HIDDEN
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HISTORY
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A special publication of
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Hidden History August 2019
Kings County’s Hidden History
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You never know how much you DON’T KNOW about your community until you start researching the past and ask questions. Did Amelia Earhart really spend time in Hanford? What precisely happened in the Muscle Slough Tragedy? Did a baby really cry in the womb six weeks before it was born? This was the premise behind this edition of Hidden History. The Sentinel had great feedback from the historical coffee table book, County of Kings and the Answer Book produced in March of 2011. The Sentinel staff decided to dive even deeper into the history of the Hanford and Kings County and present it to you in this format. It is full of fascinating snippets of information as well as some of the legends and lore of Kings County. Our research was a labor of love as we picked thru our 1986 Centennial edition and old editions of The Sentinel to bring you the history. While we cannot say that the information is 100% correct, we’ve done our very best to provide you with a fascinating glimpse into everything you didn’t know about Kings County.
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h h h h h h h h HANFORD h h h h h h h h h h h h
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In 1877, when the Southern Pacific Railway laid lines from Goshen to Coalinga, their path crossed through a Chinese sheepherder’s simple camp. This Page 24 Page 25 camp was the beginning of the City of Hanford. The settlement was named for James Madison Hanford, auditor of the railroad, who also took a lively interest in the sale of town lots, which began on January 17, 1877. Within a short time the settlement grew to a town and, with the powerful backing of the became Page 29railway, Hanford Page 30the trading center of the area. Through the early years, a series of devastating fires hampered the growth of the town. On the evening of July 12, 1887, a fire destroyed most of the downtown business district. The fire spurred talk of incorporation, but the idea of additional taxes prevented any action. Then, on the morning Page 34 Page 35 of June 19, 1891 another fire raged uncontrolled for hours, once again destroying the downtown business district. This blaze proved to be the last straw for the early civic leaders. In response to the fire, on June 20, 1891, a town meeting was held to discuss incorporation. The39 demand for incorporation Page Page 40 was a direct outgrowth of inadequate fire
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protection. On July 19, 1891, a group of businessmen and civic leaders petitioned the Tulare County Board of Supervisors (Hanford was then in Tulare County) for Page 26 Page 27 an election was held August 8, 1891. The following vote was recorded: For incorporation, 127; against incorporation, 47. Four days later the handwritten Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Secretary of State and thus, August 12, 1891 marked Page 31
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the birthdate of the City of Hanford. When Kings County was formed in 1893, Hanford became the county seat. Another huge fire struck downtown Hanford on July 10, 2001, as sparks from a roofing project caused Salmon’s Furniture to be totally destroyed. Due to the efforts of the Hanford Fire Department and there updated equipment other neighboring businesses were saved.
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h h h LEMOORE h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h When was Tulare Lake full of water? h h h h h h h h h Dr. Lee Moore
Page 13 the city of Page 14in April 1871.Page 15 Dr. Lovern Lee Moore first made his home in what was western Tulare County – now Lemoore By the time Dr. Moore arrived, scores of individual farms dotted the landscape. The area was known by various names, believed to be of Indian origin, including Latache, Tailholt, or just in English, the Lake District. The pioneers were somewhat isolated and had to drive by horse as far as six miles northeast to Grangeville settlement to get mail or newspapers. It was even further to Kingston for other supplies. Dr. Lee Moore proved to be a man of vision. He decided to knit together the scores of surrounding farm families and to secure a post office and a local center for conducting business. His first steps began in early 1872, when he surveyed a 10-acre subdivision in what is now the land immediately west of the present Page 18in this district Page 19out and named Page 20 Lemoore High School. In August 1872, he established the first real estate development and laid the streets other pioneer families. In the summer of 1872, land auctions were held and lots went to the highest bidder with prices ranging from $75 to $150 per lot. At the time it was common custom to name communities after their founders or some prominent person of the day. For some reason the US Post Office objected to the name “Latache” so it combined the founder’s name by omitting one letter “e” and called the new post office Lemoore after Lee Moore. Page 23
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Tulare Lake is a freshwater dry lake with residual wetlands and marshes, that was the largest freshwater lake in the West until the late 19th century. The lake was named for the tule rush plant, a giant species of bulrush that predominantly lined the marshes and sloughs of its shores, Except during heaving precipitation, it was part of a large basin at the south end of the San Joaquin Valley, but not connected to the San Joaquin River. At its largest in 1879, it measured 690 square miles. It once supported vast populations of deer, elk, antelope, grizzly bear, migratory and Page other aquatic wet years, Pagewaterfowl 33 34 species. During Page 35 the rivers feeding into the lake were the terminus of the western hemisphere’s southernmost Chinook salmon run. The Yokut people, who numbered about 70,000 in population, had one of the highest regional population densities in North America. They built reed boats and fished in the lake for centuries until the settlement by Spanish and American pioneers. Well after California became a state, Tulare Lake and its large marshes remained an important fishery. In 1888, in one three month period 73,500 pounds of fish were shipped through Hanford to San Francisco, and it was the source of a regional favorite, Western pond turtles, were relished as terrapin soup in San Francisco.
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Fire and water were the two ingredients that pushed the residents of Hanford towards independence in 1891. Fire had been responsible for devastating the business district several times. Inadequate water supplies and equipment Page hadPage failed on11 more than one occasion12 to meet the crisis. So, on August 8, 1891, 174 residents of Hanford drifted into the Pythian Hall by ones and twos to cast their first ballots under a brand new “Austrailian System,” and voted to change a village into an incorporated city. The question Should17 Page 16on the ballot: Page Hanford be incorporated as a city of the sixth class under the state laws? The citizens voted 127 in favor, 47 against. At the same time, the voters elected a board of trustees, which became the first Hanford City Council, often referred to as
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“the city fathers.” Kings County had not been formed at the time, so the resolutions were taken to the Tulare County Board of Supervisors, who called an election after going through the formalities of public meetings and publishing notices. As a result of the election, handwritten articles of incorporation were filed with the Secretary of State in Sacramento on August 12, 1891, marking the formal organizing of the City of Hanford. Of the dozen candidates who ran for city trustee, E. Axtell, a blacksmith, was the popular vote getter with 104. Just three votes behind with 101 was a pioneer painter, George Slight, who came to Hanford in the 1870’s. J.O. Hickman, founder and cashier at the Bank of Hanford (known in the early days as the Old Bank), was third with 89 votes. B.A. Fassett, manager of the
San Joaquin Lumber Co., was fourth with 75 votes. He subsequently was chosen by fellow trustees as the president and thus was the city’s first mayor. The fifth trustee was James Manasse, a pioneer merchant who had come to Hanford soon after the town was established in 1877. His store, then situated at Sixth and Douty streets, was one of those gutted by the earlier fires.
