Most California histories begin with the arrival of the Spanish missionaries in the late eighteenth century and skip to the Gold Rush of 1849. Here on the Mendocino Coast, we start with the wreck of the Frolic in 1850 and the arrival of the first sawmill at Big River in 1852. Absent from these stories are the perspectives and experiences of the people who lived on [...]
Photograph of the Portuguese men's organization known as I. D. E. S. (Irmandade di Espirito Santo, Brotherhood of the Holy Ghost). In 1910 the membership roster noted there were 73 members. This organization had its own marching band and drill team, as shown in the photo. They are standing on Main Street in Mendocino in front of Dr. Carl Vincent Whited's bungalow-style home, which houses Prentice [...]
Back in January [of 1993], Hugh Curtis from Ukiah asked if we would be interested in taking possession of a cannon he had found back in 1959 while snorkeling for abalone in Buckhorn Cove, south of Little River. "Well OF COURSE we would," said I. It appears that it was not actually a cannon, but a Lyle Gun made in the 1880s or '90s. Lyle [...]
John Mendosa standing in front of his Highway 1 sign advertising Mendosa’s General Merchandise. This charming billboard was painted and signed by Elmer D. Woodworth, a local house, auto, and sign painter by trade, but known to all as “an artist in reality and spirit.” The sign was located on Highway 1 (Shoreline Highway) at Little River. Billboard copy: "Mendosa's General Merchandise. First Stop Over the [...]
Joseph Silva Neto was born in 1844 on Sao Jorge Island, the Azores. He came to California when he was 20 years old, first working in the lumber mills of Humboldt county. In 1875 he married Maria S. Armas, who was also from the Azores Islands. Joseph's brother George had a hotel in Mendocino and, when he needed a hotel clerk in 1878, he sent for [...]
Mendocino lost one of its earliest structures in 1936, when the “Company Barn” succumbed to flames. The 70-year-old landmark, originally built as a skating rink, had served a variety of roles over the decades, reflecting the town’s evolving needs. Situated south of the intersection of Lansing and the now-defunct Old Coast Road, the barn was fully engulfed when the fire was discovered. The volunteer fire company [...]
Ida Mary Peterson Jaakola Peterson was the daughter of Andrew and Anna Peterson, their fourth child and the only one to live a long adulthood. She was born on September 28, 1892 in Comptche. She first married Isaac Jaakola, but he died of influenza in November of 1918 at the age of 27, leaving her with three young children: Irene, Oliver, and Sylvia. His dying wish [...]
The Navy dirigible, Shenandoah, over Mendocino Bay, 1924. The Shipping Point can be seen in the background. (Gift of Emery Escola) A sight unlike anything seen before captivated Mendocino residents in 1924. The Navy dirigible Shenandoah, a colossal airship spanning 680 feet, glided majestically over the town at an altitude of 500 feet. Having departed San Diego the day before, the airship’s journey along [...]
November is National American Indian Heritage Month and the Kelley House Museum is observing it by opening a new exhibit on the history and culture of the Northern Pomo Indians, who have lived on the Mendocino Coast for thousands of years. The Pomo people comprised a network of Indigenous communities that crafted canoes, baskets, and other tools from local materials. Known worldwide for their exquisite baskets, [...]
Reprinted from the February 25, 1993 Mendocino Beacon and annotated with additional information. Caspar Creek, and later the town of Caspar, were named after Siegfried Caspar, an early settler of German descent who raised cattle in the vicinity. Construction of the sawmill near where Caspar Creek meets the ocean commenced in 1861, after the owners, William Kelley, Captain Richard Rundle, and Eugene Brown purchased 5,000 acres [...]