendocino Presbyterian Church and its manse, Eidseth House. On the left, one can see the south facade of the building once known as the Mendocino Hospital, located at Ukiah and Howard Streets. On the far right of the photo, the house [...]
Postcard of the Sequoia loading lumber at the Fort Bragg pier, 1898-1903. (Kelley House Collection, Kelley House Photographs) September 19, 1898 - The steamer Sequoia left Mendocino with the largest cargo of railroad ties that had been shipped in many years. This was the first visit to Mendocino of this new vessel, which had been built near the sawmill at Fort Bragg the previous [...]
William Vaughn and Clarence Jarvis, 1917. World War I Army soldiers from Mendocino. William Vaughn on left and Clarence Jarvis on the right. Photograph was taken in Fort Lewis, Washington on October 31, 1917. (The Vaughn Family Collection, Kelley House Photographs) September 18, 1917 - William Vaughn, John Figaro, and Robert Mathison departed Mendocino to serve in the military during World War I. They [...]
The beach at Van Damme Memorial Park looking north towards the town of Little River, 1920-1940. Utility poles stretch across the beach.(Frederick Studios of Fort Bragg, Gift of Dot Johnson, The Everett Racine Collection, Kelley House Photographs) September 17, 1897 - The telephone line extension from Mendocino to Elk was completed. Four copper wires were strung. Two wires were for local service, and the [...]
Here is another fascinating look into county history left to us by the late Dr. Richard White’s “Mendocino Medicine and Gazetteer.” In the 1990s, White published this small magazine of rural health information for medical practitioners and always made space for writings about his science and nature interests. Deborah White of Ukiah loaned bound volumes of his writings to the Kelley House Museum so that we [...]
Joseph Borgna and his dog, Bob, c. 1910. Written on back: "The mother was brought over from the Alps [Italy] - this was one of the pups from the litter. It used to pull my brother and I in a little wagon. His home was a piano box.” (W. W. Fairbanks (photographer), Gift of Rene Borgna Tanner, The Rene Borgna Tanner and Ann Borgna Pesula [...]