What is the oldest h h h h h church h in Kings h County? h h h h h h h h h h h h h Page 3
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Kings County serves a wide range of reliPage 23 gious communities with over 90 different congregations being reported to exist in the area by The Association of Religion Data Archives. According to this data, the oldest churches in the area are The Episcopal Church of the Saviour and St. Brigid’s Catholic Church. Page 28
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The Church of the Saviour located at 24 Page 519Page N. Douty Street in Hanford began25 in 1880 with a small congregation of only 21 people. Eventually in 1882, a small red church was built out of wood and the first worship service was held there in August of that year. In 1910, a newer, Gothic structure made of red brick was built. The church members Page 29 Page 30 wanted to preserve the original wooden structure and decided to roll the building on logs and place it in the back of the property next to the new building. The wood building has remained at its location ever since and serves as a chapel for the church. Inside the brick building, above the alter, is the Great East Window. The window 34a means for members Page of 35the wasPage created as church to tell the story of their faith. Also, the church features one of the grand and rare pipe organs located in the valley. With over 1044 pipes the sounds emanating from the organ are magnificent. St. Brigid’s Catholic Church is located at 200 E. Florinda Street and was the first Page 39 in the area. Page 40and Catholic church It was built
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dedicated on June 4, 1882. It was origi26the corner ofPage nallyPage located on Seventh27 and Redington Streets and then was moved in 1912 to Florinda Street. The current church building was built in 1927 and the original building moved again, this time to Second and Douty Streets to serve those primarily speaking Spanish. Page 31 Page 32
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h h h h h Into The h Past: h h Glimpse h h Hanford h h History h of h h Page 3
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Before the first pioneers arrived in the Central Valley, the Hanford area was home to the Tachi Yokut Indians as it had been for thousands of years. Next came28 the Spanish on an expedition found Page Page 29 in 1805. They Page 30what is today known as the Kings River and called it “El Rio de los Santos Reyes,” or the “River of the Holy Kings.” It would retain that title
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for about 33 years, until the U.S. Government changed it to what it is known as today. In 1877, the Southern Pacific Railroad began laying tracks through the area, a move with32 it a large influx of Chinese Page 31 which brought Page immigrants, eventually giving rise to China Alley and the largest Chinatown in the Central Valley. The town itself was named after James Madison Hanford, an executive with the railroad company. Three years later, a dispute between settlers and the railroad turned bloody. A gun fight ensued on a farm northwest of Hanford and resulted in the 36 deaths of seven men. This Page Page 37event came to be known as the Mussel Slough Tragedy. In the years that followed, fire decimated the town on multiple occasions. A post office was established in 1887 and the city was incorporated in 1891, mostly due to the need for fire protection. Two years after that, Kings County itself was formed from a chunk of Tulare County. It would further annex another 208 square miles of land in 1909 from nearby Fresno County. Today, more than 128 years after the city began, Hanford’s diverse history is still etched into its surface; from the railroads that still cut through the town today, to the variety of historic buildings which dot its horizon. It’s impossible to visit this vibrant community without noticing the roots from which it grew.
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Hanford residents who got up late on the morning of March 23, 1898 were surprised to hear the brief but startling news of another train Page 28 Page 29 holdup and robbery. The Sentinel telephoned the central office at Goshen as crowds gathered to read the news. It seems that the robbery was committed the old-fashioned way – two men boarded the train, held up the engineer and fireman, and forced them to their bidding at the muzzle of their guns. The train robbed was the northbound overland express that left Goshen at 10:52pm. James Moore, engineer, and Dan McAuliffe, fireman, were in charge of the engine. According to published reports at the time, the train was in charge of conductor Bodman, and the express messenger’s name was Pease. As the train left Goshen, two men got on the blind baggage in the same way as so often described in previous holdups, and when a little Page 33 that no more Page 34put way of out of Goshen, they climbed over the tender, covered the engineer and fireman with their guns and ordered coal be in the firebox. The train ran on to Cross Creek bridge and then stopped due to lack of steam. The engineer and fireman were ordered to get out and go back to the express car, and were then compelled to touch off the explosives that had been placed by the robbers. The first charge tore off one side of the car and turned it into kindling wood. The expressman was ordered out, and then the safe was blown open with dynamite, and its contents secured. The United States mail car was then robbed and all registered mail rifled and the pouch thrown in the ground. The engine pulled into Traver after the robbers left, leaving the train on the track. As soon as Traver could be reached, the wires flashed out the news of the robbery. Owing to the fact that in many of the telegraph and telephone offices there were no night clerks, it was slow business getting the alarm Page 38 Page 39 off to the sheriffs in the neighboring communities. Bakersfield tried to get a message to Hanford, but could not, so he contacted Agent Fred McFee in Armona and told him to inform Sheriff W.V. Buckner at once, and tell him to go to the Southern Pacific depot in Hanford. McFee mounted his bicycle and rode to Hanford, calling in at the county jail at about 2am. Deputy Sheriff Walker was there alone, he telephoned the sheriff at his residence and he, with his deputy Andy Ayers, responded. According to witnesses in Traver, two men in a buggy were seen passing through town at about noon, coming from the direction of the holdup. A tramp in Goshen also saw the two men get onto the blind baggage. He tried to do the same thing to steal a ride, but was ordered off by the robbers. This prompted him to give a description to the authorities, who took him along with them to the scene of the crime. The robbers reportedly took off with between $30,000 and $60,000. A $1,300 reward was posted for each man.
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h h h h h h h h h h h h h h hyou know? hh Did h hSaloons h flourished in Hanford’s h h early days Page 16
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Despite an anti-saloon movement. The town voted to become dry in 1912 eight years before nationwide prohibition Page 40 took effect
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The world was smaller, interests more defined and concerns far more parochial when The Hanford Sentinel came into existence more than a century ago. The pages were filled with one liners about who had arrived on the train to visit relatives and was in town on a Tuesday to transact business, as well as short items about who had planted a new how much34 a farmer had received full text Page 33 crop and Page Pagefor 35his grapes. The Page 36 of a holiday oration, or a visiting evangelists sermon and minute details of the schoolhouse dedication were read with relish. In this way, the newspaper also was a schoolroom and a readily available window on the world, recounting the mystic customs of the far East, historic vignettes and moral advisories. And what made news that first year, when the Dodge Brothers-Frank L. and David-began publishing their weekly newspaper each Thursday in 1896? Much of the content consisted of clips from other newspapers all over the United States. A “Local Intelligence” column was a mix of personal and business news. It was reported that the railroad company “has no direct interest in a $20,000 schoolhouse in Hanford, yet it will pay a large share of the tax. People who have children to education should 38 not hesitate toPage vote the39 tax as long as itPage is a reasonable one.” Page 40 The paper was a booster for new settlers and, saying the farms were too large in this country, suggested that 20 to 40 acre family parcels were the ideal. By the end of April 1886, the newspaper announced it had completed its first quarter in business “with favorable prospects.” As community interest in promoting settlement and development increased, the newspaper remarked that the name “Mussel Slough is an abomination. Call it the Lucerne Country.” Another suggestion on the same page was to call the western Tulare County territory, “Evergreen.” The newspaper was a voice for community morality, and in addition to reporting incidents of the outrageous infidelity it also rallied to curb indecency in whatever form it took, whether intemperance in the use of intoxicants of foul language.
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Hanford’s China Alley: Walking Through History
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Blink and you might miss one of Hanford’s most historic landmarks. China Alley, nestled just off East Seventh Street in downtown Hanford, was once considered the heart of a Chinatown to rival those housed in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Chinese immigrants first came to Hanford more than 130 years ago, following the promise of work with the Central Pacific Railroad and with fruit and vegetable farmers in the area. At its peak, China Alley served the needs of more than 10,000 Chinese residents, the second Page 32 largest concentration in the nation. As their numbers grew, so did the number of businesses catering to them, such as herb shops, restaurants, laundries, opium dens, boarding homes, sundries, gambling houses and more. The area thrived until the railroad work dried up and the immigrants themselves assimilated into American culture. Today, China Alley is a small collection of vintage structures with a rich history to share. According to the National Register of Historic Places, China Alley is the last Chinatown in California’s San Joaquin Valley to remain culturally and physically intact. The buildings which stand there today retain the appearance and architectural stylings from when they were first built more than 100 years ago. Perhaps the most iconic structure in China Alley is the Taoist Temple. Built almost 120 years ago, the former place of worship now houses a museum Pageand 37gift shop. Visitors can examine firsthand the artifacts, costumes and banners used in religious ceremonies at the Temple a century ago, along with other items and furnishings from Hanford’s Chinatown at its height. The Temple gift shop is open from noon to 6 p.m. on the first Saturday of the month, while tours are available by appointment by calling (559) 582-4508. In 1958, the Imperial Dynasty restaurant opened in town and quickly became a well-known five-star restaurant noted for its escargot. The business closed its doors in 2006, but members of the family which once ran it are still active in perserving China Alley for generations to come. China Alley is also home to the original L.T. Sue Herb Co. building, which was once home to a renowned Chinese herbalist in the early 1900s. Today, the century-old building houses the L.T. Sue Tea Room and Emporium, offering more than a 100 different flavors of teas and blends, all bearing the original L.T. Sue Herb Co. logo. A portion of the Tea Room’s profits benefit the continued restoration efforts in China Alley. For over 30 years now, China Alley has also hosted its annual “Moon Festival.” The yearly event includes performances by Chinese Lion Dancers and Taiko drummers and draws a large crowd to the downtown area. Booths are set up around the performance area, selling crafts like pottery and wood carvings, while food vendors sell a variety of authentic Chinese dishes. Artists, such as local origami experts, are also on hand to teach locals their trades, while the Hanford Bonsai Society brings out a selection of their trees for viewing or purchase. All money raised at the event benefits the Taoist Temple Preservation Society. In 2011, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named China Alley one of “America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.” Hidden History August 2019
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h h h Did you know? h h h Saloons flourished in h Hanford’s early days h h h h h h Did you know? h h An electrical generating plant h was built in 1891 by pioneering Page 13
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Page 23 Despite an anti-saloon movement. The town voted to become dry in 1912 eight years before nationwide prohibition took effect Page 28
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flour miller h.g. lacey, bringing the first electric lights to the city. Lacey milling co. is still operating today.
