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Memorial Plaque to ROWLAND GIBSON HAZARD in Patio

NOTICIA5 QUARTERLY BULLETIN OF THE SANTA BARBARA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The First Twenty Five Years of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Introduction Nearly fifty years ago, on January 31, 1916, a dedicated and interested group met at “Los Colubris,” the “Hummingbirds,” the home of William Leon Dawson, to begin the organization of a museum and a corporation destined to grow with great rapidity, to outgrow its original design, to change its location, to change its name, to change its most basic policies, and eventually to become the present day Santa Barbara Museum of Nat ural History.

For many years Santa Barbara had had devoted students of nature, many of them members of the Santa Barbara Society of Natural History, whose roster contained the names of such noted pioneers in research in California’s natural history as H. C. Ford, Mrs. Ellwood Cooper, Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Bingham, Dr. L. N. Dimmick, Dr. Lorenzo G. Yates, and many others.

The society had an active and enthusiastic organization for many years, including its own museum, from 1875 into the 1900’s, but had now become dormant. Its place was to be taken by a new generation of Santa Barbarans, as well as visitors and part-time residents. These people were active in educational and civic lines in their home cities in the east and mid-west.

Here they recognized the rich potentials of a natural history organization in Santa Barbara, and were amenable to the suggestions of William Leon Dawson, who was chiefly interested in ornithology and oology. Dawson had impressive plans for a four volume work on the “Birds of California,” and for housing his extensive and world-wide collection of eggs in a museum.

This museum he proposed to be the nucleus of the greatest oology collection in the world, and it was to the outlining of these plans that the members of the original board of trustees listened, and to which they agreed.

At the first meeting the incorporation papers were discussed and ac cepted, and plans were made for the museum. It was agreed that Mr. Daw son would solicit S10,000, which would cover the first three years of the museum’s expenses and publication of the book. The museum was housed in two small buildings behind Mr. Dawson’s home, which was in Mission Canyon just around the corner on Puesta del Sol from the site of the preseni Museum.

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WILLIAM LEON DAWSON

During the first years, Dawson continued to run the Oology Museum from Los Colubris.” He was working on the research, photography and writing of his “Birds,” as well as conducting a purchase and exchange pro gram to increase the oology collection. For 35 years he had been an unusually active and avid collector, in an era of fiercely competitive collecting.

In the Oology Museum he had an opportune situation for acquiring the best egg collection in the world. His reports in the “Journal of the Museum of Comparative Oology” glow with his pleasure and triumph; his situation was ideal.

In 1919 the first issue of the Journal of Comparative Oology was pub lished, Volume 1, Numbers 1 and 2. Its purpose was to acquaint the public with the new Oology Museum, and to discuss the scope, methods and pro gress of oological science. To us, reading it today, the most interesting and important chapter is not about oology, but a brief introduction to the first board, the men and women who founded the Museum, and who retained throughout the years a dedication to the institution that kept it alive and growing. The first roster read: Mr. Joel Remington Fithian, President Mr. William Norman Campbell, Vice President Mr. Clinton B. Hale, Vice President Mr. Edward Payson Ripley, Vice President Mr. William Leon Dawson, Secretary

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Mr. George S. Edwards, Treasurer Mr. Francis T. Underhill Mr. Clinton P. McAllaster Mr. Fred H. Schauer

Ihere also were six ladies: Miss Ednah R. Rich (Morse), Miss Ellen S. Chamberlain, Mrs. James Hobart Moore, Mrs. Rebecca S. Campbell, Miss Marion A. Patrick, and Mrs. Etta A. Dawson.

This is an impressive list of names; many of them were connected with numerous other civic interests. Most were busy professionals who could ill spare the lime for the young organization, yet some remained on the Board for many years. Mr. Fred Schauer was active for more than forty years, finally serving as President of the Board from 1947 through 1951. He has remained in an advisory position until the present day as Honorary Presi dent. Most names on the original roster were to remain for many years. Mr. Hale served until his death, March 25, 1925, when his place was taken by his widow.

The most memorable family name connected with the Museum entered the roster in 1917, when Mr. Rowland Gibson Hazard became a board member, and w'as promptly appointed Honorary Curator. Among his wide interests he had one in common with Mr. Dawson, he was an egg collector and a devoted naturalist. Mr. Hazard served less than a year. He died January 23, 1918, and his j)lace was taken by his sister, Miss Caroline Haz ard, who had been President of Wellesley College, and was deeply interested in all facets of education and nature. It was perhaps the most fortunate ap pointment ever made to the Board, because Miss Hazard became a driving force and a generous benefactor, one of the most important of all the per sonalities involved in making the Museum a success.

However, there was unrest among the board members; Dawson had not produced his book on the promised schedule. His expenses far exceeded his optimistic estimate of $10,000, and he was forced to raise more money.

Work on the book went more slowly than he had planned. It was a tense and troubled period for him; in his defense it must be said that the book was monumental in scope, and that he faced an amazing amount of necessary research, observations, and very hard work to complete the project. He al ready had worked eight years and he truly felt that the additional time was warranted to maintain the desired quality of the results. When the book finally appeared, some years later, the work showed in his fine illustrations, his patient observations and his excellent human interest touches and general history. The “Birds of California” is still an important reference for ornithologists.

Within this period there began a growth within the museum policy toward expansion into other fields of natural history. There was a feeling that oology alone was too limited and that other interests and subjects would better serve the needs of Santa Barbara. Museums were growing away from being collections only, and were even in the early twenties leaning toward exhibition of ideas rather than things. To Dawson, this was untenable as bis whole philosophy was based on the theory that all mysteries of nature could be answered by study of an egg collection. He felt that a change from oology alone, to veer even slightly from his original goal, was impossible for him to accept. Finally, in 1923, he tendered his resignation to the Board of Trustees, and a new era began for the Museum.

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Transition, Young Years and First Exhibits After the resignation of Mr. Dawson in 1923, the Museum became more varied in its interests. There was no paid Director; Dean George F. Weld was President of the Board of Trustees, Mr. Ralph Hoffmann was appointed Honorary Director, and Mr. Harold S. Gladwin, Curator. This volunteer staff faced the task of organization. Mr. Gladwin first attacked the monumental task of sorting the enormous collection of eggs and nests, which were found to be in great disorder. Gladwin worked for months sorting and preparing so that both exhibition and study could be made of the material. At this time the Museum was open two afternoons a week, and the visitors could look at the eggs and nests by pulling out the drawers and peering at the crowded mass within. Mr. Gladwin also began the first entomology exhibits, drawing much of the material from his own collection.

Being Honorary Curator meant more than sorting; Mr. Gladwin vividly remembers hosing down the Patio and other janitorial chores. At that time two beautiful, brightly colored but raucous macaws lived in the Patio, and their screechings and scoldings often made normal conversation impossible.

Driven beyond endurance by the racket, Mr. Gladwin once hosed the macaws down as well as the flagstones. Certainly this didn’t make for quiet but it gave the harassed Curator quite a bit of satisfaction.

One day a young woman, Miss Elizabeth Mason, appeared with a pair of bookends she had made, to show her work to Mr. Hoffmann and Mr. Gladwin. On the bookends she had modeled some tiny figures of primitive

EGMONT Z. RETT

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men, Neanderthal, perhaps, prizing abalone from a rock. Much taken by the charm and freshness of the work, the gentlemen suggested she do a diorama, using similar little figures, of the early Indians of the region.

She accepted the suggestion, and two of her scenes, the Oak Grove People and the Canalino Village, still are on show in the Gould Hall. She later did many more in similar style for the Southwest Museum and for other organizations, always retaining her fresh approach.

