Photo postcard image of a granite quarry that was east of Porterville, circa 1909.    According to one website,  R. Johnson of  Visalia owned the quarry around that time.    And a  1903 Visalia Delta article states that "Robert Johnson, the quarry man" was called out on business to Porterville.  There was also a Robert E. Johnston (1851-1936), who was a tombstone carver, and owned a quarry east of Porterville.  I’ve been informed that his last-name was often misspelled, so it’s quite possible that this is the same person.

 

An old photo postcard showing a peach picking crew in Visalia.    It's postmarked Oct. 26, 1909.

 

 

Photo postcard of Dinuba, circa 1916.     I believe this photo was taken from the water tower at the corner of  Tulare and I Streets, looking in a SE direction.      The large building at left center was Dinuba's old high school (at the same site as their current high school).   Their grammar school is the white two story building at the left upper-hand corner.   Some of the homes in the foreground (on I Street) are still there.

Photo postcard of Tulare's K Street, circa 1908.     I believe this is a view looking north down K, towards its intersection with Kern Ave.    Some buildings that you would normally see from this view (around 1912) are missing.  For example, the domed First National Bank of Tulare hadn't been built yet, on the NW corner of K and Kern.   A building trade journal published 6/26/1909 indicates that the bank's construction was not complete at that time.   From the style of script at the photo's bottom, this appears to be a George Besaw postcard.

Photo postcard circa 1910.   It's postmarked from "Portersville, Cal.", I can't make out the date.    It was sent by Ida E. Dunham to someone in Long Beach.     Ida Elizabeth (Goldberg) Dunham (1869-1958) appears to have lived in the Globe area (east of Porterville), around this time.    

I would assume these are her children, from L to R:  Wynn M. Dunham (1902-1918), Anna Moyer Dunham (1906-1986) and Loyal Falk Dunham (1905-1940).

Photograph from the studio of S.W. Watrous of Visalia, circa 1890.    The name "Ann Besse" is written on the back of the photograph.   Ann Besse (1829-1907) is listed in the 1900 Census as living with her daughter's family in Tipton.  The family in this photo maybe that of her daughter's (Carrie), around the circa date of 1890-91.   Their names were: Carrie Elizabeth (Besse) McDaniel (1861-1956), Robert Andrew McDaniel (1850-1925) and Robert M. McDaniel (1889-1953).

Written on the back of this old photo:  "Florence Nevora Weishar - Jan 8, 1905 - Age 2yrs 5mo 7days."
This was taken at her father's Visalia studio (Photographer Frank A. Weishar of Robinson & Weishar).

An old postcard view, looking east on Pine Street in Exeter.      The old Exeter High School building is at the end of the street.  This structure was finished by March 6, 1911.    I would guess that the image is circa 1911.    There are no cars or trucks in the photo.    Apparently, this was before Exeter's water tower was built.

An old photo postcard of Springville, postmarked 1915.    I believe this is near the present-day  corner of CA-190 and Tule River Drive, looking in an eastward direction.

An old photo postcard image of Springville, circa 1909.

 

An old newspaper archive photo of Julia Howe.
On the back of it someone wrote: "Mrs. Orlean E. Howe who shot and killed W. Brooks at Porterville, Cal. on trial early March 1918 at Visalia, Cal.".
A Porterville city website has a history section that describes the incident:
"...The last part of 1917 was an unfortunate time for the Zalud family. During this time Annie Zalud was married to William Hubert Brooks, a real “go-getter” with the National Cash Register Co. Although their marriage appeared a contented one, they were often separated by business affairs. Eventually, it is said that Brooks tried, unsuccessfully, to have an affair with an associate’s wife, Julia Howe. The rejection angered Brooks so that he reportedly spread rumors about the woman being a “real hot lover” and to avoid her or she’d “get you into trouble”. Brooks apparently caused so much trouble for Mrs. Howe that she had a nervous break down and planned on killing herself.  In November of 1917 Julia Howe rented a hotel room at the Pioneer Hotel, paid all of her bills, and bought a gun at Porterville Hardware. As she stepped into the Pioneer Hotel, ready to head to her room and use her new purchase, she saw William Brooks sitting in the lobby.  Mrs. Howe then emptied the gun into William Brooks, and waited for the Constable to arrive.  After a scandalous trial, Julia Howe was fount not guilty, and was set free.".