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During the great influenza epidemic of 1918-1919, many US cities enacted ordinances requiring citizens to wear a quadruple thickness of gauze over their mouth and nose. But that did not sit well with one Hanford resident. Page 21 Page 22 On November 24, 1918 a man named Sherman Hutchison was approached by sanitary inspector Charles Boyd, and was told he was in violation of a city ordinance. Hutchison reportedly told the inspector, “the hell with a mask and you too!” According Boyd’s account, he displayed Pageto26 Page 27 his badge and put his hand on Hutchinson’s shoulder. “When I did that, he stepped back and threw a can of syrup at me, striking me in the head with it,” Boyd said. His attacker then turned and ran, reaching into his hip pocket as he fled. Page 31 Page 32
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“I called out to him to stop, but kept right on, and I felt sure he was reaching for a weapon,” Boyd told police. He drew his gun and ordered the fleeing man to stop. Hutchison complied, then reached into his inside pocket, drew out a razor and moved towards the inspector. Boyd ordered him to stop or he “would shoot,” but the blade-wielding man kept on coming. “When he came close to me, within about 8 feet, I shot first at the pavement, and after telling him to drop the razor, I raised the gun a little and shot him in the leg.” But that didn’t stop Hutchison as he got up and limped away, only to fall again after 50 feet. Even though Boyd’s account was borne out by witnesses, there was no further mention of the incident, or what happened to Hutchison.
Mid Valley Disposal is a “locally and operated” family business established in 1997 by Jay Kalpakoff. Mid Valley Disposal started their garbage company with two trucks and their first contract award with the City of Avenal in Kings County in 2000. Mid Valley Disposal was excited to have their first garbage and recycling contract with a small community in need of a company to come in and provide great service. Mid Valley Disposal and the City of Avenal continue to work together to keep the City of Avenal a clean and green community. Today, Mid Valley Disposal provides collection services throughout the Central Valley including Kings County, Tulare County, and Fresno County.
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The Mussel Slough Tragedy was a dispute over land titles between settlers and the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) that took place on May 11, 1880, on a farm located 5.6 miles northwest of Hanford, California, in the central San Joaquin Valley, leaving seven people dead. The exact history of the incident has been the source of some disagreement, largely because popular anti-railroad sentiment in the 1880s made the incident to be a clear example of corrupt and coldblooded corporate greed. Muckraking journalists and anti-railroad activists glorified the settlers and used the events as evidence and justification for their anti-corporate crusades. The site of the episode is now registered as California Historical Landmark #245. A historical marker on the east side of 14th Avenue, 350 yards north of Elder Avenue, memorializes the site. On May 11, 1880, a picnic was being held in Hanford which was to feature a speech by pro-settler former California Supreme Court Justice David S. Terry (who was actually unable to appear), when word reached the picnickers that four “railroad men” (a U.S. Marshal, an SP land appraiser, and two locals) were actively evicting settlers on railroad lands, and a group of about twenty people left to confront them. However, the rumors were only partially true; in addition to serving eviction notices, the group was also purchasing land (and any improvements) from settlers who had refused to pay SP’s asking price. This act was seen as a betrayal of Stanford’s visit a mere two months earlier. The parties met at the homestead of Henry D. Brewer three miles north of Grangeville the marshal’s group having just been at Braden’s house. Later testimony from uninvolved parties indicated that the party of settlers were lightly armed and had every intention of persuading the railroad party to delay their actions until a pending court
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case could be resolved. However, there was bad blood between Crow and Harris, and Hartt had previously threatened to kill any “sandlappers”, and an argument broke out between them. Harris and Hartt simultaneously opened fire at each other. Page 33 marksmanPage Pagesingle35 Crow, a skilled who was34 armed with a shotgun, handedly killed or wounded most of the settlers’ party. After the initial exchange of gunfire ended, Crow fled the scene, but was shot in the back about 1.5 mi away by an unknown assailant before he could reach safety. Poole and Clark did not participate in the battle and left immediately after the incident, possibly defusing tensions enough to avoid further bloodshed. Afterwards, seventeen people were indicted by a federal grand jury 39interfering with Page 40 in and Page five were38 found guilty Page of willfully a marshal performance of his duties. They were convicted in federal court and sentenced to eight months in prison and fined $300 each. Their time spent in imprisonment was hardly difficult. Three of the men’s wives were allowed to live with them, and Susan Curtis, daughter of one of the jailers, fell in love with and later married Braden. Upon their release in September 1881, they were greeted by a joyous crowd of 3,000 in Hanford. Such was the anti-railroad sentiment that the five were looked upon as heroes by many across California, and those killed were considered martyrs who had given their lives for a cause. Nevertheless, the affair brought such a shock that people were sobered. The legal battle had been lost, the railroad had won, and there was not enough public support for changing the policy of granting public lands to railroads. The only concession SP made was to reduce the land price slightly. In the end, most simply stayed where they were and purchased the land. Squatting continued for years, though, despite the SP’s best attempts to squash it. Hidden History August 2019
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h Amelia and Mary two kindred spirits
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Page 36 of two young Page 37 who loved life. Both considered beautiful in their own way. One, Mary Packwood was This is a story women lovely and petite, the other, Amelia Earhart was tall and willowy, an all All-American girl. Both were ambitious, adventurous, independent and strong. They were among the pioneers who ventured into the world of flying. And among the first women to make a mark on flying. Mary, who was from Hanford, discovered flying and her parents encouraged her adventurous spirit by purchasing her a small airplane, an open cockpit single engine bi-plane. Amelia after being exposed to World War I aviators at a military hospital and after her first flight in Southern California, she developed a passion for flying. Mary and Amelia met in the 1930’s at Chandler Field in West Fresno, being introduced by a flight instructor, at a time when most young ladies were expected to be preparing themselves for marriage, children and family life. The girls became fast friends right away and spent many hours flying. When not flying they would spend their weekends in Hanford and were very popular guests at dances and parties. Amelia left a wardrobe of clothes at the Packwood home for such visits. She left her dress behind as well as her fashion design luggage (pictured). The girls drifted apart around 1934 with Amelia pursuing her flying adventures and Mary, married by then, left California for a while, returning in 1958, living in Hanford for the rest of her life. Amelia’s flying career generated tabloid stories of spying missions for the American government, searching our Japanese military installations in the Pacific. These stories were scoffed at by Mary, believing that Amelia was simply trying to establish another record before the inevitable outbreak of war making any attempt impossible. Hidden History August 2019
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On October 12, 1940, the Kings Company B joined with other regiCounty Selective Service Board was ments to make the 40th Division, established. It pulled in 4,782 men also known as the Sunshine Division, between the ages of 21 and 35 in less which included National Guard units than a week. from California, Nevada and Utah. On March 3, 1941, Company 22, 1942, Page 18 On August Page 19 the unit set Page 20 B, 185th Infantry was formed. That sail for Kauai Island. fighting unit was to become the Late in 1943, Company B, 185th roaming home of a steady stream of Infantry headed toward Guadalcanal Kings County soldiers. in the Solomon Islands. When an On December 7, 1941, men in expected attack on New Ireland did Company B joined others through- not occur, the troops moved to Cape out the US and put their lives on Gloucester, New Britain, where they Page 23 24 northward Page 25 the line. helped forcePage the Japanese On March 3, 1942, Company B in relief of the First Marine Division. was feted at a rally and farewell dinOn January 9, 1945, Company ner at the Civic auditorium. Already B soldiers were among the first solon a year’s active service, the men diers to land in Lingayan Gulf when soon were to see some of the most the struggle for Luzon broke out. intensive fighting in the Pacific. Page 28
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h h h h Elephants stampede h downtown h hHanford h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h
ThePage stampede caused delay 14 Page 15a longPage 16 in unloading Page 17 the circus and su parade scheduled for 11 a.m. that day.
