Historic Display Returns to JLV
The historic archives and artifacts that had graced the front rooms of our big building towards the end of the 20th Century have been returned and reinstalled in the corridor, thanks to the valiant efforts of the Glen Ellen Historical Society.
Nancy Bauer, Marge Everidge, Michael Everidge and Archie Horton worked hard to put the photographs and other treasures up, and now they plan a grand reopening sometime in June, once everything is finally in place. But we can take a preview now.
In addition to scenes from a hundred years ago and more around Glen Ellen, there are vintage photographs of three 19th Century women pioneer winemakers, Kate Warfield, Ellen Mary Stuart, and Eliza Hood, with brief descriptions of their contributions to the local agricultural community.
There are also illustrations of our two famous authors, MFK Fisher and Jack London, and aeronautic pioneer and general “Hap” Arnold, each of whom have helped make the Valley of the Moon the cultural center it is today.
A faded framed document can be seen hanging there as well, bearing the unmistakable signature of MG Vallejo. It appears to be a deed, countersigned by a notary public in San Francisco by the name of Blair Saurie (if I read his signature accurately) and dated July 15, 1861.
It’s not clear exactly when Joshua Chauvet actually purchased the sawmill on Asbury Creek from Vallejo, business matters being perhaps more casual in those days. We do know that he took possession sometime after 1856, and that the purchase was not recorded until 1861. Perhaps this document is, indeed, the deed itself.
The great hand-made barrel that supports the awards given MFK Fisher is part of the state-of-the-art still that Chauvet had installed back in the 1870s. Inhale the century-old aromas that still cling to it, and just think of the stories that it could tell.
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This article originally appeared in The Jack London Villager May 2007.