When there was no longer any doubt that the Oology Museum would branch into other fields, the name was changed to the “Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Comparative Oology.” A period of feverish activity began. The two rooms housing bird nests and eggs in storage cases, the Auk Room and the Brant Room, were altered for exhibition. In the east wing, the exhibit hall was planned to hold a variety of natural history subjects. Cases were constructed along the walls, and two young preparators from Denver arrived to install exhibits. One, Mr. Harry Sheldon, worked only a few years. The other, Egmont Z. Rett, a young taxidermist-naturalist with six years of experience behind him at the Museum of Natural History in Denver, was destined to remain associated with the Museum for the rest of his extremely active and productive life. He was to become “Mr. Museum” to his many Santa Barbara friends, a living symbol of all the Museum meant to them. Mr. Rett possessed a fine combination of artistic talent and skill with his hands along with deep love, understanding and knowledge of birds, and all of the out-of-doors. He also loved people, and was a natural teacher and an inspiration to many young students.

Mr. Rett immediately began the interminable task of mounting birds for the taxonomic exhibit and the habitat hall that were planned for the south corridor and the west wing. He and Mr. Hoffmann spent many wonder ful days together observing and collecting for this work, sometimes careen ing over the countryside in Mr. Hoffmann’s Model T Ford, or camped far afield. Mr. Hoffmann was also working on his “Birds of the Pacific States,” which was to be published in 1927. This work is considered by many ex perts to be the finest for the Santa Barbara area, since it was written here, recording local observations over a long period. In the book, Mr. Hoffmann included many minutely detailed observations of great help and interest to bird watchers and students.

The east wing eventually held an amazing variety of material, with the exhibits being constantly changed and extended. Mr. Norton Stuart joined the Staff as Assistant Curator; a man of diverse facets and talents, he pro duced many of the accessories and designs for the groups. The Museum still uses for exhibit much of the material he made; the snow plant, the humpback whale, and many mushrooms. This east wing was a delight to visit, but far from well organized. Side by side were fish, fossils, tar pits, snakes and the fascinating elephant bird exhibit.

Along the south side of the patio, in a narrow, corridor-like hall, was the taxonomic bird exhibit. Here the Staff hoped to show, eventually, ex amples of both sexes of all the birds that lived in or visited Santa Barbara, with their eggs and nests. Soon the cases were jammed with Mr. Rett’s work, to the point that it was obvious that this room would never hold the more than 400 species found in Santa Barbara during the year. The drawers 5

DAVID BANKS ROGERS

beneath were tilled with eggs and nests. 'I'he excellence of the birds on ex hibit was completely eclipsed by the crowded conditions.

To the west of the patio the “Little Bird Hall” began to take shape.

Here the habitat groups appeared in rapid succession. The birds were mounted by Mr. Rett; he and Mr. Stuart worked on the accessories. There were many hours of volunteer w’ork represented in the groups, and the time given by the artists and trustees was immeasurable. As each group was finished the delighted Board gathered to praise and plan more. As long as the Hall existed, Mr. Rett was constantly adding improvements and refine ments. It is with nostalgia that Museum oldtimers remember these first two exhibit halls, the East and West wings, and it was the excellent work done in them, despite low-budgets and inadequate materials, that convinced later donors of the Museum’s potentials.

Other museums were interested in local archeology; it was inevitable that the Santa Barbara Museum would find the study of the early Indians equally absorbing. It was through a fortunate coincidence, in 1923, that David Banks Rogers began his fifteen year association with the Museum.

Rogers had been working with Mr. John P. Harrington on the village sites in the Ambassador Tract for the Smithsonian Institution. As this project ended, Mr. Rogers was asked to continue this research under the auspices of the Museum, as Archeologist. He promptly plunged into the intensive exploration that was to result in his fine book, “Prehistoric Man of the Santa Barbara Coast.” He haunted every building site, every road con6

struction project, prowled lields that showed the characteristic “color” of prehistoric Indian middens, collecting and studying. He was the first in vestigator to establish the three Indian Cultures that had dominated the area, and to tell their story in sequence both in his book and in the Gould Indian Hall. Today his estimated dates are shown to be too conservative by modern dating methods, but on the whole his work has become a classic in its field.

As he concluded the work for his book, Mr. Rogers branched into other fields, collecting in many areas of natural history. He began the fossil collections, and acquired some of the first shells for the conchology collection.

He was very active in the Museum’s behalf, a tireless worker, and a soughtafter speaker. He often talked to groups and at schools, and guided tours through the Museum.

Into this absorbing era of growth there crept a feeling of unsureness.

There was some doubt in the minds of the Trustees and Staff as to how much the Museum should expand. Should they encompass anthropology, for example, since they had been offered many fine Indian pieces? They must decide how many fields of natural history they should embrace and how far from their Santa Barbara locale they should extend their limits. Spur red by Miss Caroline Hazard, they wisely decided to invite a museum expert to analyse the situation. The Trustees were sure that with Santa Barbara’s marvelous potentials, wonderful sponsors, and the ideal setting for exposition buildings, they could, with good advice and guidance, build the finest of small museums. With this in mind, Mr. Paul Marshall Rea was called in to help solve the problem. His visit was a great success. He advised that the Museum branch into all phases of natural history, to study the local and southwest Indians, and to venture into the community with in vitations to the educational leaders of the town. His advice was the catalyst of the policies: the outgoing feeling of service within our local area has remained to this day. Today, reading the recommendations that he wrote in 1924, one feels that they are as timely and pertinent in 1965 as they were 41 years ago.

The Directors A young museum is in many ways like a young country. It attracts pioneers in its field, people who are young in heart and mind, and are eager to experiment in the media of research and exhibition. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History was extremely fortunate in that in its formative years it attracted colorful, competent museum professionals, people who were to stay and grow with the Museum, or, in some cases, fulfilled a great need, and went on to other fields of greater personal interest.

During the critical years following 1923, when the decision to become a natural history museum was made, the Museum was led by well chosen, capable directors. The labors of these men resulted in a long-lasting basic policy that fitted the needs of the community and the organization.

First was Ralph Hoffmann, who had been a Trustee since 1921, and also served as volunteer and docent. On becoming Honorary Director in 7

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-in RALPH HOFFMANN Director, 1923-1932

PAUL MARSHALL REA Director, 1933-1936

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I ARTHUR STERRY COGGESHALL Director, 1937-1958

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1923, following Mr. Dawson’s resignation, he at first served on a volunteer basis. Eventually, in 1926, he gave up his position at Cate School, to become full-time Director of the young museum. With him came his good basic in knowledge of natural history in general, with an excellent background the particular fields of ornithology and botany, and his inexhaustible en thusiasm and energy for collecting and study. He was an outstanding and inspiring teacher, who was capable of reaching the imaginations of students of all ages.

Hoffmann immediately began the study collections that are the basic in gredients for research in a museum, and fared far and wide to acquire a good selection of birds, both for exhibition and the study series, and plants to establish the herbarium. Nothing was sacred during herbarium collecting!

He felt free to enter any private garden or field if he coveted a specimen, their People still remember this strange eccentric character snooping in gardens, taking snippets of their prize plants. For the nine years of his service he worked tirelessly to achieve the best collections possible, considering them all-important tools for museum research and study. With Mr. Hoffmann’s tragic death, while on a collecting trip on San Miguel Island in 1932, the Museum lost a memorable and dedicated personality, but he left a real heritage in the policies and collections he had made.

To succeed Mr. Hoffmann, the Trustees called upon Mr. Paul Marshall Rea. A man with wide museum experience, Mr. Rea was familiar with the Santa Barbara Museum, since in 1924 he had, at the request of the Trustees, given a critical analysis and recommendation for the future of the organi zation. It was on his advice that the institution definitely decided to change from oology alone to the broader fields of scientific investigation, collection, exhibition, and interpretation of the natural history of the region.

