psph110n111

Vol. 1 No. 10

JANUARY 1997

PLOUGHSHARE & PRUNING HOOK

WINCHESTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY

OF PLEASANT VALLEY

Team Penning Planned for January 17 -19

Community Fund-raiser Planned

The annual community benefit TEAM PENNING is planned for January 17 - 20 at the Winchester Wild West Arena located on Grand Avenue in Winchester. All the service organizations come together an have a good time watching the events. The organizations also use this event to raise much needed funds to support their work in the community. The Historical Society will once again be selling candy and other goodies on Saturday and Sunday. We urge you to come join us and watch the fun. Admission is free.

December Happenings

Our history display in conjunction with the annual Hemet Christmas Parade was a huge success. Many people stopped to see the photographs and other historical articles we have gathered. We also were able to raise some funds to keep printing this newsletter.

Speaking of funds, and who these days doesn't need more of those, it costs about $30.00 per issue to print this newsletter and mail it to all our friends. Contributions from members and people receiving this newsletter have kept it alive. At our last meeting Clara Wilhelm donated enough funds for one issue. Thank you Clara for your generous donation. We also would like to thank all of those who have help fund this newsletter in the past. Anyone wishing to help us keep publishing this newsletter may send their contributions of money or articles to P.O. 69, Winchester, California 92596.

Notes From Our Past

01-05-1893 Make your barn a New Years present of a coat of clean white-wash. The neighbors will appreciate it.

01-05-1893 James Boyd of Riverside buys 320 acres in Winchester.

01-12-1893 Mr. Miller, of Rochester, N.Y., an uncle of Mrs.J.C. Nutting, arrived last week. He has purchased a 40-acre tract in the irrigation district and will immediately set it to prunes.

01-12-1895 At the ball given in the Diamond Valley school house last week a couple of young ladies, who went from this town with escorts, decided to come home at an early hour. As the gents were not willing to leave the festive dance, the girls hitched up the two lively livery horses and drove back home, a distance of 10 miles, leaving the boys to get home the best they could. Bravo girls, don't be afraid to help yourselves, and you'll always come out ahead.

01-19-1895 Notice-All persons owning land in the Irrigation District desiring work on ditches are requested to meet the Board of Directors at Winchester, next Saturday, Jan. 21, at 2 o'clock p.m.

( How about that for using local labor.Ed. )

01-26-1893 J. H. Jones has just completed his neat little cottage on Simpson avenue.

01-26-1893 A large number of men from here went to work on the Irrigation ditch near Hemet on Monday last.

01-26-1893 Out young folks have succeeded in organizing a singing class to be taught by Prof. Wm. Carpenter.

01-26-1893 The voters here seem to be equally divided on the county division question. ( The people of the area known as Riverside County now would vote to form the county later this year. The new county would be formed from areas then in San Diego and San Bernardino Counties. Winchester was at that time in San Diego County. Ed. )

01-26-1893 Lately Winchester's streets have an unusually business like appearance.

01-26-1893 Miss. Jennie Sodergreen went to Riverside Monday.

PLOUGHSHARE & PRUNING HOOK

Volume 1 Number 11 February 1997

Team Penning Fund-raiser a Success

The recent team penning held at the Winchester Wild West Arena was a major fund-raiser for all the community service organizations. The Winchester Historical Society took in $153.78. We at the society

would like to thank all of those who both allowed us to participate and

those who bought from us. We also had some inquiries from some people who had relatives who lived here in the late 1890's. We will be following up with them on their ancestors at a later date.

Francis Domenigoni Remembered

Francis Domenigoni, father, husband, rancher, and community leader passed from our presence on Thursday January 23rd. He had lived his entire life in Domenigoni Valley on land his Grandfather Angelo had

settled on in the late 1800's. His involvement with the youth of this area will be missed along with the wealth of historical knowledge he had.

Our condolences go to Jean and the entire family on there lost.

1997 Goals Announced

At our January meeting it was announced that goals for the society had been set. Among those mentioned was the goal of putting the house on the national historic site list maintained by the government. This will allow us to receive grants for restoring the house. Also a goal of the society is to create a web page for Winchester with facts about its history and advantages today. We hope to list all the business interests of our local area also. Anyone who would like to contribute ideas or data please contact us. {Well it did not quite happen but the web site is here at least..ed.}. The third goal is to create a brochure to be handed out to visitors to our community. This idea has been talked about for years now and we hope we can accomplish that this year. Again your ideas and thoughts would be appreciated.

Looking Back

02-02-1893 The Winchester Recorder says: Thirty - six four horse and half as many two horse scrapers will soon be used on the ditches. Add this the plow teams, V scrapers, etc.,and 200 horses and 50 to 60 men will have steady employment until harvest time.