Thursday, March 16, 2023

"Niles Celebrity" - actor William Thorne - I am Batman!

›
From the 1946 Spanish language catalog Who is the mystery man in the sombrero? He is William L. Thorne, AKA "Uncle Bill" to the Ro...
Monday, March 13, 2023

Victorian Gardens in the Washington Township

›
So what was a Victorian garden in the Washington Township? Where would they have gotten their plants?  The mission gardens and orchards woul...
Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Rock's Nurseries after 1884

›
1887 San Jose Directory There seems to be the general assumption that Rock's Nurseries was consolidated into the California Nursery righ...
Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Lucy Shinn Smile

›
Lucy Ellen Shinn was just a black and white photo on the wall at Shinn House. We never never knew much about her and what kind of person she...
Tuesday, August 2, 2022

The 'Wickson Challenge' ... lost out

›
'Wickson Challenge' Plum  This painting has a very faint writing on it - 'Wickson Challenge.'  If you look that name up you ...
Friday, July 1, 2022

Where did John Rock get his trees for his experimental orchards?

›
From the Museum of Local History scanned by California Revealed   No Guessing Required! You can look it up! This is one of many orchard reco...
Friday, April 29, 2022

Visiting the Pernet-Ducher roses in 1912

›
The Pernet-Ducher family and the Pernetiana roses What are Pernetiana roses?  The Pernetiana roses was a category of roses introduced by the...