Mr. Rea brought to the Museum his great aptitude for organization, at a time when the assembled material, gathered under Mr. Hoffmann, was in need of such talents. He also realized the need for more personnel, and particularly felt that the Museum needed good departments headed by ex pert curators. Under his leadership, departments were established and the first curators in special fields were appointed; Mr. Rett became Curator of Ornithology and Mammalogy and Mr. Rogers was appointed Curator of Anthropology and Paleontology. This was a departure from the general title of “Curator,” which is comparatively meaningless, to making the title in dicative of specialization.

At the end of four years Mr. Rea resigned to return to his first love, research. The value of his services during these years cannot be over emphasized; he left a smoothly running organization, ready for a change of pace, perhaps to an emphasis on exhibition and public relations.

In 1937 a new personality entered the picture, as different as possible from his predecessors. Arthur Sterry Coggeshall had been a museum man all his life, and thoroughly understood the problems peculiar to such organi zations. He had had extensive experience in exhibition, and this combined with his deep love of people and his outgoing personality, was exactly what the Santa Barbara Museum needed.

For thirty years, until 1929, Dr. Coggeshall had served the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh as Curator of Public Education and Preparator in 9

Chief in the Department of Paleontology. He had spent the three previous years with the American Museum of Natural History in New York. He was Director of the Saint Paul Institute, Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1929 to 1931, and Chief of the Illinois State Museum at Springfield from 1931 to 1936. When he arrived in Santa Barbara he was already at an age when most men feel retirement is the only future, but he began a whirlwind of activity that exhausted his much younger Staff, and continued for the twenty-one years he served as Director.

Dr. Coggeshall was an authority on lighting and exhibit problems, and immediately began to refine and improve the lighting and presentation of existing exhibits in the Museum. One of his first projects was the arrange ment of the Sarah Hamilton Fleischmann Bird Hall to improve the viewing of the birds. Each case was arranged as a unit, with related species to gether. The big birds of prey were placed in a case at one end of the room in a spectacular display to balance the duck case at the other end of the room. He also, with typical energy and drive, was soon on a ladder painting the ceiling a fresh blue with floating white clouds. During these early years of his service he personally worked in every exhibit hall, with painstaking attention to details to make the Museum more educational, popular and attractive.

An important facet of Dr. Coggeshall’s personality was his strong feel ing for the comfort and convenience of the public. Typical of his concern was his project to replace all the steps in public areas with ramps to ac commodate wheel chairs and baby carriages, and to make it easier for anyone who had difficulty in walking. The front entrance was the first to be remodelled. The steps were removed and the path widened; this simple improvement has meant years of increased convenience as well as making the entrance much more attractive.

The years between 1937 and 1941, the year the Museum was twentyfive years old, were years of rapid growth and great progress. Under Dr. Coggeshall’s enthusiastic leadership, contacts were made with many organi zations and private citizens, so that public relations were improved. The entire Museum, with its growing Staff of twelve full-time, and several parttime employees, felt the contagion of their Director’s enthusiasm. The mem bers of the Museum also enjoyed this feeling, and came to feel themselves even more a part of their Museum.

One of the important innovations by Dr. Coggeshall was the organization of the Western Museums Conference. Over the years the National Museums Conference had been attended, when possible, by the Director, or a few key Staff members, but on the whole most of the Staff members of western museums had little contact with those of eastern museums, or with each other, mainly because the meetings were usually held in eastern cities. With the beginning of west coast conferences, museum personnel up and down the Pacific Coast had an opportunity to meet and discuss their problems, and to have a lively exchange of ideas and methods. This conference is still held annually, but during its first years, Dr. Coggeshall always held office, and much of the work of the organization went through his hands.

With the end of the Museum’s 25th year, the problems of a world of unrest and an impending war were being felt, and exhibits, policies and 10

plans began to be colored by its influence. More than ever public service was stressed. Exhibits pertinent to the part of natural history in the war effort were installed and changed frequently. Programs and tours, geared to interest the many servicemen in Santa Barbara, filled the Museum’s days during the war years.

The Buildings and the Land Visitors entering the beautiful wrought iron front gates often stop at the main office to admire the fire blazing away in the corner fireplace, and to ask about the time when the Museum was a private house. This is under standable for two reasons; many museums were formerly residences, and ours strongly resembles a Spanish Colonial house cf Santa Barbara’s early days. We always explain that the building was designed as a museum from its very beginning in 1922, but the forethought and skill of the architect, Mr. Floyd Brewster, and the impeccable taste of Miss Caroline Hazard com bined to set a timeless, perfect style of architecture for the Museum in its wooded canyon setting. One feels that the patio was part of a Mexican or Spanish home, and that the rooms around had once been occupied by an early California Don and his growing family.

In 1922, Miss Caroline Hazard and Mrs. Rowland Gibson Hazard de cided that a building to house the Oology Collection would be a fitting memorial to their beloved brother and husband, since he had been devoted to oology, and much of the collection had been his own. Miss Hazard gave a portion of her own land, choosing a spot that had not entered into the original plans of Mr. Dawson. He had hoped to build on the Riviera, over looking the Mission. Fortunately this plan had never matured, because the eventual location was ideal. The first 1.66 acre parcel was a particularly beautiful site, bordering Mission Creek, studded with stately oaks and bi

Front entrance.

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graceful sycamores. Mrs. Hazard gave the funds for the building, and spent much time and thought making every detail perfect. She gave especial attention to the blue-tiled dedication fountain in the patio, choosing each tile personally.

Miss Hazard’s father, Mr. Rowland Hazard, had begun acquisition of the property in 1885, first purchasing “Mission Hill,” the site of the big main house. He continued to acquire parcels until 1891, at which time the Hazard holdings consisted of the land from the Old Mission on one side, across Mission Creek, then called Arroyo Pedregosa, to the winding Sycamore Avenue, now Puesla del Sol Road. Mr. Hazard then surrounded the property with a stone wall, and built a handsome stone bridge over Mission Creek.

In the very early days, the old aqueduct, carrying water for the Mission Lands, had a section crossing over the road near the bridge. On part of this aqueduct wall Mr. Hazard placed a sun dial, and the house built at the north end of the property thus became “Dial House.” The land was given to Mrs. Margaret Hazard, and was inherited by Miss Hazard in 1895.

Hazard family descendants remember the area with deep affection, and to this day feel strong bonds with the Museum and its Staff.

When the Museum first opened informally on August 17, 1922, it con sisted of the patio with one square of rooms around it. The entry, just as it does today, opened to the left to the main office. To the right was the “Assembly Room,” which was designed for Trustee meetings and the many social gatherings. The room was furnished by Mrs. Rowland G. Hazard with lovely old Spanish pieces. Here each new addition and achievement was celebrated, with suitable ceremony and libations, with the Hazard ladies presiding over the silver laden tea table.

The patio was carefully arranged to retain the three lovely oaks still growing there. The south wall was very simple, with the lovely blue and white tile memorial to Rowland G. Hazard in the center. Down each side were arches. Rooms on the east and west side were designed for the egg and nest collections, while there was a room at the rear, for “poisoning,” to prevent damage from insects. For less than a year the Oology Museum continued; in 1923 it began its mushrooming growth that was to last to the present day.

As the Museum grew. Miss Hazard continued to add land for building, always generous and happy to forward any plans that promoted progress for her brother’s memorial. Her generosity went far beyond land, and often during the lean years she was the “anonymous donor” who met expenses or helped the building fund.

The first large wing to appear after the completion of the original quadrangle was the Gould Indian Hall. Mrs. Frederic S. Gould was deeply interested in the Museum, and had encouraged the exploration and work of the archeologist, Mr. Rogers. She also felt that the Museum should be able to take advantage of the wonderful offers that had been made of Indian materials. One outstanding collection, that of Mr. Fernand Lungren, had been available since 1923, but there had been no place for it at that time. In 1926, the Gould Hall was built in memory of Frederic S. Gould, and was used for exhibits of material found by Mr. Rogers, and for a fabulous basket collec tion that for many years filled bin-like areas above the exhibit cases. The Hall also was used for the early lectures and meetings. It was a busy place.

