Grace West and Friend, July 1950. Grace West dressed in a German folk costume, posing with an unidentified friend. Grace owned The Music Box on Main Street in the 1960s, a music store and dance space with a small restaurant on the ground floor. December 14, 1963 - Julian White, composer and pianist of renown, performed at the Music Box on Main Street. According [...]
December 12, 1945 - The remains of the Mendocino Mill on Big River Flat burned to the ground at 3am. Burned Mendocino Mill on Big River, 1946. View looking southwest of the remains of the Mendocino Mill on Big River after the building caught on fire during its dismantling. The main steam engine has yet to be scrapped. The bridge over Big River can be [...]
December 10, 1916 - A small fire occurred at the Mendocino Presbyterian Church Manse on Main Street. The Mendocino Beacon reported that the ringing of the fire bell early in the evening “brought practically the entire population of Mendocino out of doors. To the relief of all, however, no mounting flames met their eyes, the blaze being extinguished within a few minutes after its discovery. The [...]
The Kelley House’s new exhibit, Angela Lansbury: Muse of Cabot Cove, is a tribute to the beloved actress and her impact on Mendocino. The exhibit examines her illustrious life and career, in particular her role as Jessica Fletcher in “Murder, She Wrote.” The iconic TV series had an impact on Mendocino that ranged from hiring locals for the filming to boosting tourism. Most of all, the [...]
December 6, 1889 - Charles C. Luiz was born in Mendocino. His parents, Antone and Annie Lazarus Luiz operated the Lisbon Hotel on Ukiah Street until they sold the property in 1906, and Charles attended Mendocino schools. Antone also ran a general merchandise store on Main Street, in the building where Highlight Gallery was most recently located. After Antone retired in 1909, Charles opened a clothing [...]
On this day in Mendocino history… December 4, 1916 - Captain Henry Nelson died suddenly while visiting relatives in New York. His remains were returned to California and buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland. Born in 1844 in Sandefjord, Norway, Henry left home when he was thirteen, returning two years later to visit for a few months. This visit was his last trip to Norway. [...]
December 2, 1932 - Ralph C. Sutherland took over ownership of the S. & E. Garage on the east end of Main Street, buying out his partner (and brother-in-law) Charles Escola. Ralph, who had been the head mechanic for nine years, renamed the business, “Sutherland’s Garage.” In addition to repairs, he sold tires, batteries, oil, and radios. In 1934, he began selling new Plymouth and DeSoto [...]
The Old Incline and County Road South of Mendocino, 1929 - 1933. View of the remnants of the Mendocino Lumber Company's inclined tramway that ascends the bluff from Big River. On the right is the elevated bridge that brought non-vehicular travelers from the Big River Flat, up through a 50-foot gap between two houses, and onto Main Street just west of Evergreen Avenue. It was once [...]
On this day in Mendocino Coast history… November 26, 1966 - Jennie K. Mantyla of Comptche passed away at a Ukiah hospital at the age of 83 following a long illness. She had been bedridden for twelve years and had spent four years in the Redwood Coast Hospital in Fort Bragg before being transferred to Ukiah. Studio portrait of Jennie Mantyla, 1907. Jennie was [...]
November 22, 1909 - Mendocino druggist Charles Oscar Packard became the first person to be arrested for violating the community’s Dry Law prohibiting the sale of alcohol. This law was enacted following an election the previous July, which put 9 saloons and 5 hotel bars out of business. Packard was brought before Judge John Francis Murray at the Big River Justice Court, where he pled not [...]