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It happened on the morning of August 31, 1922 when a herd was being unloaded at the Southern Pacific depot. Ten small elephants were gathered around a female as they were being transported to the circus tents, and an attendant suddenly Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 opened a car door and frightened “Charlie Ed” so much that he ran between the legs of one of the big bulls. For a moment, it looked like a real fight would break out, but instead the entire herd scattered, some making for the south side and others running along Sixth Street and up into the business section. One bull headed across Sixth Street and nearly charged a woman with a child. It walked along the sidewalk, then over the curb to Douty Street. For a while it looked like he was going in to a soft
drink at Pettis or pay a visit to The Sentinel, but he kept on going then ran up Sixth Street. In the meantime, three bull elephants got into the Central Lumber company yard, two others charged into the business section, and one stopped to get a glance at the Kings Hotel’s nice plate glass window. When they saw him, three guests ran to the elevator and went up out of sight. A keeper got the elephant to change its course, but he could not stop him. Finally, the elephant met up with his mate and later walked into a garage and laid down. The stampede caused a long delay in unloading the circus and subsequently a very slight delay in the parade scheduled for 11 a.m. that day.
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h What’s the connectionh between Hanford and the h “Lost Bird of Wounded Knee”? h h h h h h Page 13
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Lost Bird was born in the spring or summer of 1890 on the prairies of South Dakota. Fate took her to Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation on December 29, 1890. On that tragic day, hundreds of Lakota men, women, and children died in a confrontation with US troops and the women who likely was the child’s mother was among them. But as she was dying, she and her baby found some scanty shelter from the bitter cold and wind in the bank of a creek. Four days after the massacre, a rescue party found the infant, miraculously alive, protected by the woman’s frozen body. Lost Bird was adopted by General Leonard Colby and, without her knowledge or consent, his suffragist wife, Clara Bewick Colby. The baby’s original name died on the killing field, along with her chance to grow up in her own culture. Although she was renamed Marguerite, she became, literally and figuratively, Zintkala Nuni, the Lost Bird. So Lost Bird, Zintka, as her adopted mother called her, ended up the daughter of a very socially and historically prominent white couple. However, Zintka’s childhood was marred by her exposure to racism, possible abuse from adoptive relatives and the indifference of her father. Poverty entered into the mix when General Colby abandoned his wife for the child’s nursemaid and failed to provide adequate support for his family. The increasingly restless child endured miserable stays with rela-
Page 38 Page 39 tives and at boarding schools and became harder and harder for her mother to control. At age 17, Zintka was sent back to her father and his new wife in Beatrice, Nebraska. The result was disastrous. A few months later, General Colby placed his now pregnant daughter in a stark and severe reformatory. Her son was stillborn, but the girl remained in the facility for a year. She had a number of careers during her short life: work with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, various entertainment and acting jobs. By 1916 Zintka was living in abject poverty. She and her then husband, who sufferered from illness, were trying to make a living in vaudeville. She had two more children, one died and Zintka gave the other to an Indian woman who was better able to care for him. Eventually, Zintka and her husband moved in with his parents in Hanford in 1918. Zintka fell ill on February 9, 1920 and she died on Valentine’s Day, 1920. Lost Bird finally came home in 1991, in an effort spurred in part by author Renee Sansom Flood. Zintka’s grave was found in Hanford and her remains were returned to South Dakota and buried at the grave site at Wounded Knee. Her tragic story led to the organization of the Lost Bird Society, which helps Native Americans who were adopted outside their culture find their roots. Hidden History August 2019
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h h h h The Hanford Carnegie Museum h h h h h h h h h h h h h h Page 16
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The idea for the Hanford library was formed in 1890 when a Free Reading Room Association was organized by a handful of ladies in the community of Hanford, in rented quarters on Seventh Street, the association collected donations, gave concerts and bazaars to maintain the reading room. The library continued to expand in rented buildings and in 1902 an application for funds with which to build a library was made to Andrew Carnegie. This former Scottish immigrant, who had become a famed industrialist was showing his gratitude for the millions he had made in this country by funding libraries throughout the United States. The initial request was for $15,000. Carnegie offered $10,000. The board argued that this would be insufficient and a compromise was reached at $12,500. The cornerstone was laid on August 12, 1905. Most libraries built with Carnegie money in the $10,000 range were of wood frame construction and have subsequently burned. The Hanford project, having an additional $2,500 was able to build with concrete blocks and with pressed metal, imitating clay tiles, covering the cross gabled roof. These upgraded features gave it more durability. The buildings Romanesque architecture is said to be the best example outside of Stanford University in California. The building served as Hanford’s public library until 1968 when a new building was constructed on Ninth & Douty. The old Carnegie Library was used for storage. In August 1971, a few concerned citizens discovered that the City Council was about to demolish the building to make a parking lot. Petitions were presented to the City Council to save the building for use as an historical museum. With thousands in donated money for restoration and 250,000 hours in donated volunteer labor, the Carnegie Museum was opened on May 11, 1975. The property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.
Hidden History August 2019
h h h The Carousel: Spinning Up h h h Downtown h Memories h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h Page 13
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It’s not uncommon to hear someone talk about their first time on the downtown Hanford Carousel, while watching children of their own climb astride the well-known ride. City officials say the Carousel, a 1932 Allan Herschell Page 23 model Page 24 become aPage Page 26 which has fixture 25 of downtown Hanford’s Court House Square, is ridden by more than 10,000 people annually. The attraction first came to Hanford in the 1980s, after being relocated from Mooney Grove Park in Tulare County. It was originally designed to be disassembled and transportPage 28 ed as aPage Pagehas 30 claimed it Page 31 carnival29ride. But Hanford as its own. The vintage Carousel features 30 jumping horses and two chariots. It is kept in working order largely thanks to community support and money set aside by the Hanford Chamber of Commerce. Like Superior Dairy, the Carousel is a popular stop for tourists who ride the train into Hanford for an afternoon. Page 33
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h h h h h h h h h Page 17
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November 21, 1954 the day the dialing phone system came to Hanford
Prior to the arrival of the automatic dialing system, “your number, please,” was a common response that echoed through the Hanford Pacific Bell Company telephone office, as 40 women Page 27
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operators connected telephone callers by using a switchboard. The new system was designed to give customers the speediest possible service. For the first time, residents could dial directly to another party line without the assistance of an operator. Hanford resident Alice Francis remembered her days as a Pacific Bell Co. assistant traffic operator manager. One advantage of the job, she said, was that “we knew everybody when they called… what they did…and everything about them.” The customers who received the automatic phone dialing system were given a five-digit telephone number that began with the “LU” prefix. Prior to that, all they had to do was lift the receiver and the operator was ready to connect them with another party. The new system also placed Hanford telephones on the nationwide numbering plan, which meant callers also could make longdistance telephone calls without the operator’s assistance. The office moved and expanded from its previous location at 221 N. Douty Street to 516 N. Douty Street in Hanford. To help customers, a special 12-page tabloid news section was put together to help educate Kings County residents about the history of the telephone in Kings County, the company’s employees and how the system worked.
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h h h h h h h Page 18
When did the world hear a Hanford fetus cry?
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When a Hanford baby named Beatrice Judy Avilez first cried on August 25, 1951, the world leaned in and listened.
of another baby which lives next door to us…so he didn’t say anything to me. When we were in the house later and I was sitting on the bed,
Time and Newsweek magazines wrote about her cry, days after The
there was a cry and I asked Frank, where did you hear the baby cry?”