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MISS CAROLINE HAZARD

The landscaping theme of the Museum was begun by accident. On im pulse the preparators, having finished casting a cactus for an exhibit, stuck the specimen in the ground outside the preparation laboratory; to their surprise, it flourished. Soon other cacti and succulents were added, and be fore long most of the Stall were succulent “buffs,” and the entire grounds were landscaped with cacti and succulents. Many were extremely rare, most were very interesting, some very spectacular. Labels were made and a walk through the grounds was a marvelous lesson on succulents and their use in gardening. Early pictures of the Museum all show handsome cacti or stately aloe blooms against the Spanish style architecture. Remnants are no longer labeled, and most of the original garden is now covered with buildings.

Occasionally we have a visitor today who remembers the Museum as it was forty or so years ago, and the questions they ask often stump and con fuse the newer Staff members. One of the things these returning visitors re member is the “canoe” . . . actually this was an outrigger from the South Seas, which was placed on exhibit under the trees where the Fleischmann Auditorium now stands. We are also asked about the snakes; at one time there was a little “Snake House” on the south side, where live reptiles were kept. This was popular, and abandoned with reluctance because of many technical problems; winter hibernation, maintenance, care of the specimens, and so on.

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MAJOR MAX C. FVEiSCHMANN

In the early l‘J20’s the growing Museum attracted the attention of one of Santa Barbara’s greatest benefactors. Major Max C. Fleischmann. Soon he was a frequent visitor, and deeply interested in all the Museum’s activities.

Even though his own first love was mammalogy, he thoroughly enjoyed hunting, fishing, and all out-of-door activities. He had hunted big game all over the world, and was a well-informed, observant naturalist as well. As it became apparent to him that the Museum Staff and Trustees could handle the problem well, he became interested in establishing a hall and research de partment in mammalogy. To this end he offered to build a mammal hall and a library, and to assist financially with installation and future main tenance.

At the same time, Mrs. Clinton B. Hale gave the Hale Hall of Botany as a memorial to her husband, who had served on the Board of Trustees until his death in 192.S. The two Halls and Library were designed by Mr. Carleton Winslow and built together. The Hale Hall was formally presented to the Museum bv Mrs. Hale on April 29. 1927. It was put to immediate use for U

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all sorts of fresh flower exhibits, which had been arranged on a temporary basis around the patio in former years. Cases were installed around the walls, and filled with exhibits of local oaks, pines, mushrooms, and other botanical subjects.

Understandably, it took much longer to fill the big Hall of Mammals.

Mr. Rett, Mr. Stuart, and Mr. Rett’s brother, Arthur, began to mount the big ar imals and prepare accessories for the Hall. On April 2, 1928, the Hall was formally opened, with six groups completed. Others were added, until by 1910 the main groups were completed, though Mr. Rett continued to add to and refine the Hall for many years, ^/hen it became known that the Carnegie Institution desired to establish a seisinological station in Santa Barbara to further the Institution’s research program, the Museum offered a site and a building in which the instruments could be housed. The erection of the little building was made possible through the generosity of Mr. E. Palmer Gavit, Mrs. C. B. Hale and Miss Ellen P. Chamberlain. The station was built under the oaks to the west of the Gould Indian Hall, in design conforming with the existing architecture.

Essentially the station was nothing more than a dark-room for taking pho tographic records. The records were sent away to be developed and any of interest were copied for exhibition at the Museum.

As work was nearing completion on the new halls and library, it became apparent that there was a vital need to have a hall for the crowded birds in the systematic exhibit, and a sizable laboratory for the hard working taxi dermist and archeologist, both of whom were working under great difficulties.

So, in 1934 the Sarah Hamilton Fleischmann Bird Hall and Laboratories, donated by the Fleischmanns. rose to the south of the patio. This was to

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Portion of cactws gardoti and administration office.

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become one of the loveliest bird halls in any museum, its utter simplicity combined with its graceful arched, sky-like ceiling was beautiful design, while in the cases the birds took on fresh sparkle and life as they were arranged in their new quarters. Flying birds were silhouetted against the blue sky, showing off their impressive wingspreads. The acoustics in this beautiful hall were unusually ppor, so wall-to-wall carpet was added later, an innova tion in museums. Four table cases of good height for viewing were filled with nests and eggs from the extensive collection of the old Comparative Oology Museum. This room has been one of the most popular of all the exhibition halls from the moment it opened. It is consulted by students and bird watchers as they would a text, since the birds are arranged in their taxonomic order around the Hall, and are easy to find and see.

Many fine lecturers and famous scientists had visited Santa Barbara under the sponsorship of the Museum, but there had never been adequate facilities for a regular lecture series on the grounds. Some of the lectures had been held in the High School Auditorium, or similar downtown build ing, while at the Museum each Hall had been used for this purpose at some time or another. The Gould Indian Hall was often converted to a lecture room, with temporary seating, but the room most often called into service was the library. This caused endless problems. Seating had to be brought in, and, to prevent misplacement of the hundreds of books on the shelves, fishnet was hung over the cases for each lecture. This was a great nuisance, and very unsightly, but the books were a great temptation to the members to browse while waiting for the lectures to begin.

By 1938 the membership had so increased that Major Fleischmann, then President of the Board of Trustees, and Dr. Coggeshall, began to plan a new auditorium. The Major was very happy to donate the funds, and assisted in the planning of the much needed new building. Designed by the talented architect, Mr. Chester Carjola, the architecture was in keeping with existing facilities. The new hall was joined to the Gould Wing by a lovely arcade with beautiful iron gates given by Mrs. Gould. The Lecture Hall itself meas ured 45 by 75 feet, and seated 450. Every detail was carefully planned and supervised by Major Fleischmann and Mr. Coggeshall to insure comfort for the members. Ideal facilities were provided for projection of slides and movies, and for acoustics. Around the hall cases were installed for Indian material from outside California, to provide study and comparison with local material in the nearby Gould Hall. The great beamed ceiling was hung with lights featuring Indian motifs.

Beneath the Lecture Hall a greatly needed workroom was built. A full sized carpenter shop, with equipment given by Mrs. Gould, insured that in the future our cabinet maker could be a resident employee with the best of facilities. Until this time cabinet work had been done by outside help. Mrs. Gould continued to give funds, until even the cabinet maker was satisfied with his tools. Also in the basement a darkroom was set up, with equipment from the estate of Dr. Henry P. Moseley, donated by Mrs. Moseley. Though the Fleischmann Lecture Hall was all that was evident to qur membership, the grateful Staff was equally appreciative of the fine work area.

This Lecture Hall was only one of the generous and thoughtful additions to the Museum made possible by Major Fleischmann. Without his foresight

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and appreciation of the needs of the fast growing institution, the Museum would never have been able to progress and grow as it has, always continuing to serve the Tri-County area, and to delight the many out-of-town visitors.

It is noteworthy that all these buildings were perfectly compatable in style with early Santa Barbara architecture, and illustrated for the first time a policy that is retained wherever possible in later museum buildings—each exhibit hall opened to the out-of-doors, and visitors, in passing from one hall to another, would have a breath of fresh air and a glimpse of lovely garden between each hall. Each building was faced with the arched colonnade that is now the Museum’s trademark, and one of its loveliest exterior features.

Visitors from colder climates appreciate this, though on the wintery days of January and February the Staff often wish for an interior passage between offices; it is often a long cold walk.

Growing Pains The problem of working space is everpresent, but in the early days it was even greater and was solved with ingenuity combined with stoic endur ance on the part of the Staff. Mr. Rett, faced with enormous numbers of birds to mount, first worked in what is now the Assistant Director’s office.