 
 

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Two old postcards, from the summer of 1908, involving a camping trip to Sequoia Lake. 

 Both cards are signed "A.J.M." and addressed to "Miss Signe Erickson" of Kingsburg.

The first image appears to be a view from El Monte Way (Ave. 416) just before entering the foothills. It's postmarked: Millwood, 6/18/1908.    I've added a google street view image at the corner of Ave. 416 and Boyd Drive, for a comparison of the view of the hills in the postcard.

I would assume they traveled to Sequoia Lake via Millwood Drive (SR 245).
The other postcard shows their campsite at Sequoia Lake. It is postmarked from Badger on 8/27/1908 (Mailed presumably on their way home).  Millwood Drive travels through Badger.
Note that they have a horse-drawn wagon, traveling by car to the mountains didn't become very common until after 1910.

Signe Erickson would have been 17 or 18 years old at the time these cards were mailed to her. She was the daughter of Swedish immigrants who moved to Kingsburg around 1888.
Millwood was a sawmill town near the General Grant Grove. From Millwood, cut lumber was sent down a 54 mile long water flume to Sanger.   Sequoia Lake was originally created to provide water for that flume.   Around 1908 the logging operation began to move out of Millwood, and it became more of a place for tourists to visit (or stay) while visiting the Grant Grove area.    Around 1913, a new route to the parks bypassed Millwood, and the town soon died out.

 

 

 

 

 

 An old photo postcard of Porterville's Main St..Postmarked 3/29/1910.  I think that this is a view looking south down Main, from north of the corner of Main & Putnam Ave.

 

 

 

 Photo postcard image of a Visalia Electric Railroad passenger car.   Postmarked 8/15/1908.

 

 

 

Photo by Doran of Tulare.

Picture of a young gentleman with top hat, riding crop and monocle.

The writing at the bottom of the photo appears to be: "Warren 1894".

It's difficult to ID him with just his first name... It could possibly be Warren Hobart Pillsbury, who lived in Tulare at that time and would have been 6 or 7 years old in 1894. His father was A. J. Pillsbury who was one of the owners of the Tulare Daily Register newspaper.

Photographer James Turner Doran had a studio in Tulare from about 1887 to 1916.

 

 

 

An old photo postcard.  Photograph by Hammond's Studio of Porterville.

The Two Hoyts was a husband and wife act.  According to one old newspaper: "Mr. Hoyt is a magician and his wife is a juggler and dancer".  They apparently traveled throughout much of the western U.S. during the 1910s.    From searching old newspapers online, it looks like they were in Tulare County in 1911, 1912 and 1916.   Eschol M. Hammond opened his Porterville photography studio in 1914, so this photo was most likely taken in 1916.

 

 

 

An old photo postcard by Hammond's Studio of Porterville.
Dated:  "Camp Wishon,  Springville, Cal.,  July 26, 1917."
No names identifying the children in the image.   Camp Wishon is about 9.5 miles NE of Springville,  along the northern fork of the Middle Fork Tule River.

Photo postcard view of  S. Sweet Co. department store in Visalia, circa 1907.     This particular building was on the SW corner of Church Street and Center Ave. (S. Sweet also had businesses on Visalia's Main Street.).

Both photographs (below) were taken by James Turner Doran of Tulare, circa 1890.

On the back of the first photo is written "George Wray" and on the second is written "Newt Wray".      Most likely these are images of George Washington Wray (1831-1908) of Tulare, and his son Newton Elmer Wray (1874-1945).

 

 

 

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Photo by A.R. Moore of  Visalia, circa 1895.    On the back is written:  "Mary Warna (possibly "Warner"),   a cousin to Caldwell family".

Children's portraits, circa 1896.      It's from Beck studio, of Visalia.    Brothers Frank and Will Beck ran this photography studio.        They also had a studio in Fresno, around 1900.  Unfortunately, no names are on the photograph.

 

 

Another Beck studio photo, circa 1896.