Hanford Sentinel devoted most of its September 1, 1951 front page to
“Frank said it sounded like it was coming from under the floor.
baby Beatrice with eight stories and two photos. The London Times and New York Times picked up the story. So did the wire services. A San Francisco newspaper published a special section. All because little Beatrice cried six weeks before she was born! “Doctors at Sacred Heart Hospital in Hanford, California could hardly believe their ears,” Times reported. “A 24 year old housewife,
Then I heard the cry again. And I again asked my husband, “where is that cry?” and he said, it’s coming from the baby” He meant it was coming from me!” The crying, which Hanford physician Earl Hagen recorded and others witnessed, was described in the news accounts as like that of a just spanked newborn.
eight months pregnant, arrived one morning last week and announced
Time and Newsweek explained that natal membranes had broken,
that her unborn baby was crying. The doctors listened. Sure enough,
allowing baby Beatrice to wail. But in a follow-up story, Hagen
faint wails were coming from the fetus.”
denied he ever made that statement to the magazines, saying only that
The mother, Beatrice Avilez, described her upsetting discover in a story copyright by The Sentinel. “Wednesday afternoon, my husband Frank and I were sweeping in the front yard…My husband heard a cry. I didn’t hear it. Later my husband told me he thought it was the cry
Beatrice had to somehow have gotten air. Two years after Beatrice was born, the Avilez family moved to Artesia. As for the recording of the baby’s cry, Hagen reportedly said it was put away in a safe, away from the press and curiosity seekers. Hidden History August 2019
h h h h h h h h h h h h h Did you know? h h h h h h h h h 103 Kings county residents losth their lives while h hserving h their country h h during h wwII h Page 19
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Impeccably Dressed
What role did Kings County soldiers play in WW II On October 12, 1940, the Kings County Selective Service Board was established. It pulled in 4,782 men between the ages of 21 and 35 in less than a week.
On March 3, 1941, Company B, 185th Infantry was formed. That fighting unit was to become the roaming home of a steady stream of Kings County soldiers. On December 7, 1941, men in Company B joined others throughout the US and put Home2 suites their lives on the line.
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On August 22, 1942, the unit set sail for Kauai Island. Late in 1943, Company B, 185th Infantry headed toward Guadalcanal in the Solomon 1589 Glendale Ave. • Hanford, CA 93230 Islands. When an expected attack not occur, the troops moved to Available at on New Ireland did 559.587.9957 office • 559.587.9956 fax Cape Gloucester,Workingman’s New Britain, where they helped force the Japanese northward in Store Tuxedo reliefShop of the First Marine Division. www.home2suitesbyhilton.com www.vanandels.com Frances j. perkins Manager, cHa 216 N. Irwin St. Downtown Hanford | 584-3914 On| January 9, 1945, Company B soldiers were among the first General soldiers to land in Lingayan Gulf when the struggle for Luzon broke out. 91720-1
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h h How was Lemoore h h chosen for LNAS? h h h h h h h h h h Page 34
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It took eight years of effort on the part of the City of Lemoore, the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce, the City of Hanford and several congressmen, including Representative Harlan Hagen. Hagen was the recipient of the Sentinel’s “1958 Outstanding Service Award” for his efforts in securing the air base. Originally, hopes were pinned on the Air Force. On March 16, 1950, The Sentinel reported that the City of Lemoore had put in a “serious bid” for consideration as the Air Force’s “West Point of the Air.” At that time, the Air Force was seeking sites for two installations – an air school as well as the academy that Lemoore hoped to host. Speculation for Lemoore’s chances was stirred after a March 18, 1951 visit to the former World War II cadet training base by Major General Kenneth McNaughton, deputy chief of staff for air. By December 1955, Lemoore was reported to be “still in the running” as a Navy “master jet base” and the base was included in President Dwight Eisenhower’s defense message on January 18, 1956. On January 9, 1958 The Sentinel reported that the Navy took ownership of the land, and on May 9, a Los Angeles contractor was awarded the job to undertake the first work at the air base. Once completed, the base was officially commissioned on July 8, 1961. The 32,000 acre site west of Lemoore was a hub of constant activity from the beginning, and Kings County was abuzz with excitement. The $100 million base was projected to add several thousand residents to Hanford’s and Lemoore’s population. Hanford and Lemoore celebrated in grand fashion when the commissioning date finally arrived. A parade of proportions never before imagined weaved through the middle of Hanford with more than 30,000 visitors lining the streets. Lemoore celebrated with equal intensity. A concert, fireworks and an exhibit by the Navy Sky Raiders of North Island were conducted at the Lemoore High School stadium. At the base, 110,000 people turned out for the ceremonies, included the installation of Howard M. Avery as the base commanding officer. Today, LNAS is home to the Navy’s arsenal of fighter jets, from the F-18 to the recent addition of the F-35 C. The base contributes over $750 million to the regional economy.
Hidden History August 2019
h h LNAS brings great h hchanges to Kings County h h h h h h h h h h Page 21
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The official commissioning of Lemoore Naval Air Station on July 8, 1961 signified the start of changes that would alter the surrounding communities for years to come. Kings County would never be the same. From the time the Navy awarded the first building contract in May of 1958, the 32,000 acre site west of Lemoore was the hub of constant activity. Through 1960 and 1961 as the opening date drew closer, construction efforts reached a stunning pace. Navy and civilian personnel alike began to realize something special was in the making. Hanford and Lemoore celebrated in grand fashion when the commissioning date finally arrived. A parade of proportions never before imagined weaved through the middle of Hanford. The July 8, 1991 edition of the Sentinel described the celebration: “The throng was estimated at 30,000 visitors, perhaps more. Streets in Hanford were lined with spectators for a long morning parade paying tribute to the Navy. Then the highways and roads were clogged with traffic as people
made their way to the air station to see the exhibits, commissioning events and air show. A holiday atmosphere prevailed. Most stores in Hanford were closed, freeing hundreds more to attend.” Lemoore celebrated with equal intensity. A concert, fireworks and exhibit by the Navy Sky Raiders of North Island were conducted at the Lemoore High School stadium. A crowd of 110,000 persons turned out for the commissioning ceremonies which included the installation of Captain Howard M. Avery as the base’s commanding officer. Lemoore NAS, opened as the primary West Coast attack base for the Navy, indeed was an impressive project. Visitors were in awe of the 135 foot control tower and the 13,500 foot runways. While base residents applauded the comforts, Kings County residents were overjoyed with the influx of new neighbors. In a very short time the base was pumping an additional $30 million into the county’s annual payroll.
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h h h h h F-18 strike fighter h h h h h arrives at NAS Lemoore h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h Page 18
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September 1981 A mountain range near the Naval Air Station Lemoore provides the picturesque backdrop for a U.S. Navy/Marine Corps F-18 strike fighter during a recent training flight. Personnel from VFA-125 training squadron stationed at NAS Lemoore are flying and maintaining three McDonnell Douglas Hornets. The squadron will begin training Fleet personnel late 1982, in preparation for introduction of the F-18 into operational service. Page 38
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Hidden History August 2019
h h h h h h h h h h POW’s Kings County welcomes h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h Page 23
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Cheers and tears greeted Lemoore based prisoners of war when they returned home during the spring of 1973. All had been Navy pilots who were assigned to squadrons at LNAS. Pictured are (above) Cmdr. and Mrs. James Hickerson. Charles Stackhouse is seen in the right hand photo.