This was far from ideal, being crowded and inconvenient, but he soon fared worse in the “lean-to,” a dark, airless shanty that huddled against the main building. He then worked in the Herbarium office for a time. With the beginning of preparation for the Mammal Hall this was obviously impossible, so he moved to his own shop at his home, to mount the big mammals. With the end of this era, he returned to the Museum grounds, to work in one end of the library building. Though the Fleischmanns planned this room carefully and lovingly from the beginning to be a reasearch library, it was nec essary for it to serve as a workroom at first. The design was adapted from the Trophy Room at Major Fleischmann’s home, and at first the room was called the “Head and Horns Room.”

Mr. Rogers also suffered major inconveniences. The first laboratory for the young anthropology department was the open air, under the oaks where the Mammal Hall now stands. Rogers used an old door on two sawhorses for a table. Along one side he arranged a row of skulls for the benefit of passersby on the street. A canvas was stretched above for protection from the rain, but of course failed during heavy downpours. This was used for seven months, when he was promoted to the “Squirrel Cage,” a metal-roofed structure with chicken wire sides. In these two outdoor laboratories he did all the preparation for the first exhibits in the Gould Indian Wing. From these open air arrangements Rogers went to the opposite extreme. He was moved to a windowless, airless closet next to the Indian Wing. Here he prepared the manuscript for his book. When the “Head and Horns Room” was completed, Mr. Rogers moved again, into what was comparative para dise! Here he remained until the beautiful new Laboratory was completed in 1934.

The lower floors and basement of the Laboratory Building were soon filled with shards of pottery, stone manos and metates, skulls, beads and all 17

ihe other products of Mr. Rogers avid collecting in pursuance of his hook.

There were also bones, fossils, shells, blankets, and other miscellany acquired by any young museum during the first years.

The mammalogy and ornithology department was housed on the second floor. Here Mr. Rett’s workroom was placed, first at one end of the labora tory, and then moved to the other, where there was more room for his work.

There was also some area left over for classes to stand and listen to Mr. Rett’s entertaining talks on birds, mammals and preparation methods—or just plain yarns. This workroom was a mecca for many of the youngsters of Santa Barbara, and here these young people were encouraged to work with their hands as well as to sharpen their skills of observation in nature. Since the ■'lusenm property adjoins the grounds of Saint Anthony’s Seminary, there Weil many days when the room was crowded with tall Franciscan robed students from the Seminary Itiology classes. For many years Mr. Rett enjoyed this laboratory, working on exhibition material, and adding to the collections in the storage cases. He had brought with him his life-long col lection of study skins, and lie and Mr. lloffinann had added to these to achieve an excellent collection of study skins of local birds. The North American series of eggs and nests also were arranged in the cases, which .soon were filled to overflowing. Growing pains were starting again.

Something for the Children The Junior Department's Early Years At the beginning of fh(‘ thirties, a volunteer since 1929, Mrs. Dorothy Irma Cooke, began to promote a new idea. She had been working on the collections, arranging exhibits, designing labels, and putting tiny record numbers on hundreds of eggs. She also had begun to join the collecting parties, sometimes accompanied by two red-headed sons and a tiny blonde daughter. As her interest and knowledge grew, and her children’s interest as well, the idea grew stronger. Why not have children’s classes, and teach them some natural history? Where could you fi nd a better nature school room than in a natural history museum?

The suggestion was not exactly greeted with spontaneous enthusiasm.

At fi rst, there was an unqualified “no.” Mrs. Cooke persisted, with the assurance that if she succeeded, Mrs. Dorothy Crofton-Atkins was also ready to join her in the project. Rebuttal arguments were strong; everyone was very busy, especially the young Englishwoman with three small children. Prepara tion for classes and teaching would take a great deal of time, skill, and knowl edge. Besides, the Staff members were reluctant to allow children to encroach on their adult world. Kids were hound to be a nuisance and a hazard in the offices and laboratories. Without doubt they would get into things. (They did, too). Moreover, there was no suitable classroom.

Despite all objections, Mrs. Cooke prevailed, and the fi rst class was held on January 14, 1932, in one of the offices. In the following month’s leaflet, Director Hoffmann was moved to express the following feelings: “It is never safe to prophesy, but the Director has a strong conviction that the afternoon of January 14 marked the beginning for the Museum of 18

-M HoHm^nn Loggia—th« Junior Department.

a new activity that will have far-reaching results. The first children’s class was held on that afternoon. The class is limited to eleven children, between eight and ten years old, and every place was taken.”

Mr. Hoffmann was right. Mrs. Cooke was joined, as promised, by Mrs. Crofton-Atkins, and the two ladies soon had full classes and busy days. The program expanded rapidly; the classes met several afternoons a week, with the groups divided according to ages, as they are to this day. Additional Saturday morning talks were given by the ladies, usually in the Gould Indian Hall. The schools at first were slow in coming. Mrs. Cooke went instead to the classrooms. She had regular classes at some schools, such as Crane Country Day School. Before long there were too many to visit and the busloads of children began to arrive with regularity for tours and special subjects.

Following the tragic death of Mr. Hoffmann in 1932, Miss Hazard sug gested a classroom for the children, built in his memory. As always, she did much of the planning of the new building, and helped with funds. Design was by Carleton Winslow, and was in keeping with the wooded setting chosen; the classroom was built in connection with the existing seismograph building. At first the classroom was rather airy, with open arches and re movable windows. This impractical beginning was soon corrected, and the window sashes were built into the arches permanently. Here the children could be as messy and childlike as they pleased. All sorts of projects cluttered the floor and tables. Soon odd pets of various sorts in a strange assortment of cages appeared, and the Junior Nature Center was really on its way.

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L front door a beautiful bronze plaque, designed by Miss Elizabeth Mason, commemorates Mr. Hoffmann and his contribution to education in natural history fields:

The Hoffmann Loggia in happy memory of Ralph Hoffmann Director 1923 -1932 Student of flowers and birds who welcomed the children and made the museum a center of inspiration for all lovers of life and beauty A rather select group of young adults in Santa Barbara may well remember the summer classes held in the early years. They met under the oaks where the Auditorium now stands, and investigated many facets of Indian culture and natural history. One memorable program was the building of a local Indian jacale or house. This monumental project involved gathering the right species of rushes and reeds, the cutting of willow for the ribs, and then assembling the whole. All hands worked with vigor and enthusiasm.

One point brought out in the study was that these jacales were rainproof, so an enterprising, young budding architect decided to experiment. Noel Cook« may remember drenching his sister, his brother, and his friends who were working inside, and the disgraceful mess he made of their labors and their dispositions.

The inevitable accumulation of equipment, pets, supplies, junk and general debris involved in a successful children’s program soon crowded the little Loggia beyond endurance. In May, 1939, this was somewhat re lieved by the addition of classrooms in the rear. These two big rooms, 15x28, with child size chairs, sturdy folding tables, and plenty of cupboards were a dream come true. All that were still needed, Mrs. Cooke felt, were a com fortable place for the numerous pets, a good junior library, a larger lecture hall, and planetarium, and so on and on. These have all come over the years, but in 1941 the Loggia was a crowded busy place and these refinements were still in the future.

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The Museum Leaflet The first issue of the Museum Leaflet was published in March, 1925. it was a small, unpretentious folder, designed to fit into an ordinary envelope, and its policy then, as it remains to this day, was to establish a closer bond between the Museum and its members. It consisted of news, announcements and reports on activities. The first issue contained 315 words, about the number of words on a page of our current publication, or half the words on this page. Naturally enough, following the 1925 cataclysm, the first was on "Earthquakes,” in August, popular article with general information 1925. There have been articles of general interest ever since.

For several years the folder style was continued, but as the contents expanded, the leaflet grew more and more unwieldy, as much as twenty inches long and very awkward to read. This form was abandoned in 1928, to be replaced with a small booklet—at first without a name. In 1930 it became “Museum Leaflet” and was an actual little magazine, similar in many ways to its contemporaries, “Masterkey” of the Southwest Museum and “Zoonooz” of the San Diego Zoo. In 1937 the page size was increased, and a few changes were made in the format.

