Old Time Notes from The Beacon
130 Years Ago Feb. 28, 1891
• On Saturday evening Miss Helena Flanagan entertained a number of friends at her home on Main street. On Sunday she departed for Caspar where she has been engaged as teacher in the public schools.
• Alf. Nelson came up from Greenwood Monday. He reports everything flourishing down the coast, and says that the recent rains have brought down all the logs that were in the streams.
• We understand Harry Emerly and others have secured a five-foot cut from a redwood tree measuring 17 feet in diameter, and will exhibit it in the east. The forest giant grew near Gualala, and although not as large a tree as grows in the state, will prove interesting to our friends beyond the Rockies.
• On Monday no stage left Ukiah for Mendocino, so the letter mail for this place was forwarded via Boonville, and as that road was in such horrible condition, the mail did not arrive until Thursday evening, taking it almost a week from San Francisco to Mendocino.
• The telegraph line up and down the coast has been somewhat out of repair during the week.
105 Years Ago Feb. 26, 1916
• Ed Mcfaul, a young man who was well-known and well-liked throughout the entire north coast section, passed away at Fort Bragg Sunday morning after an illness of several months.
• S. H. Cooper is the proud possessor of a Hudson Six, which arrived on the steamer Pasadena a few days ago.
• Scott Clark received his appointment as postmaster of Albion a few days ago, and expects to take possession on April 1st.
• There are four teachers and fifty-two pupils enrolled at Boonville High School.
• William W. Willis returned here Wednesday evening after an absence of four years. During that time, he has been on the battleship Wilmington and visited many foreign lands. Mr. Willis was accompanied on his return by his wife, who went to San Francisco Sunday to meet her husband when he secured his discharge from the Navy.
• Frank Gibney and family returned to the coast and will make their home in this vicinity.
• A son was born to the wife of August Herrling at Greenwood on Monday, February 21.
• Harry Nobles of Point Arena and Miss Sarah J. Marshall of Petaluma were married at Santa Rosa on Feb. 21st.
75 Years Ago Feb. 23, 1946
• The new mill at the Halfway House at Comptche, will be running before long. It has a capacity of 35,000 feet. There are a number of other small mills in that section, either in operation or building, and these will furnish considerable employment in the near future.
• Real estate activity this week encompassed one of the pioneer farms and early-day stopping places of the Comptche section — the Ottoson ranch which had been held by members of that family for over 70 years. It was sold this week by George Decker, whose wife is a sister of the late Mrs. Chris Ottoson, to Thomas Thompson of Oakland. This ranch was originally settled by J. G. Ottoson and family who came here from Denmark in the late 1870’s.
• Frederick Heitmeyer, who has been with Uncle Sam’s Navy since July of 1942 is back in civies again. He was honorably discharged at Camp Shoemaker on the 15th of this month. He spent overseas time on the USS Rigel and has the following ribbons to vouch for his activities: American Theatre, AsiaticPacific, Philippine Liberation, Good Conduct Medal and Victory Medal.
55 Years Ago Feb. 25, 1966
• Elizabeth “Birdie” Myring Russell, 84, died at Novato Wednesday. Mrs. Russell was born at Spring Grove on September 9, 1882 and had lived her entire life in this area. She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Myring, pioneers of the Albion area. Before her marriage she spent much time in Mendocino, where she was employed with Bever Bros. in their pioneer hotel. Following her marriage, she went to Comptche to live, but retained the old Myring home and property east of Albion for many years thereafter.
• Paid Advertisement: “Why Vietnam? Have you wondered how it will all end? Or when or where? Attend this free public meeting — see two interesting short documentary films about Vietnam. Courtesy — United Nations & Friends Service Committee. John Sinclair will moderate. Hear the arguments presented by Marshall Windmiller, Associate Professor of International Affairs at San Francisco State University, Saturday, Feb. 26, 8 p.m., Cotton Auditorium, Fort Bragg. Paid for and sponsored by Mendocino Citizens Committee.”
• The Bay Window remodeling is complete, with new display wall and carpeting. To show things off, there will be a reception Saturday with a show of the watercolors Bill Zacha did in Mexico recently. At the same time the new work of Fran Moyer and Pam West will be shown. The other major event will be the unveiling of Charles Stevenson’s new portrait of Bill and Jennie.
30 Years Ago Feb. 21, 1991
• Ishvi Aum, Albion, resident and Community School Graduate, has been accepted in to the Performing Arts Program at Emerson College, Boston Mass.
• Jack’s Corner by Jacques Helfer: Two new businesses opened in Mendocino this week; a food market/deli and an art gallery. Not bad for a town this size. The Mendocino Market, formerly operated by Alvin and Jeanette Mendosa, has reopened, with a different format, with Matthew and Elaine Miksak as proprietors. The other new business, located next to the hotel at 45055 Albion Street, is the new Nicky Boehme Gallery. The building was originally called “Star Lodge” when Grace and Don Fry had it built at the back of the lot behind the old Music Box.
• Gloriana Opera Company will present “Gloriana’s Greatest Hits Two,” celebrating its 15th year of great community musical theatre, during Fort Bragg’s Whale Weekend.