They came home to a hero’s welcome…bands played, schoolchildren sang and flags fluttered in the breeze as hundreds of Kings County residents cheered and applauded. But the American prisons of war did not consider themselves heroes. They were military men doing the job they had been trained to accomplish. Many were pilots, their aircraft downed during raids over Vietnam. In Kings County especially, many were Navy pilots who had been home-based at Lemoore Naval Air Station during deployments on carriers in the South China Sea. A total of 90 LNAS-based pilots were listed as captured or missing in action during the years of the Vietnam conflict. The January 27, 1973 signing of the cease-fire agreement in Paris brought to an end years of anxiety, loneliness and fear for those who had been held captive by the North Vietnamese and for their families at home. Kings County’s involvement with the POW issue dated from the spring of 1965 when two Lemoore pilots-Everett Alveraz and Phillip Butler were the first local men to be shot down and captured by the North Vietnamese. As the war dragged on, more and Hidden History August 2019
more LNAS pilots suffered the same fate. Cmdr. Theodore Kopfman was the first POW to return to LNAS in 1973. At his side during the welcoming ceremonies were his wife, Marge, who hadn’t known for four years whether her husband was alive or not. She was one of the wives who had stumped the Valley on behalf on the POW’s. Kopfman, a prisoner since 1966, said his worst period of torture came immediately after he was captured. “It would have been a relief to die,” he said. During the early years of captivity, Kopfman recounted, prisoners were at the mercy of their guards, most of whom did not speak English. It was more than just a coincidence, he indicated, that “one of the worst torturers was seated at the desk in Hanoi reading off the names of prisoners at the Freedom Gate.” Yet another Lemoore POW, Cmdr. James H. Hickerson, said on his return home: “We’ve been told we are heroes. We don’t really believe that. We think the real heroes are the men who will not come back, those men who are back and will have the scars of the war for the rest of their lives.”
h h New library accepted h h h h h h h h May 14, 1968 The City of Hanford and the County of Kings have “bought” the new city-county library from the building contractor – but not without dissension. Hanford city councilmen voted 4-1 Monday night to accept the jointly owned building and the county supervisors made the acceptance official at their meeting. Vertical cracks in the north and south brick walls of the building split the council Monday night. City Manager Vincent Peterson
CheCKing ThaT’s RighT FoR You
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said that the contractor, Harris Construction Co., had been awaiting the final inspection since March 25, 1968 and there are 18 items on a “punch list” yet to be corrected. During the intervening weeks, city and county officials have been informally discussing whether to press for complete repairs to the walls. Opinion has run both ways and a masonry expert said 33 Delbert Dimmick Pagesaid 34he that stress caused the cracks. Page Councilman was “not at all pleased” with the cracks. “I don’t think we’ve got a first-class job when he have those cracks,” he said. Told that the contractor apparently followed the architect’s plans faithfully, Dimmick inquired about whether legal action could be brought against the architect, Lawrence Alexander. City Attorney, Lawrence Clawson said action could be filed, but whether the suit could be won is in doubt. Page 38 Page 39of Councilman Abel Meirelles, who previously had been critical the library because of the cracks, said Monday night “there’s nothing you can do about it.” “If the building is not accepted, he said, the contractor would sue. The cracks, therefore, will be waterproofed and sealed. Dimmick doesn’t like that solution and voted no as the council acted to accept the building.
h h h h
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h h h Theater: Presenting h hTemple h the Kings Players h h h h h h h h h Page 25
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Since 1963, the Kings Players at the Temple Theater have been delighting local audiences with productions of the performing arts. It all started in the 1960s, when Audrey Leibold moved to Hanford with her family and discovered that the community lacked a theatre. Setting out to change this, she formed the Kings Players. Their first Page 35in the Hanford Page 36 Auditorium Page 37 But show was held High School that year. Leibold knew they needed to find a permanent solution. A year later, she came across the Chinese Center for Knowledge, a former Chinese school that had been built following the China Alley boom at the turn of the century. The building had been closed since the 1940s. Today, the Kings Players call the rechristened Temple Theater Page 40 home. They put on four shows every season and have done so for decades now. The Theater is located at 514 East Visalia Street. Each show is held for roughly a dozen performances can be found on their website at kingsplayers.net or by calling (559) 584-7241. Memberships and season passes are also available.
People in the community are invited to volunteer their support for the players, by providing stage management, craft services, box office support, and more. Talent and patrons are always welcome.
h h
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h h h Hanford High School Building: h h h A piece of history destroyed h h h h h h h h h Page 23
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The Hanford High School building was built in 1921. The architects were Coates and Traver of Fresno, the same architects who designed Hanford’s Civic Auditorium a few years later. It is obvious that there is still much anguish over the destruction of the Hanford High School Auditorium Building. However, the rest of the story is not widely known. The amount raised from the 1920 bond for its construction was not enough. The district ran out of money before the building was completed. As a result, the auditorium was poorly built and ultimately doomed the building. The 1952 Tehachapi earthquake heavily damaged the auditorium. Over the next years, there were a series of decisions and laws passed that all contributed to its final destruction. Probably the most damaging event was the 1972 San Fernando Valley earthquake, in which many presumably “safe” public buildings collapsed. Their collapse started efforts in the state Assembly to deal with deficiently constructed public buildings. Although the exterior of the HUHS building would have probably withstood a massive earthquake, it would have been an empty shell: The interior was already crumbling inside and was subject to flooding in the basement areas. The state of California gave money to the school district to replace the administration portion of the auditorium. Those funds did not need to be repaid and could not be used on retrofitting existing buildings. The large grass area now at the corner of Douty Street and Grangeville Boulevard was to house the new auditorium building and it was designed in the same manner, with columns and stairs. The problem was that the bond issue went before the voters in the same election as Proposition 13. The bond issue was defeated by a 2-to-1 margin, and the school was left with limited funds to rebuild. The decision was made to destroy the building, and demolition began in May 1975. “I didn’t think about it much when I helped move some things out,” recalled Mary Maciel, a junior at the school, in a May 23, 1975 Sentinel article. “But when the poor building kept getting hit and hit, it almost seemed like I could hear it cry. After the first pillar fell, the building’s crying ceased, but mine almost started. I left because I didn’t want to see any more of the destruction.” If there was any good that came out of this, it’s that it’s helped to preserve other historical buildings, as well as firing up a generation. These are probably the best lessons ever taught by HUHS as the loss of this building was the catalyst that started the preservation of other buildings in our community. Hidden History August 2019
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On July 21, 1980 the Hanford Youth Athletic complex was officially dedicated ending a 5-year struggle with the City of Hanford and the Kings County board of Supervisors for construction on the facility. Former Hanford mayor and city councilman Bob Hill headed the citizens’ committee that pushed for the completion of the complex, Page 37 situated on eight acres at Greenfield and Campus Drive in Hanford. “At the time we were in dire need of a new Little League facility and after several months of looking for a suitable location, it seemed like the most central and easily accessible site,” recalls Hill, who coowned Robert’s Chevrolet. The complex actually is situated in part of a storm drain behind the new Kings County Government Center. As Hill pointed out, construction of the complex most likely saved the city a health hazard and a potential eyesore. Hill began his push for the facility in September, 1975, when he requested the county to donate at a “minimum lease” about 10 acres north of the new administrative complex on West Lacey Boulevard. At the time, Hill indicated that the complex would contain five baseball diamonds for Babe Ruth, Little League and Bobby Sox play, with
three of the diamonds convertible into football fields for Pop Warner football and soccer games. Groundbreaking ceremonies were conducted in early 1977 after Hill finally was given the green light by the county supervisors to begin construction of the facility. Hill planned to build the entire complex with volunteer help. “We (work crew) worked every Saturday for two years,” says Hill. “It was all volunteer help. The materials were either bought at cost or donated by businesses in the community. It was a tremendous community effort.” At the dedication in 1980, then-mayor Simon Lakritz made the comments in a short address: “I can recall some 13 or 15 years ago that this was just a thought in someone’s mind. It was nurtured and expanded and the thought became a great movement. As you can see tonight, it’s become a great complex that’s all but completed. I wish to thank all the people who gave their money, their time, their materials and those who gave their sweat towards the complex.” Later that evening, Ryan Bowen who ended up spending time in Major League Baseball pitching for the Astros and Marlins tossed a no-hitter and struck out 12 as the Hanford Nations beat Lemoore 6-1.
