Sierra Sun Times |
| THANK YOU First I want to thank the Board and Staff of the Mariposa County Fair for the Blue Ribbon Award I received from the Western Fairs Association at this years Mariposa County Fair. Having it delivered by Jon Turner was special because the Turners and I have been friends for 65 years, in the case of Art, and a bit shorter time in the case of Gene, sister Frances, and a much younger Jon. Their family has been a tradition in Mariposa County almost from the beginning. Three of our Sheriff's were Turners and their ranch near Hornitos is well known. Mother Edith was a great friend and attended just about every school event that ever happened. She also kept the Mariposa Drug in business with her multiple selections of greeting cards as long as I knew her. My love and participation in the Fair is a life long event. I do not do as much these days as I once did but try to help out where I can. Fairs change and so will ours. It will take our participation and interest to keep our county fair vital and the true homecoming event that it has traditionally been. I also want to thank the staff at John C. Fremont for their help. A little incident needed some checking and they did their jobs with great skill. Our hospital is especially one of our most special assets. Keeping it healthy will keep us healthy. So here I am, going over some old year books from Mariposa High. They are filled with my friends, past and present. For example the ad for the Mariposa Theatre usually had the admonishment that they had "Always a Good Show", but for some reason in l938 added "The Pick of the Pictures". While I did not see my first movie at the Mariposa Theatre, I certainly saw many there over the years. Johnny Mack Brown, once a star football player from Alabama, was usually the featured player on Saturday afternoon. Frank Boeck, the theatre owner, would give away dishes at the intermission. I saw Gone With the Wind there for the first time. It was so long that the first time it was shown, it took two evenings. Later we would enter the theater at about 6PM and not get home until midnight. Of course we dreamed about the burning of Atlanta all night long. Candidates for re-election (best I can tell, the only candidates) included Eugene McGregor. He served Mariposa County and his district which included Hornitos, for 29 years and was Chairman for 15 at least. He only was defeated when around l970 the re-districting scallywags, redrew his district to include Midpines and El Portal. Even though he didn't campaign he still only lost by 2 votes. Louis T. Milburn was a candidate for District Attorney, a post he held from l918 when he was the youngest DA in California. He held the job until he died of a heart attack in San Francisco in about l945. Another long timer, John J. Castagnetto, Sheriff, was up for re-election. Originally from Hornitos, he married Alta Prouty, daughter of another Sheriff. He used to come to the Grammar School on Friday mornings on his white horse, in a white hat, and sit astride the saluting critter while the Boy Scouts raised the flags. This was during WWII and I suppose it was a gesture of patriotism. Fred B McCay, Catheys Valley Supervisor, was also up for re-election. We have a hall in Catheys Valley named after him. He served 19 years until poor health caused him to step aside. His step-son, George Gordo, replaced him, but not in l938. Fred had a tendency to nap during board meetings with a lit cigar in his mouth. Hot ashes would dribble down the front of his white shirt, leaving a string of holes. Fred would wear a hat during meetings and when it was time to vote, Gene McGregor would wake him for the event. That was really when he was quite old because during his earlier days he was one of Catheys Valley finest raiser of mules, goats and corn. Nap or no nap, Fred did not miss a meeting, and in the opinion of most observers, voted with intelligence. He would always say that he heard everything that was being said but just resting his eyes. Approaching his age, I can understand the value of a nap now and again. Gordon and Pearle Greenamyer had a Standard Station on Bullion St., just north of 7th St. Hwy 140 ran up Bullion St. in those days as far as 8th, turning towards the High School and on out towards Midpines on what we now refer to as Old Highway. The Greenamyers were Standard Oil dealers. Pearle made sandwiches for the tourists while Gordon did all manner of mechanical work. His sill stood him in good stead many years later as partner with his family in Mariposa Sand and Gravel. He was a pilot during WWII and gave me my first airplane ride at Mariposa Airport during a special event trying to encourage flying lessons after the war. While in that Piper Cub, he was in the front seat and I in the rear. We were a couple of thousand feet off the ground when he asked me if I would like to take the stick. I said sure, so he handed it to me. I gave it back quickly. I now live in Idle Wheels Senior Citizen Park which his family created and one of the best things ever done in and for Mariposa. Everett and Rhesa Bagby owned Bagby's Modern Cabins. He was running for re-election as county assessor that year and Rhesa was teaching school. He had built the Cabins on land that had been owned by Farnsworth and Higman. Higman's Store was moved from the corner of Hwy 140 and 7th St, turned 90 degrees and is now the deli for River Rock Inn. Walter Farnsworth married Bessie Higman and I suspect they inherited the store property. Everett acquired a large part of the block between Bullion and Charles, including the Presbyterian Church, Washburn's barn, (although it may have been gone), the corner lot where the Higman store had been, replacing it with a Reo Grand Service station, and adding eventually the Dairy Del, which became the Sugar Pine, which is soon to reopen, Thank you. Well, a lot of time has gone by, although it seems just like yesterday to me. I miss our old Drug Store in the IOOF building with its soda fountain and my friend Jim Turner helping himself to the ice cream with a T-spoon. Father caught up to him and on pay day Jim noticed a slight deduction in his pay envelope. (Yep, we used envelopes in those days). The deduction was for ice cream consumed. Leroy Radanovich Leroy Radanovich Email: Leroy Radanovich To Read More By Leroy Radanovich: Leroy Radanovich's Mariposa Life Archives |
September 5, 2008 |