The Staff members and many of the Board of Trustees wrote regularly.

Their work was supplemented by material from some very distinguished contributors: Miss Eleanor Hoffmann, now author of an excellent array of children’s books. Miss Alice Eastwood, distinguished botanist, Dr. and Mrs. F. E. Clements, famous research botanists, Mrs. Lester Rowntree, horticultur ist of California native plants, and many others. During the many years of close association with the Blaksley Botanic Garden, there was also a regular article by Mrs. Elmer Bissell, who with her husband directed the Botanic Garden in its early years. The little leaflet soon was on its way to many other museums and institutions, not only within the United States, but all over the world. It seems amazing that such a diminutive magazine could travel so far, and in many cases be the Museum’s only contact with other countries.

At first the leaflet was issued every month; the office was a busy place, stuffing and addressing and stamping the several hundred envelopes to send off to the membership. The publication was edited informally by Mr. Ward Holt, Assistant to the Director. A great deal of editing and secretarial work was done by Miss Nora Morres, Secretary to the Director. Issues were more or less regular and punctual except for one dreadful period, when Mr. Holt was on sick leave and the Secretary was hospitalized, having been severely injured in an automobile accident. For many months the short handed Staff did without two of their key workers and the museum members sorely missed news of their organization.

Many of the articles of the early leaflet are still pertinent and are ^ often used for reference by the Staff. Some of the back issues are collector s items, and even the Museum Library would like a few to assure a complete dupli cate file. On occasion some of the thirty or forty year old articles are re printed in a current “Museum Talk,” still as fresh and interesting as when they were written.

Growth of the Museum, and pressures of time finally forced the leaflet from its monthly issue. Now, after forty years of publication, the leaflet 21

has become a quarterly, and a good many oldlimers feel it lacks the charm and freshness of its early years. The name is now “Museum Talk,” and the formal quite different from the first issue, but the policies are still the same.

In addition to the Museum Leaflet, the Museum has also published a number of occasional papers and special bulletins. These have dealt with such special subjects as geology, mollusks, deer and local Indian culture.

The Artists Santa Barbara in the 1920’s and 1930’s had an unusually large popula. tion of talented artists, some of whom became very interested in the young Museum and donated their time and talents to the growing institution. One, Mr. Cadwallader Washburn, also served on the Board of Trustees; he painted the background for the Marsh Group in the Little Bird Hall.

The Little Bird Hall had four groups designed for painted backgrounds, while the smaller groups used tinted glass photographic enlargements. In this attractive room three artists besides Mr. Washburn gave their talents; Mr. Howard Russell Butler, who painted the Shore Bird Background, Carl Oscar Borg, who did the Duck Hawk Group, and the largest, the Desert Group, was done by Mr. Fernand Lungren.

Background painting presents problems to the artist that are unsuspected by the average museum visitor. The area to be covered is very much larger than the usual canvas; some of the backgrounds painted during this period covered as much as 18 to 25 square yards. Compare this to the pictures on your wall—the backgrounds are 25 or more times larger! Added to this is

Marsh Group in former Bird Hall, background by Cadwallader Washburn.

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Grizzly Bear Group, backgrourMl by Belmore Browne.

the problem of painting on a curve. This creates numerous difficulties, in cluding the handling of perspective. Also, hard as it may he for the artist, he must paint the background remembering his work is only a part of the group as a whole, and not the part that should be most noticeable. It is against all natural tendencies when laying out a painting to do this! Artists think of their foreground, middle distance and background while they work.

Despite these necessary adjustments, the artists gave themselves wholehearted ly to the challenge, and set their pallettes with this in mind.

When the Fleischmann Mammal Hall was planned, the talents of these and other local artists were again solicited, and they responded enthusiastical ly. Field trips were made and the artists made their preliminary sketches, to be transferred later to the big backgrounds to be painted. For example, Mr. Belmore Browne made the trip to the Upper Oso to find the right habitat for the Grizzly Bear; Mr. Douglass Parshall sailed to Santa Cruz Island to make notes for the Sea Lion Group, and so on. Many times the artists and Staff labored far into the night, working against deadlines. The short credit lines and their own personal satisfaction seem small recognition for these unselfish efforts. However, today the Staff still points with pride at their work, and visitors often recognize with amazement the name of an artist whose paintings they have admired in one of the gr^at art museums.

A list of those who gave their talents in the Mammal Hall: Mr. Belmore Browne: Seal, Antelope and Grizzly Bear Groups.

Mrs. Lilia Tuckerman: Dwarf Elk and Coyote Groups.

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Mr. John Gamble: Mountain Lion Group.

Mr. Fernand Lungren; Desert Bighorn Group.

Mr. Douglass Parshall: Sea Lion Group.

Two ●gift^ c 1 1Staff members also worked - -on the backgrounds. Mr. Norton Stuart painted the Deer and Black Bear Backgrounds, while Miss Elizabeth Jordan created the moody blue background for the Timber Wolves.

June W. Hopkins

Conclusion ,

^®^ore this issue of Noticias went to press I was privileged to read The First Twenty-five Years of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.” The scope of the chronological information covered therein came as such a surprise to me, one who might surely be expected to know the full background of the Museum, but didn’t, that I am prompted to write these few words of thanks to Noticias and to June Hopkins, whose research and labored compilation of data have herein preserved a most valuable record, otherwise ultimately lost, for those who have followed and will continue to follow the first twenty-five years.

Though long ago I chanced to obtain Bulletin No. 1, March 1887, Report from its Organization, 1876-1887, of the Santa Barbara Society of Natural History,” had the pleasure of knowing Miss Caroline Hazard, im patiently awaited my set of Leon Dawson’s four volumes, “The Birds of California,” and was more than a casual friend of Major and Mrs. Max C. Fleischmann, I have not until now fully realized the many years of devoted and sustained efforts and help of all types that have been given by so many to bring forth our Museum as we know it now.

It has been my good fortune to have served the Museum over a decade while the beloved Dr. Arthur S. Coggeshall was Director and Miss Nora K. Morres, Assistant Director or, through many pressing periods, Acting Di rector. It is to Miss Morres’ outstanding administrative ability, together with her devotion to the Museum, in and out of the first twenty-five years, and to those others, with her and because of her, who span the quarter centuries with the Museum*, to all of whom I wish to express at least at bit of the deep appreciation felt — this on behalf of all of those tens of thousands who have been and will be benefited by the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History as it has grown from the inspiration of those fi rst twenty-five years.

Harold S. Chase (Mr. Chase was elected to the Museum Board of Trustees in 1946, and has been President of the Board since 1952.) *The late Egmont Z. Rett, Curator of Ornithology and Mammalogy Dorothy Irma Cooke, Curator of Junior Education Phil C. Orr, Curator of Anthropology and Geology Waldo G. Abbott, Curator of Ornithology and Mammalogy June W. Hopkins, Botanist and Editor

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Director's Report For a hundred years the city of Philadelphia had neglected her, and the nation’s, heritage of historic buildings, allowed ugly structures to be built obstructing the view of her landmarks that mark the beginning of United States history. Philadelphia had in this way deteriorated as an interesting city.

In recent years, through the efforts of a dedicated group of her citizens, and with the expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars, Philadelphia has cleared away its ugly buildings, restored old interesting homes, beautified the views and approaches to her architectural treasures, and again has become one of the most beautiful of America’s historic cities. This was done by re creating and revitalizing the core and birthright of her city.

Santa Barbara has in part followed this example in the creation of El Pueblo Viejo Historic Area, and has now the opportunity to preserve the site of the chapel of the Royal Presidio of Santa Barbara.

Both Old Town San Diego and San Juan Capistrano have ordinances to preserve their birthrights under study, based on the successful El Pueblo Viejo Historic Area of Santa Barbara.

