Scrapbook #3 – 1914 Governor’s Day

Before I start, I have to say that I hate my cr*ppy memory!  Geez, I know I’ve seen this picture before but for the life of me, I can’t remember where.  And I don’t have the patience to look thoroughly so if I’ve shared this before, I apologize.

Now that I have that out of the way, the next page of the scrapbook showed me this from The Fresno Bee, Thursday, October 1, 1953, page 5-A.


EARLY DAY EVENT – Governor’s Day at the Fresno District Fair was quite an event in 1914.  Shown left to right in the grandstand are the late Frank Hill, Mayor Alva E. Snow, J.E. Dickenson, Governor Hiram C. Johnson, George H. Warlow, H. Wingate Lake, William Stranahan and H.E. Patterson and Sigmund Levy.


ExFair Director Recalls Governor’s Day Celebration


Governor’s Day at the Fresno District Fair in 1914 was recalled today by Sigmund Levy, a Fresno real estate and insurance man who was the fair’s director of exploitation from 1914 to 1918.

“I can remember it as though it were yesterday,” Levy said.  “We needed a lot of help in those days to put over the fair.  The governor drew a large crowd.”

Levy has a photograph taken in the grandstand that day.  In the picture are the late Governor Hiram C. Johnson, Mayor Alva E. Snow, Frank Hill of the Fresno Traffic Association, J.E. Dickenson, the fair director; George H. Warlow, the fair president; H. Wingate Lake, a hotel manager; William Stranahan, Fresno public works commissioner, and H.E. Patterson of the Fresno County Chamber of Commerce and Levy.

Levy declared the exhibits at more recent fairs were similar to those in 1914.  Each night a dance carnival was held in those days.

“It really packed them in,” he said.

C.G. Eberhart, a retired vineyardist who was the fair manager from 1911 to 1920, recalled one of the big features of the fair 32 years ago was a “train wreck” which drew an attendance of more than 25,000 persons.

Eberhart said two old locomotives, purchased from the Santa Fe Railway, were started from opposite ends of the infield, but many of the spectators decided the seeing was not nearly as thrilling as the anticipation of the collision.

“The grandstand was jammed,” he declared.  “There was a hush among the spectators as the locomotives approached.  Bombs on the engines enveloped them in clouds of smoke as they came together with a deafening crash.

He inaugurated the initial five gaited saddle show ring for purebreds during his first year as manager and said the fair boasted three of the fastest harness horses in the United States, trained by Billy Durfy and owned by Clarence Berry of Fresno. 

One more Fresno event my grandfather was involved in.  Who knew?

Scrapbook #3 – Fifty Years Ago (plus one more)

The next ‘clippings’ in the scrapbook tell us about life in Fresno in the very early 1900’s.  My grandfather, Sig Levy, was a young lad at that time but 50 years later, he found a way to get himself mentioned in the newspaper.  And as he loved to do, he saved all of these clippings and put them in a scrapbook (thanks, Sig).



Thankfully Sig pointed out where he was mentioned in the Fresno Bee – I might have missed it otherwise.  So there he is in high school and it seems he’d already perfected the art of getting involved.  None of the other names look familiar to me although I’m not sure any of his school mates’ names would be.

Speaking of school, look at this article that mentions the mid year graduates of Fresno Grammar School.  I don’t know the grade levels of this school and I couldn’t find anything to tell me the date – he graduated from high school in 1906 so would that have been when he graduated from 8th grade?  So 1902?



I was able to locate a photo of the grammar school from about 1916.  As my dad was so fond of saying, now I can visualize Sig walking through the front doors.

While I know now that Sig was an avid tennis player, it’s fun to see mention of it again in the newspaper.  Sorry to read that the home team lost, though.



An interesting story at the end about the death of two horses at the “death gap” crossing.

I realize I’ve shared this photo before but I’ll use any excuse to share it again.  How ‘bout them shoes?



And then I remembered that I have Sig’s tennis racquets hanging on my wall!  I remember back in the early 80’s after Loraine died and we were cleaning out her house.  I asked my dad if I could have the tennis racquets and he looked at me strangely and said “um, sure”.  I’m certain that he, along with my siblings, thought I’d lost a brain cell or two and honestly, there were times I might have agreed with them.  But now after hanging on our wall for nearly 35 years, I’ve grown quite attached to them.  I wonder if one of these is the one Sig is holding in the photo?



And more news about tennis.



The other stories are sure interesting – arrested for allowing freight cars to block the street for more than five minutes?

