November 20, 1903 - Joe Silvia survived a horrific accident at the Shipping Point. The following day, the Beacon described what happened, “Why Joe Silvia is alive to tell the tale of the accident that befell him yesterday morning when he was suddenly knocked off the wire chute platform to the rocks forty feet below will probably forever remain a mystery. As the load of lumber [...]
November 18, 1928 - Funeral services were held at the Mendocino Presbyterian Church for James William “Billy” Mullen, who served as Mendocino’s Postmaster for four decades. He had been in declining health for about 4 years and had suffered a stroke just a few days before his death. Studio photograph of Carlson & Mullen Family Members, c. 1885. Seated are Edward Carlson and Theresa Mullen. [...]
It’s easy to associate pears with Ukiah, apples with the Anderson Valley, hops with Hopland, and grapes with just about every inland valley, but how many of us connect peas with the Mendocino coast? Surprisingly enough, old-fashioned garden peas were once a profitable crop here. Early settlers quickly learned that the coastal marine terraces were excellent places to grow root crops like beets, turnips and potatoes, [...]
November 15, 1950 - Mrs. Katherine “Kate” M. Gorman died suddenly at the age of 90. The Beacon described her death as, “bringing to a close a life filled with love for her family and friends and usefulness to her community. She was loved by all who knew her and she was kind, generous, and a loving mother.” Portrait of Kate Gorman, c. 1880. (Studio: [...]
Frank Mathison in France, c. 1917. Frank Mathison of Little River enlisted in the US Army during World War I and served in the 5th Company 20th Engineers in France. After the war, Frank worked as a woodsman until he retired. On the back of the postcard is written, "From Frank Mathison, somewhere in France.” November 11, 1918 - Town residents rejoiced over the [...]
November 8, 1926 - The first Mendocino Boy Scout Troop held an organizational meeting. Troop Reporter Francis Nichols wrote in the Beacon, “B. S. A. Troop 39 met at their club rooms. At 7:30 the Scout master blew his whistle. This meant inspection. All the boys passed. Then we went out into the alley by the side of the club and played some games. Asa Bishop [...]
November 6, 1888 - A quiet wedding took place at the John Dougherty House on Ukiah Street. Miss Bessie Dougherty, only child of John and the late Elizabeth Dougherty, was united in marriage with Music Professor Charles Millard. The Beacon reported that, “The bride is one of Mendocino's daughters, widely known and much respected. The groom, however, is somewhat of a stranger among us. Last spring [...]
November 5, 1927 - The Mendocino Women’s Improvement Club held a Parcel Post Sale at the Mendocino Hat Shop on Main Street. Proceeds from the sale were donated to the effort to install water pipes throughout the town for fire-fighting purposes. Sending parcels thru the mail began in 1913, and Parcel Post Sales became quite popular as fundraisers. Improvement Club members wrote to their friends asking [...]
It used to be unsurprising to see someone carrying a piece of produce into the Mendocino Beacon office so the editor could inspect it and determine how big it was. If it was a record-setting fruit or vegetable, it made it into the next edition of the paper. Inspection of old Beacon issues reveals some of the important local records. Americans have long been fascinated with [...]
November 2, 1907 - The Mendocino Beacon reported that, “A. F. Luiz has had a new crosswalk put in from his store to the post office - a worthy enterprise.” Unidentified man sitting on the boardwalk that crossed the street to the post office on the south side of Main Street, Mendocino, 1907. This view was taken from in front of Antone F. Luiz's general [...]