On March 13th and 14th, James E. Reading, William Parker, and Wally Hawtree of San Diego’s Old Town association came to Santa Barbara to attend a special conference arranged for them by our Society. The subject was Santa Barbara’s El Pueblo Viejo,” and a special panel of Paul Sweetser, Elmer Whittaker, and myself, with architect Richard Bliss Nelson answered questions and assisted them with advice and information about El Pueblo Viejo Ordinance.

On March 29th, another group from San Juan Capistrano, the city that has created a historic area ordinance of two hundred acres in the midst of which is the Old Mission, came to another conference to learn of our ex perience of five years with El Pueblo Viejo Ordinance and its historic area.

This unusual group of historians included Henry H. Clifford, President of the California Historic Society, C. E. Parker of Santa Ana, member of the Conference of California Historic Societies, Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Remraes, also the Mayor, City Attorney, Administrator, and a Councilman of Capis trano City. They spent two days in research, and attended another panel discussion in which every angle of the experience of El Pueblo Viejo Historic Area was studied in relation to use for San Juan Capistrano. The panel was composed of Frank Arguelles, City Councilman who assisted in the enactment of El Pueblo Viejo Ordinance, Elmer Whittaker, Edwin Gledhill, and Glen H. Marchbanks.

Among the many recent gifts to the Society were the following unusual donations. 3^/2 foot Lantaka, Spanish Galleon rail swivel gun, brought from Manilla by General Shafter at the time of the Boxer Rebellion. It was for years in possession of Albert Falvy, antique collector of Santa Barbara, and was presented to the Society by Mr. Paul Landell.

In the week following a gift of a 5-foot Lantaka Galleon swivel gun was received from Captain Ernest C. May. It was dug up in San Francisco Bay, and poses the question “is it possible that a galleon was the first to discover

the Bay?”

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Mr. Charles Pierce presented a portrait of Captain John Moore of the British Naval ship “Surprise,” on which Francis Scott Key wrote the words of “The Star Spangled Banner” during the British bombardment of Fort McHenry on September 13th, 1814. The captain’s son, Thomas W. Moore, came to Santa Barbara in 1855, and married Magdalena Burke. At one time they kept a general store which was attached to the Santa Ynez Mission. In our Society’s archives there is an account book of this store with historic names, such as Hartnell and de la Guerra.

The Crocker-Citizens National Bank donated the “Early Settlers & Old Time Residents of Santa Barbara Register,” compiled on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the County National Bank & Trust Com pany of Santa Barbara, November 1st, 1875 to 1935. On the first page it states “To be kept as a permanent record of the Historical Society of Santa Barbara.” Among the signatures of pioneers, and the dates of their arrival in Santa Barbara, are: Jennie Kimberly, 1874; Robert Cord, 1867; Herbert W. Furlong, 1873; Eugene F. Rogers, 1873; Annie J. Kearney, 1872; Harry E. Sexton, 1872; S. B. Schauer, 1888; Katherine Van Horne, 1870; Jennie Rutherford Birss, 1874; AI Loomis, 1865; H. C. Sweetser, 1872; Charlotte Winchester Bagg, 1869; Thomas Wilson Dibblee, 1879; Frederic Caire, 1885; S. E. Crow, 1880; Clarence E. Knight, 1875; Teofilo Arrellanes, 1884; J. R. Brabo, 1884; C. E. Lataillade, 1849 (with note: “born in the old de la Guerra adobe”); Benjamin B. Haskell, 1877; and C. A. Storke, 1877.

Mr. and Mrs. John Burton presented a Diehl Grocery Store register with signatures of important movie stars and out of town visitors. Among the signatures found are: Ray Skofield of 580 Park Avenue, New York; Harry T. Guggenheim, Port Washington, Long Island; Edward S. Harkness, 1 East 75th Street, New York; Ellis A. Gimbel, Philadelphia (store worth seeing); Harold Lloyd, 412 Summit Street, Beverly Hills; Oscar of the Waldorf-Astoria, New York; Nancy Carrol, Janet Gaynor and Greta Garbo of Hollywood.

Mr. John Raffetto presented the register of the Raflour House for 1902 to 1906. This hotel and restaurant was situated in the De la Guerra Plaza.

The register has the signatures of the Caire family of Santa Cruz Island, R. B. Kittredge, E. G. Raffety, Robert B. Rothschild of San Francisco, Edward Cerruti, Harrison Dibblee of San Francisco, Fred Mattel of Los Olivos, N. A. Foxen of Los Alamos. These are mainly pioneer California families.

Activity Report-Women's Projects Board The music room of the Fernald House was the setting for the annual meeting of the Women’s Projects Board, held February 11 at 10:00 a.m.

Mrs. Alex Funke, retiring chairman, introduced the honored guests—Mr. and Mrs. Elmer H. Whittaker, Museum Director W. Edwin Gledhill, Mrs. Henry Griffiths, and the Misses Pearl Chase and Litti Paulding. New regular board members and Associate members present were also welcomed.

Following annual reports by committee chairmen, Mr. Gledhill and Mr. Whittaker were asked to give a brief review of the work of the Historical Society since its reactivation in 1954, and the story of the preservation of 26

the Fernald House and the Trussell-Winchester Adobe including the many problems involved in this ambitious enterprise. Miss Paulding reminisced about Miss Florence Fernald, speaking of her great musical ability, keen wit and mind even to the time of her death in September 1958, at the age of 92.

After Mrs. Funke’s review of the closing year’s work, she presented incoming officers with notebooks in which to keep records of their work, and was in turn presented a beautiful orchid corsage by members of the board.

Mrs. George H. Firdey, newly-elected chairman, closed the meeting, with guests and members adjourning to the Victorian dining room for refresh ments. Mrs. William Barton, tea chairman, and her committee, had used a Valentine motif, witli a centerpiece of red carnations and white stock.

Other officers elected at the annual meeting were: Mmes. Gene Harris, first vice-chairman (parliamentarian); Leo McMahon, second vice-chairman (house and acquisitions) ; John C. Vesey, corresponding secretary; William S. Barton, recording secretary; Miss Mary Chrisman, treasurer.

Committee chairmen named by Mrs. Finley for the coming year were: Mmes. John H. Locklin, garden and Casa Tour; Howard Smith, member ship; Lloyd Wheeler, ways and means; John J. Hollister, Jr., social, as sisted by James P. Smith; Ruth McK. Mayer, meeting coffee hour; James T. Lindsey, hospitality, education, house lours; Edward Bouton, docents for Sunday Open House; Stephan White, public relations-press; Charles Harp er, historian; Charles S. Stevens, Sr., memorial garden fund; L. E. Wood, librarian; Arnotl J. Nall and Miss Isabel Parry, telephone and badges; also Mmes. Vincent Grocott, associate members; Ralph Young, flowers; Wilson Forbes, liaison. Historical Society; Alex Funke, liaison, associates.

New members presented were: Mmes. Cedric Boeseke, James R. Boyce, Irving Camp, Eldon H. Haskell, Robert Janda, Margaret Powell, Sydney Robinson, James P. Smith, Edward Tuohy, and Lloyd Wheeler.

Women’s Projects Board members served on the Hospitality Committee of the Historical Society as hostesses, at the dedication of the new museum headquarters on Sunday afternoon, February 28. Mrs. Leo McMahon and Mrs. James Boyce spent many hours prior to the opening ceremonies, arrang ing priceless costumes, Spanish shawls, and other memorabilia in the glass display cases. Other members have served as docents for special school and youth group tours of the new Museum, since its opening.

