Danny Ballard isn't your typical 20-something-year-old that's overly saturated with social media frenzy and the constant obsession over material things. It's a breath of fresh air when you meet someone with passion for their work, especially when you can see the love for their craft radiating from them. You know the typical saying about history, “Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” Danny is sure not to let that happen. It isn’t that the past is bad, but it's ever so important to remember where we came from, what we’ve experienced, and what our past can tell us about the future. With his program, Walking Tours of Oroville, you are able to experience a glimpse into the town's past, giving you a newfound perspective on a different time in life. Growing up, Danny could be described as a historian-in-progress. Today, Danny is a full-blown historian for the City of Oroville. He first began unveiling history during his teenage years and has since curated a library full of knowledge over the years that followed. He started his walking tours with a dream and a karaoke machine; he now hosts tours with 100-plus people. It's safe to say the walking tours have grown to be a staple in Downtown Oroville, 48
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and it's a wonder to think what kind of information he will uncover in the future. Community outreach is something Danny feels a personal connection to. By hosting these walking tours, he is given a direct relationship to business owners and the locals that comprise this quaint Northern California community. Lola’s Boutique in Oroville is one of the many shops featured on the walking tours as it is rich with history! During the prohibition era, what's now Lola's Boutique was the old Ritz Club and Speakeasy. You would never know it though, as the room that proves it is hidden in the back. For a while, the tours were just a one man show. Thankfully, the Oroville Downtown Business Association has hired an assistant that makes the workload much more palatable. Carlos Ramirez works alongside Danny on his journey to educate the community and its visitors. Every first Saturday of the month, Danny and Carlos happily guide visitors into the town's lost past, hoping to help them discover something that rings true to their heart. This coming October, Danny plans to offer a different variation of the Walking Tours—
WRITTEN BY BEAU VANDERMATE | PHOTOS COURTESY DANNY BALLARD
Tours of the past