An old photo, I recently purchased...

The seller said this was a 1924 kindergarten class in Tulare.    Lots of names on the image, including the name of their teacher, Blanch Anderson.    Miss Anderson was mentioned in one Tulare newspaper article, from 1922, as being the kindergarten teacher at Wilson Grammar School;  so I would guess that this is an image of that school.

The names of some of the children are written on the back.     The names correspond to the numbers written on the image... "1" starting at the back row left hand side.    Some of them are just the first names, which makes them difficult to identify.

14 of the children, who have their full names written down,   I found on a genealogy website; confirming that they were born in 1918 or 1919 and that they spent at least part of their school years in the Tulare area.            Those children are:

#2 Jack Willoughby,   #5 Sheridan Harris,  #7 Hazel Christensen,  #10 Mary Silveria,   #12 James (Jimmy) Hooks,  #15 Betty Husong,  #17 Nadine Place,   #18 Frances Newman,  #19 Violet South,  #20 Louise Slaughter,   #21 Fraser Lovett,  #23 Eleanor Monroe,   #24 Dorothy Polson,  #25 Margaret Sarment.

                                                                Photo by S. W. Watrous of Visalia.

Written at the bottom of the photograph: "Michael Premo 1890".

Most likely this is Michael Fredrick Premo (1847-1917) of Tulare.

Photo by Doran of  Tulare.    Written on the back:   "Walter Premo about 1890".        

Most likely this is Walter Emile Premo (1876-1952).   He was the son of  Michael Fredrick Premo (see the previous photo).

Postcard view of Visalia's Main Street. It is postmarked 11/19/1923.

This is looking eastward down Main, just past its intersection with Church St.

The building at the far left is the Johnson Hotel.

Photo by C.A. Myers of  Visalia, circa 1895.     Written on the back:  "George Wright family Visalia".

Photo by G.A. Nelson of  Tulare, cica 1893.

Hand tinted photo by the Beck Brothers of  Visalia, circa 1897.

Photo by Powell & Myers of  Tulare, circa 1895.

Postcard view of Orosi, circa 1916

Photo By Downey's Art Studio of Tulare.  Circa 1892.

 Photo by Excelsior Photograph Gallery of  Tulare, circa 1886.   A. P. Bailey the photographer.

I believe this is an image of the big Paige Orchard & Vineyard (Paige & Morton Ranch) that was west of Tulare, circa 1897.

The photographer is H.H. Alexander of Fresno,  some of the old newspapers of that period seem to indicate that he worked in Fresno as a photographer around 1896-97.   And he appears to have traveled outside of Fresno County to sometimes take photos.
The person who sold this photo could see "Tulare County, California" written on some of the fruit boxes, but he couldn't make out the ranch's name.
Because of the apparent size of the ranch and what looks like a lot of drying trays, I thought that it could be narrowed down to one of the larger farms in the county.    By far the closest match I could make to a large Tulare County ranch, and the name on the fruit boxes, is the Paige Orchard & Vineyard.    It was called the Paige & Morton Ranch until 1893, when Timothy Paige bought out the interest of James Morton.    But for years after this, the farm was still occasionally referred to as the Paige & Morton Ranch, e.g. In some newspapers.        The man in the horse carriage, at the left-hand  edge of the photo,  might be P.J.S. Montgomery.    Mr. Montgomery was the ranch's manager.

Close up of the fruit boxes:

 

Photo by E. M. Davidson of Visalia, circa 1889.   This young woman is wearing a rather flashy dress for that time period.   I wonder if this was some sort of holiday or party costume, or if she was part of some stage act?

 

 

From the Visalia studio of  S.W. Watrous, circa 1888.

 

Photo postcard,  postmarked May 16, 1909. 

Written at the top of the image:   "Grade 9  Grammar School  Dinuba Cal." 

Close up:

 

 

Photograph by C.A. Myers of Porterville, 1896.     On the back of it is written: Elmo Clair Slinkard, born Oct. 5th '95 .    According to some online family trees: "Elmo Clare Slinkard" was born in Porterville on 10/5/1895.   