The Memorial Garden has been renovated recently under the able super vision of the new garden chairman, Mrs. Locklin. Plants which had outgrown their original locations have been transplanted, trees and shrubs pruned, new plants put in, and unplanted areas disced and cleaned up. A much needed wire mesh fence and gate has been erected between our property and an adjacent garden, the gift of a member, Mrs. Paul A. Jones. Another member, Mrs. Kent Wilson, presented the Fernald House with a dinner set of Spode china, in the Gainsborough pattern. Mrs. W. Edwin Gledhill gave a Victorian wicker bird cage, a Towle metal babv bathtub, and supplied the clapper for the large bell, from Captain H. G. Trussell’s ship, which is already in the garden near the Adobe. (Both bell and clapper were given to the Society

by Miss Maria L. Trussed, his daughter.)

A recent tour of the new Museum made by members of the Santa Ana and Canistrano Historical Societies, included the Fernald House and Adobe 27

on

their itinerary and they were shown through by their host W. Edwin Gledhill. Mrs. Ralph Young, in residence at the Fernald House, served coffee and rolls to the visitors. A highlight of the visit was the presentation by Henry H. Clifford, president of the California Historical Society, of a small brown travel sachel and prayer book which had once belonged to Hannah Hobbs Fernald (wife of Judge Charles Fernald) to the Women’s Projects Board. The Common prayer Book was inscribed “Hannah H. Fernald from her dear friend Sarah P. Cooper, Santa Barbara, Jan. 14, 1890.”

From Mr. Eliot Rogers, a grandson of Charles and Hannah Fernald, comes a charming pencil sketch of the Fernald House, dated 1877, made by Ellen Cooper, daughter of Ellwood Cooper, early Santa Barbara pioneer.

Two children shown in the foreground are the Judge’s daughters, Beatrice and Florence Fernald.

A recent gift from Dr. Anna B. Lefler is another book inscribed “H. H. Fernald from Beatrice”—1918. The WPB is always especially happy to be given mementos of the Fernald family, as each item adds to the authenticity of the House’s furnishings.

Numerous gifts typical of the Victorian era have been received in recent months which are suitable for displaying in the Fernald House. These vary from kitchen ware—such as a wicker rug-beater and a round wooden hand operated Horton washing machine and wringer; or china doll tea-sets, a china miniature baby bootee, trays, framed Godey prints, books and book cases, slipper pin cushions—^through the gamit of mens’ and ladies’ wearing apparel, such as a black velvet braid-trimmed cape-like jacket, and a large collection of ladies hats and bonnets, fans, combs, parasols, capes and dresses; delicate lace-trimmed baby clothes, dolls and toys for the children’s room, crib pillow and quilts of silk—to Victorian arm and side chairs upholstered in horsehair, small footstools, and a small Federal bench upholstered in red velvet.

A September visitor, Mr. Max D. Gilbert, a teacher from La Mesa, California, enjoyed his tour of the historic homes so much he promised to bring a family treasure on his next trip to Santa Barbara. In November he came, bringing an Oriental rug which had been in his family many years.

It was purchased in London in the early 1890’s by his grandfather, Alonzo Durgin of Quincy, Mass. The rug was an antique then. To every one’s surprise, it almost matches the one in use in the Fernald House parlor.

Although the gifts are too numerous to list, the Women’s Projects Board extends sincere thanks to each donor. These are: Mmes. Paul A. Jones, Kent Wilson, Lawrence M. Nelson, James R. Boyce, Edward Bouton, Charles Harp er, James Donahue, Alex Funke, Lucille Guiglia, Gene Harris, George H. Finley, Eldon H. Haskell, Kenneth D. Lamb, Daisy Lind, Thomas R. Lynch, E. Bruce McDonald, Leo McMahon, Margaret Connelly O’Brien, Gerda Rohden, K. Ross, Charles Stevens, Jr., Stephan White. Also the Misses Jean Abel, Anna Worth Hanell, Margaret Conklin, Dorothy Crawford, Carmen Kanus, and Dr. Anna B. Lefler; and Messrs. Rudolph Abel, Max D. Gilbert, Llewellyn Goodfield and Eliot Rogers.

WiLBERTA M. Finley

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SANTA BARBARA HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFICERS -Ur. Hilmar 0. Koefod

President— First Vice President Second Vice President.

Hugh J. Weldon Mrs. Wilson Forbes Paul G. Sweetser

Secretary Treasurer Past President

Mrs. Henry Griffiths ●Thomas J. McDermott DIRECTORS

Mrs. Rev. John Mrs. Yale

Charles H. Cannon Virgil Cordano D. Gill W. Edwin Gledhill B. Griffith

Selden

● Honorary Directors Museum Director Curator Edilor-in-Chief

W. Edwin Gledhill Mrs. W. Edwin Gledhill Edward

Elmer H. Whittaker Dr. Irving N. Wills John Galvin* Thomas M. .Storke*

John Jordano, Jr. Mrs. Godwin Pelissero Edward S. Spaulding Lockwood Tower Garrett Van Home

Spaulding.

NEW MEMBERS ACTIVE Mrs. Clara L Ackerman Mrs. Cedric Boeseke Mrs. J. M. Bridgman Miss Pauline Brockman Mr. Edward F. Brown Mr. and Mrs. Earl W. Calvert Mr. Joel Conway Dr. John E. Cushing Mrs. Margaret F. Fairlie Fresno County Historical Society Mr. George E. Fullerton

Mr. Arthur A. Henzell Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Hillebrand Mr. and Mrs. Conrad J. Jarabin Mr. Douglas W. I^andwer Miss Ruth I. Mahood Dr. and Mrs. John B. Manning, Jr. Miss Frederica Dibblee Poett Mr. and Mrs. Andres R. Ramon Mr. and Mrs. Waldo Ruess Mr. and Mrs. S. Cupples Scudder

SUSTAINING Mr. & Mrs. Stewart Abercrombie Mr. Richmond P. Miller, Jr. Mrs. Henry J. Profant Mr. and Mrs. Samuel E. Vaughan Mr. and Mrs. Carl Von Goeben PATRON Mr. August C. Deleree Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Harmer Mr. Tony Marquette Mr. and Mrs. Allen Peterson Mrs. Minor E. Suttor

GIFTS Mr. Richard Bard Mrs. Homer Barnes Mrs. Edward Borein Mr. Gordon Bromfield Miss Mary E. Brown Mr. Alex Campbell Miss Pearl Chase Mr. Elbert Conner Crocker-Citizens National Bank Mrs. Marian R. Daniels Mr. Burton A. Decker Mrs. Delahoussaye Mr. Frank E. Dunn Mrs. Henry Edmiston Dr. William Ellison Mrs. Carl Erickson Mr. E. Foley Mrs. Wilson Forbes

Fresno Historical Society Mrs. William Glasford Miss Isabel Green Mr. and Mrs. Don Harmer Dr. Helen Hart Mr. Ward Holt Mrs. J. H. Hurst Mrs. Adelaide Johnson Jordano’s Incorporated Miss Susan B. Keith Mrs. John J. Lawrence Mrs. E. R. Masonheimer Estate of William Whitfield Captain Ernest C. May Mr. Dwight Murphy Mr. H. L. Nicholson Mrs. Mildred Osmer Mr. and Mrs. John A. Parma

Miss Elsie L Phelps Mr. Charles T. Pierce Mr. Gabriel Plaideau Mrs. Harriet Plunkett Miss Frederica Poett Mr. Francis Price, Jr. Mr. John Raffetto Mr. Hugh Robertson Mrs. Ben Romer Mr. Max Richter Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Mr. E. Selden Spaulding Mr. Alexander H. Tiers Carmen Underhill Estate Mrs. Maurice Van Gelden Mrs. Harry Whitney

HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP Classes of membership: Benefactor, $100; Patron, $25; Contributing, $15; Sustaining, $10; Active, $7.50; Student, $5. Dues are lax deductible.

MAILING address: 136 E. DE LA GUERRA STREET, SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA

Non-Profit Org. QUARTERLY BULLETIN OF THE SANTA BARBARA HISTORICAL SOCIETY 136 EAST DE

LA GUERRA STREET

SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA

U. S. Postoge PAID Santo Barbara, Calif.

Permit No. 534