PLOUGHSHARE & PRUNING HOOK
VOLUME 5 NUMBER 5 
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2000
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2000Rummage Sale a Success
Another rummage sale is over and we are happy to announce it was a complete success. We raised nearly $115. Also we were able to give many tours of the house. One of the highlights of the day came when Beverly Blodgett came by and donated a rare treasure to our growing collection of Tilla Patterson Hudsons personal items. We now have possession of her 1897 Montgomery Ward treadle sewing machine. A big thank you goes out to all that helped with the sale and a special thanks to Beverly.
New Brochure Printed
The cooperative effort of all the local museums has produced a new brochure that features all the local museums and the overlook and visitors center at Diamond Lake. The brochure has been distributed locally and you will find one enclosed in this newsletter if your a subscriber. Use the guide to find the San Jacinto Valley history.
Hattie Church Passes Away
We are saddened to hear of the passing of Hattie Church. Hattie was born in Winchester. Her grandparents lived at the end of California at Stetson and her grandmother named the hill behind their home "Biscuit Hill" because of the shape. We had the privilege of talking with Hattie a few times and gathering much history from her. Our condolences go out to her family and friends.
Musical Instruments Needed
Winchester School needs your help. After some absence a new band has formed at the school. They are however lacking in funds to purchase or provide instruments for all who want to participate. If you happen to have an old instrument or would like to donate money to this worthwhile program the Winchester HomeOwners Association is collecting the funds and instruments and passing them on the Winchester School. We have been guaranteed that all funds and instrument will be earmarked for only our school. It is a well known fact that students who participate in such programs are better students and better citizens. Donations may be sent to the Winchester Homeowners Association
P. O. Box 122
Winchester, Ca. 92596
Please mark your check with a note stating the fact the funds are for the Winchester School Music Fund. Thanks for your help.
Historical Plague Now In Museum
Thanks to William Herold we now have in the museum the plague that once was on the fountain behind the Winchester Store. The fountain was built in 1976 in honor of James and Edmee Blackmore who owned the store for many years. The plague was pried off and was found in a nearby field. It is hoped that we might move the fountain to a safer location at the museum or our new park and rebuild it to its old glory. Thanks William for your keeping this part of our history safe and your donating it back to the museum.
Winchester Pre-school To Be Named for Tom Gatling
Through the efforts of the historical society and with the support of community groups the new pre-school will be named after Tom Gatling. Tom lived in Winchester for many years after his retirement. Tom helped form the Winchester HomeOwners Association. He also spearheaded the building of our first 5 acre park behind the school. While an officer of the homeowners association Tom helped lead the fight to have a crossing guard located at Winchester School. In the second year that the guard was in place Tom took the job when no one else was willing to take on the job. Tom was also active in the Winchester United Methodist Church and the V.F.W. On November 21stat 3:00 P.M. the Hemet Unified School District will honor Tom by naming the pre-school for him. A tour of the facility will also be available.
Expanded Park To Be Dedicated
The new expanded Winchester-Domenigoni Park will be officially dedicated on December 2nd from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. with a BBQ and other festivities. The park has been closed for some time as the smaller 5 acre park was expanded to 18 acres. The park was funded by Eastern Municipal Water District as mitigation for placement of the water reclamation ponds located at Leon and Simpson. The park includes 3 Baseball Diamonds, soccer fields, basketball courts, picnic structures, and play areas. A new community center is still be constructed and will open sometime next year if funding becomes available. The Park is named for Amy Winchester, one of the community's founders, and Angelo Domenigoni, grandson of the first resident of the Domenigoni also named Angelo. Work is in progress to name certain facilities in the park after people who have helped the community in the building of what many consider the finest facility in Valley-Wide Park and Recreation District. The Park is located behind the Winchester School.
Patterson House Museum On the Road
On the 19th of October we were privileged to be part of the annual Fall Festival held at Winchester School. Many of the students, faculty, and parents stopped by to view some of Winchesters history. One special display they enjoyed was the aerial map of the area from about 1964. During the evening we also were honored to meet two of the new history teachers at the school. We will be working with them soon to bring Winchester history into the school room. We are also working on a special assembly to bring our history to the lower grades. Thanks to all for the great time that was had by all.
Winchester Woman's Club To Participate In Craft Sale
The local woman of the woman's club are participating in the annual Valley-Wide Park and Recreation District Craft Sale at the main park on Esplanade in San Jacinto. The sale will be November 4th and 5th. The sale hours are from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. on Saturday and 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. on Sunday. The ladies make some adorable and unique items so it is well worth your while to go check out their merchandise. Other crafters will also be attending so you can shop early for the holidays. Admission and parking are both FREE. Now that is a real deal.
Community Team Penning Needs Sponsors
Each year the community groups of Winchester join together to bring an event that helps raise money for local activities. The annual Winchester Community Benefit Team Penning brings some of the best team penners to the community for a weekend. They compete for prizes which are either purchased or donated. We are in need of funds and or donations to give away to these participants. Also available are ads in the official program that each rider receives. Here is your chance to get your name out to a large group of people. All donations are tax deductible which is another incentive.
For additional information call Dave Ledbetter at (909) 926-1413.
Birth Announcement
October 11th saw the arrival of Winchesters newest resident. Weighing in at about a hefty 50 pounds with wavy brown hair. Baby was soon nursing and walking. Proud parents closely watched over the newest arrival. Proud human overseers beamed. The new arrival joined others in the herd at the Domenigoni Brothers/Barton spread. Did we mention the new arrival is a Buffalo. Naming of the new calf is awaiting a gender check by someone who can get close enough to the mother and offspring :)
Winchester Fire Department Station 34 Report
News comes to us that with a generous donation from the Winchester HomeOwners Association the pump and hoses have been bought for the new jaws of life. They still need another $12,000 to purchase the balance of the equipment. If you would like to contribute to the fund to acquire the rest of it contact the fire department.
On the school front the "NEW" engine was a hit at the Winchester School Fall Festival. Recently the station was host to all the kindergarten classes for a tour. Also two of the crew have volunteered for the "Star" Program at the school. This program aids students in learning to read. Engineer Smokey Williamson and firefighter Rich Ellenberger help students each Thursday at the school.
The station responds on an average of 2 calls a day locally. They are currently working on an Emergency Response Plan for the west dam and recreation area after taking a 3 hour tour of the area. They will also be out and about the community soon to do a fire safety inspection of all the business establishments.
The fire department needs your help. They have had a rash of fires in which people are torching "stolen" cars. The last one was located in what is known as the groves. This could have been a major disaster. Most of the cars have been torched on Leon Rd. If you see anyone dropping cars off, stripping, or burning a car contact the sheriff immediately. Remember a car fire can spread rapidly into a large fire.
