SONOMA COUNTY HERITAGE NETWORK

Report of July 14, 2007 meeting Sonoma County Central Library, 3rd and E Streets

Meeting called to order by Tony Hoskins, Acting President and Acting Secretary

In attendance: Ray Owen, Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery Preservation Committee, Lee Torliatt, Sonoma County Historical Society, torliatt@sonic-net, Jim & Joan Wagele, Cloverdale Historical Society, jwagele@comcast.net, June Wohlgethan, cemetery preservation interest (works at Santa Rosa, Memorial and Odd Fellows Cemetery), tmss@earthlink.net, Lois Parks, Tomales Regional History Center, lmparks@sun.net , Kathleen Sarton, Tomales Regional History Center , Tony Hoskins, Sonoma County History and Genealogy Library; Sonoma County Historical Society; Sonoma County Historical Records Commission hoskins@sonoma.lib.ca.us ,

Ray Owen - Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery will stage its next "Lamplight Tour" on September 14 and 15, 2007. Today, July 14, will be staged a tour of the cemetery called "Stones and Images", examining the symbology of gravestones. · August 4, there will be a free History Walking Tour of the cemetery. It seems the problem of off-leash dogs is being remedied, thanks to imposition of stiff fines.

The Press Democrat no longer publishes the Community Calendar in the paper. This information is now only available online. It was pointed out by Kathleen Sarton that the Petaluma Post is very good about publishing community activities and programs. Tony asked if perhaps the Historical Society's website might not take on this function, in default of the PD.

Ray also reported for the absent Jeremy Nichols: Jeremy and John Dennison have suspended looking for stones. They have apparently found all they can until such time as the County removes certain trees. Chanate Cemetery was featured on a recent Rosie the Trolley Tour. Ordinarily, 60 or so people are the maximum on a Rosie Tour. For this one there were 91. Jeremy conducted these tours.

Lee Torliatt: On Saturday, July 28, Nagasawa Park will be dedicated. This will be a big event, and should garner a good deal of attention. On July 28 and 29, Sturgeon's Mill will be in operation. Work continues on the Mary Moore papers.

Sonoma County Historical Society will hold its first Lecture in partnership with the Sonoma County Museum, at the Museum, Thursday, November 1. The speaker will be Randall Milliken, author of A Time of Little Choice: The Disintegration of Tribal Culture in the San Francisco Bay Area 769-1810.

Sean Bressie and Lee continue to work together adding information and features to the website. Most notably, they will upload some of Juanita Coats's entertaining reminiscences from her articles previously published in the Journal.

Jim and Joan Wagele: A capital campaign in the amount of $1.1 million to build a history center for the Cloverdale Historical Society has been approved by the board. Already some $200K has been raised, and there are hopes to persuade the city of Cloverdale to contribute. They are also looking for other private and foundation sources.

The exhibit of veterans' artifacts launched on Memorial Day has been such a success that the exhibit has been continued through August. They thank the Heritage Network for its role in promoting this program.

The Cloverdale tradition of "Black Bart Day", which had been done away with last year by dint of politically correct citizens, was replaced this year by "Boulevard of the Arts". It seems however that Cloverdalians overwhelmingly prefer Black Bart to High Art. The Boulevard of the Arts Day only brought in half the revenues realized in the good old days of Black Bart. Rumor has it, Black Bart may return!

Tony Hoskins: Tony has gotten to know Dave Besse, the archivist at Sea Ranch. Dave and his archives board hosted Tony a few weeks ago, gave him a tour of their archive of documents and photos, then took him on a tour of Sea Ranch. They are excited at the prospect of having his assistance as they organize and continue to collect for their archive, and hope to become a presence in the Heritage Network.

September 23, 2007 will be the day of the Sonoma County Historical Society's Fundraiser at the MacMurray Ranch, Westside Road, Healdsburg. This event is being most generously sponsored by Gallo Family Wineries, the current owner of the MacMurray Ranch. Details will follow, but it will be a catered lunch, hors d'oeuvres, and wine, then lunch. There will be a tour of Fred MacMurray and his wife June Haver's Sonoma County getaway retreat from Hollywood. Their daughter Kate MacMurray will talk to guests about her parents, their careers, and her memories of growing up spending part of the year at the ranch. Later, one of Fred MacMurray's films, introduced by Kate, will be shown in the horse barn. Similar events have been staged at the MacMurray Ranch with prices as high as $150. This event benefiting the Historical Society is a bargain at $30.00!

June Wolgethan: June has worked for 10 years at the Santa Rosa Mortuary and Odd Fellows Cemetery in Santa Rosa. She and Tony planned and staged a very successful program on cemetery records' importance to genealogical research. More programs may be planned. She looks to create a sort of umbrella organization for local cemeteries. It was recommended she meet with Tony, Ray Owen, and Jeremy Nichols to discuss this further.

Lois Parks: The Tomales Regional History Center has finally published Ruth Burke's An Intimate History of Bodega Country and the McCaughey Family. She showed the 2 volume set to the Network. It is a nicely produced and bound, and includes a fine index by Lee Torliatt. The work is available for $250 per two volume set, or $25 on CD.

The Tomales Regional History Center received a grant from the California Historical Records Advisory Board to digitize their 3,000 photographs, catalogue them, and to prepare a manual for cataloging and digitizing functions to be carried out in the future. This will be completed by January 2008.

The Center has also applied for a grant from the American Association of Museums, for a peer review of their collection and services: a "museum assessment".

The meeting was adjourned at 11:15 AM.

Respectfully submitted,

Tony Hoskins
Acting Secretary