PLOUGHSHARE & PRUNING HOOK

Volume 3 Number 8November 1998

Winchester - Domenigoni Park Ground- breaking Again

   A bright sunny Fall day and mild temperatures mixed with youngsters through senior citizens watched as the soil was turned again at the Winchester - Domenigoni Park located behind the  Winchester School. Our original 5 acre park which saw its ground broke some 13 years ago is expanding to about 18 acres. Among the things planned for the park are lighted ball fields, a soccer field, a community center, and a fire station. The community center building will be a shell that will need to be finished later. The building is donated by the Francis Domenigoni Family Trust.

   Standing on these grounds as the dignitaries and children prepared to turn the first shovel gave this reporter time to reflect how this little park had been such a wonderful help to our town. I stood there remembering the community picnics, impromptu games, kids playing on the play equipment, the many hours of free labor that helped build it and of course our many happy "Winchester Days" experiences.

    Also I spent time remembering who the park was named for. The park was dedicated to early pioneers of Winchester. The park is named for Amy Winchester who lent her name to our town in 1888 and for Angelo Domenigoni, the grandson of Angelo Domenigoni who settled here in 1880. Angelo and Marie Domenigoni settled  into the area and raised a family. Both were active in the Winchester School and other town organizations. The original 5 acres were a purchase / gift from Marie Domenigoni.

   The estimate for the completion of the "new" park is about 18 months. If you get a chance you might want to drive by and see your park grow.

Historical Display Planned

   Plans are formulating to take a piece of the societies growing collection of artifacts and with the help of our friends at the Hemet Area Museum display some of Hemet High Schools past. The society received a graduation program from the class of 1899. We plan to take that plus some school pictures and put them in a secure display at Hemet High School. Watch this newsletter for more details later.

Old Tank House Torn Down

   The old tank house that sat behind  Marie Domenigoni's house on Simpson Ave. has been torn down. The years had been unkind to it and it was in need of major repair or removal. The lumber salvaged from this was taken to the Patterson House to be used in an appropriate project there. We will let you know our plans for the material after an evaluation of the remains. Stay tuned in.

Windows Still available

   We have nothing this month to report on our quest to restore all the windows and doors of the Patterson House. At present time about 50 percent are sold. If you would like to help preserve this landmark please feel free to send a donation to the restoration fund. It cost $300 per window or door although smaller amounts can be sent to be used for a "community" window planned for.

Who We Are

   The Ploughshare & Pruning Hook is published each month by the Winchester Historical Society of Pleasant Valley. The sole purpose is the let the community and others interested in preserving our history a glimpse into our past, present, and future history. We can be reached by mail at P.O. Box 69, Winchester, California 92596-0069 or by phone at (909) 926-4039. Donations to help support this newsletter and other activities are tax deductible as a gift to charity. We also accept gift writings about our local history and will publish them as space permits. Guest speakers and displays are available upon request. E-mail the society at gregg@koan.com.

Tidbits From Our Past

06-15-1893 Supervisor Loveland, who came in yesterday from his home near Winchester, brought a lot of fruit, consisting of this year's apples, prunes, apricots, cherries, nectarines, almonds, etc. He spread the fruit out on the supervisor's table at the courthouse, and it made an elegant showing. His section of the country is certainly to the front in the production of early fruit.                                 --Enterprise

06-15-1893 Irrigation Director Wm. Haslam informs us that plenty of water is now running to Winchester. The trees set out by the citizens along the streets have been thoroughly irrigated, as have also all the orchards and gardens around about there. Mr. H. says he has'nt the least doubt but there will be plenty of water through the entire season. At the present time lots of water is going to waste.

06-15-1893 What is to be done with the criminals caught in this county? This question was supposed to have been settled some time ago, when it was said the city of Riverside had a good jail. But now Sheriff  Swope says it will not do at all. If it is to be used for the incarceration of county criminals, it will have to be provided with steel cells. But it is much too small for a county jail, even for a county as free from crimes as is this. The jail question is one yet to be solved.

06-15-1893 M. Estudillo, clerk of the Board of Supervisors, has received the county seal. Instead of the ordinary fruit trees as ordered the seal has an orange tree in the center and a sheaf of wheat under the tree. The seal is very handsome.

06-15-1893 Mr. A. Gibbel, of the Dunkard church, who has a fine ranch a few miles south of here(San Jacinto), returned Saturday from the east, where he has been in attendance at a convention of Dunkards.

06-29-1893 The Board of Supervisors at their meeting yesterday settled the liquor question, for the time being, and declared that Riverside Count shall begin its career as a "dry" county. By a vote of four to one it was decided to pass a prohibition ordinance, and the district attorney was instructed to draw it up.

06-29-1893 Heading and threshing machines are busy in every part of the valley.

07-06-1893 Jimmie Rawson spent Sunday in Winchester with his best girl.

07-06-1893 Miss Inez Loveland who has been seriously ill for the past two months is now able to be about the house.

07-06-1893 A thresher came to this place Monday and immediately commenced work on Mr. J. C. Nuttings grain. All the farmers who have grain to thresh are glad to see the machine.

07-06-1893 Wm. Morgan from Temblor is hauling honey to the depot.

07-06-1893 At the present writing mosquitoes are more plentiful then news in this city.

07-06-1893 Miss. Lillie J. Brown, a popular young Winchester lady was united in marriage Tuesday last to Wm. G. Shephardson, of Riverside. The Register force tends congratulations.

07-06-1893 F. T. Lindenburger has returned from Chicago. He says Californians will not be ashamed of their exhibit as it is undoubtedly the finest and largest there.

07-06-1893 Dog tax is now due, if you wish to save your dogs, see the City Marshal at once.

08-09-1894 Supervisor Loveland gives a very encouraging report of the work of water development now being prosecuted by the San Jacinto and Pleasant Valley Irrigation district. At the place near Mr. Loveland's residence where the district is seeking water, they have struck a strong flow at a depth of 12 feet. The volume of water has got so strong as to prevent further work of sinking until a new and more powerful pump can be secured and put in position. F. T. Lindenburger came to town(Riverside) yesterday, en route to Las Angeles, where he goes to purchase the necessary pump and engine.

   Mr. Loveland also states that the progress of work in the Griffin cienega where more development is going on, is satisfactory and that an increased flow of water has been found.      --Riverside Enterprise

Remember that winners do what losers don't want to do.

Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.

When facing a difficult task, act as though it is impossible to fail. If you're going after Moby Dick, take along the tartar sauce.