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Hanford wins Helen Putnam award in 1985
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In April, 1975, the Hanford City Council, in cooperation with the downtown merchants, established the Central Parking and Improvement District and, as a result, doubled business license taxes in the downtown area. The city council also agreed to deposit this doubled amount as well as the base amount of business licenses into a special fund that could be used only for programs and projects within the downtown area. Establishment of the Central Parking and Improvement District was the first step of many taken to improve the downtown. Since 1975, over $2,000,000 has been spent from this fund on public improvements to make the downtown more attractive and to encourage community events. In addition, millions of dollars of private improvements have been made including the restoration of a multitude of buildings, design of new storefronts, and the actual construction of several new buildings. Downtown Hanford took on a new look and, since then, has become a source of community pride and enjoyment. In 1980, in order to encourage the restoration and rehabilitation of historic structures, the city council, in cooperation with private community groups, established a Historic District. This step provided a vehicle for the private sector to receive special tax credits for the rehabilitation of historic structures. The result has been that many buildings, which were underutilized, are now bustling with new tenants and activities. As a result of the many activities in downtown Hanford, the restoration and rehabilitation program, and the cooperation between private citizens and city officials, the City of Hanford, in 1985, entered and won the competition for the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence awarded by the League of California Cities. The theme of Hanford’s entry was “Looking into the Past to Build the Future”, and was based upon the revitalization of downtown Hanford. Hanford’s efforts were also recognized in 1986 by American City and County magazine, which chose Hanford as one of ten cities in the United States to receive its prestigious Award of Merit. Most recently, Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania named the city, as one of this country’s “Prettiest Painted Places in America”. Hidden History August 2019
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On April 13, 1969 Mario Andretti won the USAC California 200 at the Hanford Motor Speedway which was formally known as Marchbank’s Speedway. During the race, Andretti came in for a pit stop but wasPage unable to39 stop and accidentally Pagestruck 40 a pit crew member . Marchbank’s Speedway was built by local farmer B.L. Marchbanks in the early
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1950’s and began as a third-mile track for jalopy racing with a rodeo arena in the middle, and a half-mile dirt track for stock cars. It was rebuilt into a paved 1.4 mile, tri-oval high banked race track and even hosted speed runs for high-powered watercraft in the infield lake. Other Marchbank Speedway highlights included: • A Grand National Wisnton Cup (now Sprint Cup) 200 lap, 100 mile event which was held on the dirt track in 1951. Danny Weinberg won his only NASCAR race and claimed the $1,000 purse. • The NASCAR race record was set at Marchbank’s Speedway on March 12, 1961 when “Fireball” Roberts, driving a Pontiac, averaged 96 mph and led all 178 laps of a 255 mile race.
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• A.J. Foyt won the California 250 Indianapolis car race on November 29, 1964. Other participants included famous drivers Parnelli Jones, Bobby and Al Unser, Gordon Johncock, Billy Vukovich and Mario Andretti. The purse was $25,000. Johncock went on to win the same race in 1967 and 1968. The race track closed down in 1984.
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h h h Hanford Kings softball team h h h wins world championship! h h h The Hanford Kings claimed the National Softball Congress world title in 1949. The twelve men who won five straight games in Greeley, Colo., arrived to a massive heroes’ welcome were: Whitey Becknell, Les Worden, Kermit Lynch, Bill Horstmann, Bill Buckley, Al Cotti, Ivan Crawford, Fred Vieira, Jack Mashburn, Dom Faruzzi, Lou Ferrero and Bob Rapp. Five members of the team-Faruzzi, Ferrero, Vieira, Buckley and Becknell – also returned as members of the All-American tournament team. The march to the world title included much more than five games in Greeley. First, the Kings had to overcome some stiff Valley competition to claim the Raisin Belt crown. But perhaps the Kings’ most difficult step toward the world title was winning the 12-team state tournament they hosted immediately after the Raisin Belt playoffs. The Kings took the National Softball Congress tournament by storm. They opened with a 3-1 victory over the host Denver team, followed by a 2-1 win over Gainsville, Fla., and then added a 3-0 shutout over Salt Lake City. When they arrived home after their world championship win, the 12 men were driven through the middle of town in convertibles,
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with people lining the streets and cheering for the hometown sports heroes. The players then were presented with watches in a celebratory ceremony on the steps of the Civic Auditorium before being honored at a dinner and dance.
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Baseball fever hit Hanford in 1937 when the city beat out Fresno at a spring training home for a Pacific Coast League team. The date was March 11, 1937 when manager Lefty O’Doul and his San Francisco Seals minor league baseball team were welcomed to town by the Hanford Union High School band and a parade. More than 2000 fans packed Athletic Park and the newly adopted team did not disappoint the faithful as the Seals easily defeated the San Francisco Missions 8-0 in the opening exhibition game. Gene Lillare cracked a 363 foot homer in the second inning to spark the victory. Admission for Hanford’s first venture into professional baseball was 40 cents for adults and 10 cents for children. The team played 11 pre-season games in Hanford before traveling back to San Francisco and Seals Stadium for the 1937 regular season. The Seals returned the following two springs, each time receiving another red carpet welcome from Hanford. Local crowds took full advantage of the opportunity to see such future major leagues as “Dom” Dimaggio. A year earlier, Dom’s slightly better known brother Joe, moved on from the Seals and onto the roster of the New York Yankees. After setting the American League on fire in his rookie season with the Yankees in 1936 and receiving just $8,000 in salary, a wire service story reported that Joe was holding out for more money. He finally got his big raise and earned a reported $15,000 in 1937. He eventually got another raise, but in the meantime worked out with the Seals in Hanford in 1938. “(Joe) Dimaggio indulged in some throwing and running and then took a couple rounds in the batting cage,” a Sentinel reporter wrote. “The first time he did not knock any out of the park, but in the second trip to the cage he caught one of Balderams’s slants and boosted it over the left field fence, which is 395 feet from the plate.” Dimaggio went on to enjoy a banner 13 year major league career and is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak (May 15 – July 16, 1941), a record that still stands to this day. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. in 1955. Hidden History August 2019
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tournament
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Miss Evelyn Rose, Hanford High’s tennis star, ascended to the heights in valley tennis by capturing the girls’ singles title in the Valley Tennis finals tournament which was played on May 8, 1937 on the Hanford High tennis court. Miss Rose, in addition to being a crack tennis player, also ranks exceptionally high scholastically and will be valedictorian this year as well as a member of the debating team. In winning her title she defeated Miss Garnet Miller of Clovis in one of the hardest fought matches she has played this year. The two girls were just about evenly matched and Miss Rose was forced to go to 12-10 before she could capture the first set. The second set was another battle from start to finish with Miss Rose having just a little more strength than her opponent to capture it with a score of 8-6. Both players were completely wore out when the hard fought battle was over. According to Coach L.W. Davis, this is the fifth time out of the last seven years that Hanford High has emerged with the valley title in girls’ singles. He stated the tournament was about the stiffest that has been played with almost all of the matches going the limit of three sets. Hidden History August 2019
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FROM HANFORD • Scott Alexander: co-wrote “Space Invaders” • Ryan Bowen: former baseball player for the Houston Astros and Florida Marlins was born, raised and went to high school in Hanford • Ken Caminiti: former major league baseball player and National League MVP in 1996 while playing for the San Diego Padres was born in Hanford • Tyson Chandler: NBA basketball player who was second overall pick of the 2001 NBA draft was born in Hanford • Calvin M. Dooley: graduated from Hanford Union High School in 1972 and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991-2005 • Damean Douglas: was a wide receiver in the NFL was born and still lives in Hanford • Steven Downing: produced the “McGyver” series and was a scriptwriter for “T.J. Hooker” • Harlan F. Hagen: lived in Hanford and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1953-1967 • Bill Landis: Played major league baseball for the 1967 American League Champion Boston Red Sox • Mark Lee: was a corner back in the NFL was born in Hanford and attended Hanford High School. Lee was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2017 • Louis Bert Lindley, Jr., better known as “Slim Pickens”, grew up in Hanford • Pauline Lord: American film and screen actress , was born in Hanford • Lorenzo Neal: a three time NFL pro-bowl fullback was born in Hanford and attended Lemoore High School • James Rainwater: physicist and co-winner of the 1975 Nobel Prize in physics, lived in Hanford as a child and graduated from Hanford High • Jan-Michael Vincent: actor, moved to Hanford with his family as a teenager and graduated from Hanford High
• Cornelius “Dutch” Wamerdam: longtime pole vault record holder grew up in Hanford • Darrel Winfield: an actor who played the “Marlboro Man” was born in Hanford FROM LEMOORE • Michael Baker: a NASA astronaut who considers Lemoore as his hometown • Steve Perry: rock musician and Journey lead singer, moved to Lemoore as a teenager and began developing his talents while attending Lemoore High School • Tommie Smith: ran track at Lemoore High School before setting a world record in a 200m at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Smith, along with his teammate John Carlos is best known for his Black Power salute during the medal ceremonies.
