SONOMA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Sonoma County History Annex


Meeting called to order by President Tony Hoskins

Board members present: Harry Lapham, Jeremy Nichols, Tony Hoskins, Creighton Bell, Simone Wilson, Guy Smith, Jeff Tobes, Ron Davis, Lee Torliatt, John Shubert, and Roberta Harlan.

Secretary’s Report:
Minutes of December 2005 meeting were accepted.

Guest(s):
Eric Stanley, Exhibitions Manager Sonoma County Museum and Joann Mitchell, Board Member Sonoma County Museum. Eric came to give an update on upcoming museum exhibits and changes:

1) Earthquake exhibit Force of Nature, 1906 Earthquake in Sonoma County, April 22-July 9. Downstairs galleries interactive contemporary art works, geological and environmental information and data instruments, oral histories, objects and ephemera from the Museum’s permanent collection, communicating the human story of the devastation in Sonoma County.

2) Upstairs gallery to become exhibit space for permanent collection; advisory committee is being organized to input ideas for design, exhibit themes, visible space for collections objects; Eric asked for one or two volunteers to sit on advisory committee—Jeremy Nichols and Simone Wilson offered to attend.

3) Merger of Sonoma County Museum with Luther Burbank/MOCA—SCM received fixtures, research files, volunteer base, and membership. Gay Dawson, Curator at MOCA will occasionally act as curatorial consultant on various exhibits.

Treasurer’s Report.
Jeff Tobes presented Income/Expense statement dated December 16, 2005 – January 19, 2006. Jeremy reported that the Cemetery Fund account is now closed. There was a question re. 1/19/06 $----- (From Cemetery Account)—was that info correct? Ask Jeff at February meeting.

Archivist Report:
Lee Torliatt reported that he and Harry participated in the “Battle of the Archivists” on KSRO and “dueled in honorable style.” Verify this with info at February meeting.

Membership Report:
Creighton Bell reported membership over 400 on mailing list.

Cemeterian Report:
Jeremy Nichols reported the following:
1) Chanate Cemetery--470 markers found to date; Chinese memorial now installed; cemetery is now officially in county parks; downed trees being removed; tombstone repatriation project; Spring Clean-Up planned –100 volunteers
2) Eugene Pierrot, Artist—Pierrot was in an accident; he did a painting of the county physician, Dr. Sheerer, as a gift
3) County Hospital Painting—Fund is at $2700; restoration in underway; two WPA buildings on the hospital site
4) Table of contents for Harry Lapham’s newspaper collection—Sonoma Democrat and Daily Democrat
5) Arthur Buel, Cartoonist—Illustrations of the county hospital in 1897; cartoonist for the Sacramento Bee; career began in Sonoma County; large output of work in 1896-1897; moved on to Klondike, Tonopah, Reno, Sacramento
6) Sonoma County Archives Team (SCAT)—organization formed; advise county on archives move; possible combination with Sonoma County Library Annex; members include Bob Curtis, President, Curtis and Associates, Surveyors, Holly Hoods, Research Curator, Healdsburg Museum, Dr. Tim Huston, Emeritus Librarian, Sonoma State University, Dr. Daniel Markwyn, Emeritus Professor of History, Sonoma State University, Jeremy Nichols, retired engineer, local historian, and author, Ray Owen, retired federal investigator and library volunteer, and Diane Smith, Curator, Depot Park Museum, Sonoma.

Journal Report:
Simone reported SCHS Historian will be back from the printer on January 23, 2006.

Committee Reports:

Website: See under “New Business”

Budget: No discussion

Programs: No discussion

New Business:
Annual Meeting/Luncheon: Flyer for the annual banquet at Fountaingrove Golf and Athletic Club will be printed and ready for distribution the week of February 6, 2006—Roberta has designed and will have 500 printed up at Kinko’s in Santa Rosa; Dr. Gray Brechin has been invited to speak and will talk about his new project (in collaboration with the California Historical Society) the New Deal Legacy Project. Roberta is meeting with Gesine Franchetti, the FGGAC catering director again the week of February 13, 2006, to finalize all arrangements. SCHS award nominations need to be sent to Tony through e-mail by Friday, February 10th—Roberta will e-mail a reminder to all. Award descriptions can be found on the SCHS website. New officers will be nominated and voted in at the February meeting.

Historian Editor: Suggestions for new Historian Editor—Kit Schlich (Heritage Homes of Petaluma, editor and writer); Kim Diehl (new editor of Sonoma Searcher, Sonoma County Genealogical Society); will discuss more at February meeting.

Historical Walk, June 24, 2006: Jeff discussed his Second Annual 25 Mile Historic Walk, sponsored by the Sonoma County Historical Society, June 24, 2006 (see handout.) Parents and business community are participating--so far, Traverso’s and Roger Collins of Wine Country Expressions, BBQ in Sebastopol. Jeff included a copy of a map with advertisement squares around the edges—interested parties can advertise for a fee and money supports walk. Moonlighters, a “big-band” group from SRJC will perform at Harry’s Ranch, as part of BBQ dinner/end of trail entertainment. Call for volunteers for Harry’s Ranch on walk day. SCHS members can attend BBQ dinner/end of trail entertainment at Harry’s without walking. Details will be decided at a later date.

New Project—BOFFO Website for SCHS: Linda Lorda sent an e-mail to Tony, Lee, Jeremy, and Jeff regarding the SCHS website (see handout.) She no longer has time to oversee the website; suggested SCHS contact Sean Bressie as new candidate for webmaster; wants to set up a meeting with Sean and SCHS representatives; SCHS board members need to consider questions to discuss re. financial transactions available on line (PayPal?), back issues of the Historian online, links to other historical groups, “blog” for local historical issues, private section for board of directors, i.e. minutes, financial statements, etc., space for paid advertising, e-mail addresses for members, budget for website, and copyright/republishing info on reproduction of online images. Contact Sean Bressie at sean@bressie.net

Italian Swiss Colony Issue—Tony informed the SCHS board that there was a problem/incident that involved Bill Knox, one-time archivist for Italian Swiss Colony and a collection of documents, etc. that ended up at Healdsburg Wine Library; miscommunication occurred and items have been returned to ISC archives.

Old Business:
Creekside Village Development: Tony reported on the “final word” of the Carrillo Adobe and Creekside Village Development—no more activity on part of SCHS; Bryan Munch (sp?) is still pursuing of EIS/water issues that he believes were not addressed early on in the Creekside project.

Next Board Meeting: Thursday, February 16th, 7 p.m. at “Tony’s Hideaway” aka Annex—be there or be square!


Happily submitted by Roberta L. Harlan, Secretary, Sonoma County Historical Society