Columns

What’s more fun than children playing in puddles? The rain created many joyful moments this past week—and not just for 5-year-old boys in rubber Wellies. Fire-risk gauges dialed down to their lowest level: Low. Creeks started flowing. Hills and meadows began greening, a harbinger...

Research and photographs contributed by The Healdsburg Museum 100 years ago – Nov. 22, 1923 Camp Visited by 540 Auto Parties Over 600 automobile parties, numbering around 1600 persons, were entertained at the automobile camp grounds of the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce during the touring season just...

Mary Ellen Pleasant was a phenomenal woman. Born a slave in 1814, she amassed an estimated $30 million through entrepreneurship and savvy investing. Owning boarding houses, restaurants, laundries, a dairy and a money-lending business, she acquired 2,000 acres around Glen Ellen, including the famed...

City’s Ordinance Problem Downtown Healdsburg may soon have another luxury hotel, thanks to an error by city staff in publishing notice of a 2018 ordinance that would have prohibited the hotel. Unfortunately, the error wasn’t a one-off.  The city’s 20 most recent ordinances—going back to April...

Research materials and photographs contributed by The Healdsburg Museum. Box Car Club to Organize Friday The American Legion national convention club, which is variously known since its inception as the St. Paul or Bust Club, the Box Car Club and the Ku Ku Klams, will meet...

By Pierre Ratte This weekend’s rain released earthy fragrances, falling gently over two days and lessening fire-season anxieties. Maybe the rain is ending this year’s fire season and beginning winter’s filling of reservoirs and the Sierra’s snowpack. Last winter, Northern California received epic rain and...

This content is provided by Jon Haupt, Healdsburg Regional Library It is always a pleasure to see our many visitors attending events at the Healdsburg Regional Library. Sometimes we need to make adjustments to meet the moment. Responding to cold weather, we brought our Not-So-Spooky...

This content is provided by Pierre Ratte. That sound heard in the middle of the night? It might not have anything to do with Halloween ghosts or goblins, but rather with trucks and grape-harvesting machinery. It’s a bit spooky to have an 18-wheel tractor-trailer truck...

This column is provided by the Healdsburg Museum 100 years ago: Nov. 1, 1923 Grape Shipping Season Sets Record A banner year for grape shipments and one of the best tomato seasons ever experienced, is the season’s record for the Healdsburg section on important autumn crops. Approximately 7000...

'Snapshots' are contributed by Pierre Ratte. Halloween celebrations and decorations are rooted in Celtic traditions around harvest time. Bonfires were lit and costumes were worn to ward off and confuse ghosts. Ghosts apparently would not recognize people in costume on the day they were allowed...