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Art Linkletter spoke to the Civic Auditorium on January 29, 1948 at the dedication of KNGS, Hanford’s first live radio station. He was a close friend of Stanley Beaubaire, station owner and co-publisher of the Hanford Daily Sentinel and Journal.
Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, stopped in Hanford on April 29, 1941 to speak at the Civic Auditorium. The occasion was part of a tour to help the US prepare to entry into the war in Europe and Hanford was her only stop in the San Joaquin Valley. The first lady told The Sentinel she was impressed with Hanford because of its “lovely public buildings and schools.” Other famous visitors include: Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Bill Cosby, Victor Borge, and John Wooden.
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Quake rattles Kings County
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AT 4:43p.m. on May 2, 1983, Kings County residents were shaken by an earthquake centered near Coalinga as it rumbled through much of the Central Valley. The earthquake measured a powerful 6.5 magnitude on the Richter scale, destroyed 563 homes and damaged 291 others in Coalinga. It destroyed 141 business and damaged 72 others and caused approximately $31 million in damage. The Associated Press news service took over the Hanford Sentinel’s break room and turned it into a photo lab for their coverage. A satellite dish distributed photos around the world Light damage was reported two years later when quakes measuring
4.7 and 5.5 jolted southern Kings County again. The quakes, centerered in the sparsely inhabited foothills between Avenal and Coalinga, injured six people, collapsed two porches and scattered cans from store shelves in Avenal and Kettleman City. Figefighters reported a broken gas main and several broken water lines. People reported feeling the quake from as far north as Merced and as far south as Bakersfield. The chance of another earthquake of that magnitude hitting Coalinga isn’t likely, at least for another 300 years says Dr. E. J. Fowler, geology instructor at West Hills College. But Fowler says seismologists are predicting an earthquake in the 6.0 range on a 16-mile section of the San Andreas Fault near Parkville in the near future.
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What well known movies, scenes or music videos were shot in the County?
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Kings County presents a unique area that has attracted many filmmakers to utilize for films. The agriculture setting allows film production crews to capture corn fields, cotton and hay along with orchards, farms and cattle. The Victorian style of many homes, buildings and streets offer many opportunities to capture the look of the 1930’s through the 1950’s. MOVIES Some of the films shot were; “The Rebel” a feature film from Jeb productions in 1979, “Planes, Trains & Automobiles,” from Paramount starring Steve Martin and John Candy in 1986, “Real Men” from MGM and United Artists in 1987, “Lycanthrope,” from Temple Productions in 1988, “Prehysteria.” From Paramount and Full Moon in 1992, “Night
of the Scarecrow,” a horror film from Republic Entertainment in 1994, “Casino,” a Mafia film from Universal Studios starring Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone in 1994 and Bob’s Night Out,” from Biograph Pictures in 1995. TELEVISION The TV pilot was “Fort Figueroa,” a comedy that CBS was trying to launch in 1988. It centered on the story of a farming family from the Midwest that inherited an apartment building in East Los Angeles. Kings County was used because it made a great setting for establishing the central characters’ farming roots. The pilot, however, was never picked up and the show never aired on television screens. The commercial filmed was for Dupont Midwest District and was title “The Search.” It
was shot in the area in 1989. Legendary singer/songwriter John Mellencamp and crew came to Hanford in September 2004 to shoot scenes for the music video on his song “Walt Tall.” Apparently the video’s director was looking for a place with a small town feel for the shoot and location John West searched all over the Central
Valley and settled on Hanford. The shoot lasted three days and included scenes at the Hanford Page 23 Civic Auditorium, Hanford Fox Theatre, the Carousel and Lacey Milling Co. The video was shot in black and white, had a 1960’s style and featured several Hanford and Lemoore residents were hired as extras. Page 28
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In the Page 10
1960’s a linotype Page 11 Page 12 machine was used in the composing room to set “hot” type. These functions are now handled by newsroom editors Page 15 Page 16 Page 17
h h h h h h h h h h h h History h Ourh h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h Page 14
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h h h h Our Valued Staff h h h h h h Page 22
We have years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity
Kingsburg’s one and only Funeral Page Chapel has26 been serving it’s community for nearly 90 years, with it’s beginnings as Ericson Funeral Parlor in 1930 which was considered modern for it’s time and later George & Beatrice Garner Funeral Home. Page 29 who grew up Page Jack Creighton, on a farm,30 was a college Page student at 31 North Dakota State University in Fargo, when he took a job at a local funeral home, which ignited his passion for serving his community. In 1965 Jack purchased the Kingsburg Funeral Home from the Garners, where he and his two sons, Tom and Ben Creighton spent the next 54 years tirelessly serving the families of Kingsburg and the surrounding communities. When Ben decided it was time for him to retire, he honored his father’s wish and offered to sell Creighton Memorial Chapel to Steve Dillard, who started his own over 4034 year career in thePage funeral industry of 14, washing Page 35 at the agePage 36 cars for Jack at his funeral home in Hanford. Steve is the owner of Salser & Dillard Funeral Chapel in Visalia, CA, which he, along with his former partner, built from the ground up and opened it’s doors in 2003. Their dedication to families along with their desire to offer new and innovative options and services, has firmly secured their reputation as Tulare County’s premier Funeral Provider. Steve and his staff are excited to welcome Lydia Paul to their team and bring the Salser & Dillard passion for funeral service to the families of Kingsburg.
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STEVE P. DILLARD, Owner/Funeral Director/Embalmer/Cremationist
PageExperience 27 and passion is what Steve Dillard brings to Salser & Dillard
Creighton Chapel. Born and raised in Hanford where his parents and one sister still live, Steve started his, nearly 40 years experience in the funeral business, at 14 washing the cars at Peoples Funeral Chapel in Hanford, where his uncle John E. Lemos worked, and Steve continued to learn the business there for the next several years. At 20 Steve began an apprenticeship as well as broadened his experience with WhitehurstMcNamara in Hanford and continued working for the Lowen Group until he moved to Laguna Hills California in June 1987 where he worked for O’Connor Laguna Hills Mortuary. While working at O’’Conner’s, he attended Cypress College of Mortuary Science and graduated in December 1988 where he received the Ma Green Outstanding Student Award. Pagecompleting 32 the California State Board of Embalmers Exam and the National After successfully Board Certificate Exam he returned to the Loewen Group working for Hadley Funeral Chapel in Visalia January 1989. He worked at several Loewen locations in Kings and Tulare Counties before leaving in 1999. In 2001 Steve along with his partner started the process opening their own chapel. When asked why he chose to open his own chapel, Steve’s response was clear, “After traveling for many years with the Lowen Group, I had the opportunity to meet and work for many former chapel owners: Frank and Harold Keaton, Claude Wondrow, Lloyd Bledsoe, Don Miller, David and Paul Miller, Don Evans, Jack Creighton, Joe O’Conner, Dick Hemmingway, Clem McNamara, they all exemplified the importance of quality professional service and I wanted that for myself.” Steve has a long history of funeral service here in the valley: Salser & Dillard Funeral Chapel, Visalia, CA; Page 37 Peoples Funeral Chapel, Hanford CA; Whitehurst McNamara, Hanford CA; Hadley Funeral Chapel, Visalia and Farmersville CA; Millers Memorial Chapel, Visalia CA; Miller’s Tulare Funeral Chapel CA; Bledsoe Family Peoples Funeral Chapel, Corcoran CA;
And he is excited to expand his business to the Kingsburg area, ensuring every family is treated with dignity, honor & respect. A proud father of three and grandfather of seven, Steve’s roots in the Valley are deep and he looks forward to continuing to serve his community for many years to come building a legacy that lasts for the generations.
Salser & Dillard Creighton Chapel 1588 Lincoln St, Kingsburg, CA 93631
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