And then a random article from 1937.  I know that the Sig Levy family went on a road trip in 1940 – I wrote about the scrapbook someone kept of the trip HERE.  But now I learn they went on a month long tour of the East!



I don’t remember my dad talking about this trip but I guess since he was just 10 years old, he might not have had many memories of it.  I can’t imagine being gone for a month!

Scrapbook #3 – Forty Years Ago

Next up in the scrapbook is lots of little articles from The Fresno Bee telling us what was going on in the area years before - if we missed it the first time, we were able to read about it 40 or 50 years later!

In the 1950’s, there were many references to things Sig had done much earlier in his life and, as was his habit, he was sure to add the ‘clippings’ to his scrapbook.  Thanks, Sig!



Sig didn’t add the date but that didn’t stop me – off to newspapers.com to see what I could find.  Sure enough, there was the article on page 24 of the Fresno Bee Republican from April 28, 1952.  I guess in 1912 it was big news for two young men to visit Los Angeles.

And while I was looking, I also found this from March 22, 1952 – wonder how Sig missed this?  



Oh BOY would I like to know more about this!  Sig went to Tijuana?  And what did the excitement look like?  Did he have trouble getting back into the country?  I’m going to have to keep my eyes peeled for more information!

 

I know that Sig loved to play tennis and, apparently, was quite good at it.  I’m sure he was thrilled to see this in the newspaper on October 10, 1955.

 

 

It seems that Sig and E.A. Berg seemed to spend a lot of time together – this is the first I’ve heard about the Fresno County Fair.

 

Street dance?  Street dance?  I realize Sig was involved in a lot of organizations and activities but a street dance????



Now I need to keep my eyes peeled for the American City – I’d love to read more about the Fresno Commercial Club.  I know Sig spent the majority of his career in commercial real estate - I have a TON of scrapbooks with articles about development to prove it!

Earlier in the scrapbook (HERE) I shared a newspaper article and now I’ve found the original photo.  If not for the newspaper account, I would have no idea what was going on here on October 26, 1952.



And a very fun article (with a photo) from July 17, 1953.  I’ve found lots of photos and other ephemera from their cruises (HERE, HERE, and HERE) but I’ve not seen anything from cruising in 1953.  I’m so glad there’s a newspaper article to tell us and even show us a photo!



Six weeks?  Now THAT’S a cruise!

Thanks to both of my grandparents for being packrats and scrapbookers!

Scrapbook #3 - The Flag Speaks

With so much discord in our country today, it might be karma that, at this particular moment in time, I found this publication in my grandfather’s scrapbook.  I know from several items of Sig Levy’s that he was a patriot and was very involved with activities around the flag.  So maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised to find this.



Hmmm, I wonder why he included this?  It wasn’t taped or pasted like the other items but just loose between the pages.  Was it a last minute addition?  I’ll never know but it was obviously important enough for him to save.

I did a little research on William Tyler Page, President General.  It was interesting to learn that he was the winner of a nationwide contest for writing a National Creed, which would be a brief summary of the American political faith founded upon things fundamental in American history and tradition.  There were 3,000 contestants and his winning creed was:

"I believe in the United States of America as a Government of the people by the people, for the people, whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a Republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect Union, one and inseparable; established upon those principals of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.  I therefore believe it is my duty to my Country to love it; to support its Constitution; to obey its laws; to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies."

The next page of the publication shows a picture of William Tyler Page.



My research shows that William Tyler Page, a descendant of Declaration of Independence signer, Carter Braxton, as well as the 10th President of the United States, John Tyler, died just a few months after this publication on October 19, 1942.

And then I connected the dots as to why Sig saved this newsletter – he was quoted on page 3.  I’m always so thankful when he marks on the page where his name is shown!



FRESNO, CALIF.  (Pop. 60,685) had a “brilliantly successful” Flag Week, according to Sigmund Levy, Flag Week Chairman, who says further that “Patriotism was stimulated to a great degree and the effect on many towns in our country that patterned after our celebration and also held patriotic ceremonies was gratifying.  I assure you that it has been a pleasure for me to serve as chairman of Flag Week in Fresno and thank you very kindly for your courteous cooperation.” 

I had to laugh that he described the Flag Week in Fresno as “brilliantly successful” – how else would the Chairman of the event describe it?

And the last page included quotes from radio stations across the nation.  KVI in Tacoma, Washington is still on the air today. 



This gives me a glimpse into yet another activity that Sig was involved in and I’m happy to know how important patriotism was to him.