by Jim Mulligan
Holiday traditions around Reedley are many and varied: from tamales to turkey dinners, house decorating to cookie baking, caroling to care package giving, and so many more. One tradition that hasn’t faltered in our quaint little town is the display of our community Christmas tree. Even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, the custom continues. By most accounts, the city has displayed a community tree since before 1920, and for most of those years it has been right downtown, smack in the middle of G Street, serving as a beacon of light and cheer in the heart of our little town.
by E.C. Ambrose
Until I started writing The King of Next Week, my historical research focused on the medieval period: surgery during the fourteenth century in Europe, clockworks in China during the Mongol invasions, references to werewolves in eleventh century Wales. But during a visit to Phippsburg, Maine, to give a talk about writing, I became intrigued by the history of the area.
by Staff
Usually, people talk about Polish history in the broader context of the anniversaries of world events in which Poland played a significant role. For foreigners, this might be the only opportunity to learn about the history of the country. Yet Polish history is a diverse story, full of moments of both tragedy and glory. And now, you can find more about all of them on the new Polish history portal.
by staff
The Blackhawk Museum is one of the top attractions in Danville, CA. The museum’s lofty mission to “stimulate interest and understanding of art, culture, and history,” isn’t so outlandish once you learn it’s actually composed of several museums.
by Lorie Lewis Ham
The first time I went inside the Reedley Museum was with my daughter’s class in elementary school many years ago. When I worked for the Reedley Exponent I was there often as they are a fountain of information about Reedley’s interesting past. Recently I sat down for a chat with their current Curator, Karey Olson, to touch base with all they have to offer. Karey has been a volunteer with the museum for six year.
by Diana Hockley
Rome, in the 6th Century AD, was a terrifying place to live and no one travelled there unless they had to. For John, the Lord Chamberlain exiled to Greece by the Emperor, it was even more perilous. When word got back to the Emperor, John would be executed for disobeying orders to remain in exile, and in danger of forfeiting his life as a Mithran convert.
by Evelyne Vivies
Whether you’re a history buff or you just enjoy exploring pieces of our past, visiting a local museum is an educational and interesting experience. One such museum, the Tulare Historical Museum, is the perfect place to learn more about Tulare, a small town located in the heart of the Central Valley, which holds a special place in our valley’s history.
by Jim Bulls
It was the summer of 1964. My family was on our annual pilgrimage back to Texas and Oklahoma. This year, though, instead of heading to Texas first, we stopped in Tulsa to give Grandma’s yard a major trim and clean-up, and get the house ready for the coming winter.
by Cynthia Chow
Becoming the seamstress-in-residence for a reality show entry seemed like the ideal opportunity for Daria Dembrowski, who hoping to focus less on wedding gowns and more on historical garments. My House in History had chosen Priscilla Compton’s eighteenth century estate to be featured as she restored it back to how it was when it was first built, giving Daria the opportunity to sew embroidered curtains as well as Priscilla’s gown.
by Lorie Lewis Ham
This week we are interviewing Valley historian and author Stephen H. Provost. Last year he released his book Highway 99. The book is filled with historic photographs and forgotten tales. Highway 99 is a nostalgia-fueled road trip into California motoring culture. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of Highway 99, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.
by Diana Bulls
Decorating the Christmas tree is a walk down memory lane for me. Each ornament that is unwrapped has a special story. Included in this collected are “ornaments” that have been made with bits and pieces of Christmas. It was looking at these that started me thinking about popcorn.
by Jim Bulls
Since I was born just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, my first exposure to “gear-head-itis” was to the cars of the 1930s. At that time, all the car makers were vying for what few dollars there were available for new cars. During the Great Depression, many of America’s finest auto makers would perish from bankruptcy.
by Jim Bulls
Every Reedley High School student from the late 1940s into the 1970s remembers Willie’s Drive In, directly across the street from the high school. This was the closest place, off campus, where the smokers could light up their cancer sticks.
by Jim Bulls
This is the season when our patriotic blood seems to flow the strongest and we seem to pay more attention to memorials dedicated to fallen patriots. Since we celebrate the birth of our Nation in July, we often reminisce about wars and conflicts, how and where those patriots served. I’ve been thinking about ships.