The person I bought this photo from thought that it was an image of a girl... But from the late 1880s to about 1900, young boys were commonly dressed-up in this fashion for their photographs.

Note the alternative spelling of "Portersville".

 

 

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Two old photos that I recently acquired.     The photography studio for both is Doran of Tulare.     

 I would guess that they were taken around the middle of October, 1889.     On the back of the first photograph someone wrote: "Clarence Lloyd Carlile, 3 1/2 months old".   Written on the back of the second: "Luella Carlile age 16".

Looking at online family trees:

Luella (1873-1944) and Clarence (1889-1947) were brother and sister, childeren of James and Margaret Carlile.   Clarence was born on June 25, 1889; Margaret turned 16 on October 13, 1889.

Apparently their father changed the spelling of their family name to "Carlisle", around 1890. According to voting and census records, James H. Carlile (Carlisle) lived in Tulare and Goshen.

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Photo postcard image of the Visalia Soda Works, circa 1911. They bottled things like beer and soft drinks, and would deliver these products to your home.   The oldest reference I can find to them in Visalia newspapers is from 1895, the most recent is 1923.   In 1907 they moved to the corner of Bridge St. and Oak Ave., so I would guess that this is the location of the image.

Close up:

 

 

 An image of an Asian gentleman from the Visalia studio of Robinson & Weishar  (Ida Robinson  and Frank Weishar).   Unfortunately there is no name with the photo.    The style of the photograph looks very much like it is from the late 1890s, but the partnership or Robinson & Weishar didn't start until November 1900... so I would guess that it was taken around 1901-03.

 

Written on the back of this photograph:   "During the demolition of  old Visalia House.   Clock on corner is where Bank of America now stands.    Mose Pettersen  took this picture  10/6/16".      The Visalia House was on the NE corner of Church and Main Streets.    The 5 story Hotel Johnson was built on that site in 1917,  which was torn down in 1968 (after a fire).

The Visalia House was a true Old West hotel,  built in 1859 the upstairs was originally one large room where lodgers rented a space to put down their bedrolls.   It was later divided into separate rooms.    

Note the room prices, next to the hotels name:  Room prices are 25 cents,  50 cents or $1.00.      

In 1888,  after the famous stagecoach bandit Charles Boles (aka  Black Bart) was released from state prison,  he stayed for a short while at the Visalia House.   And it appears this was the last place he was ever seen.       Boles had written someone saying that he was tired of being shadowed by detectives from Wells Fargo and that he just wanted to get away from everyone.         Thus his disappearance.

A cabinet card  photograph by E.A.S. Wyllie of  Tulare.    This is a political cartoon Wyllie produced in 1889,  to protest  the cost of  the license for photographers in Tulare.      Wyllie was known for these types cartoons that combined drawings and photos.   He also produced them in New Zealand  before moving to Tulare.

Photograph from the Traver studio of  J. W.  Bledsoe, circa 1887.      This is only one-of-two photos I've seen with Bledsoe's  Traver studio mark  that actually appears to be studio photo.     Other Bledsoe photos with the Traver mark, that I've seen, seem to have been taken outdoors when he was traveling through  areas like Owens Valley or the high Sierras.

According to a street map of  Traver, from that time period:  Bledsoe and photographer  C.C. Curtis used the same studio building.

The studio mark on the back:

A card de vista photograph by the Visalia studio of  Kiefer & Sammis,  circa 1867.     This studio produced some of the earliest photos in Tulare County with studio identification marks/stamps.

A small card de vista photo by the studio of  E. M. Davidson,  circa 1889.

On the back of the image someone wrote:   "Bro Jim Blair",  and in another handwriting: "Lemon Cove, Pogue Family".
This appears to be an image of James Henry Blair (1860-1939).

James was part of the Blair/Moffett/Pogue clan,   many of whom came out to California on the same wagon-train.      e.g. James's sister,  Nancy Melvina Blair (1843-1891), was married to James William Center Pogue (1839-1907) who created the town of  Lemon Cove.       Many of these families eventually settled in the Exeter, Woodlake, Lemon Cove & Ivanhoe areas.     James Blair married Susan Elizabeth Brotherton (1866-1943).        According to the published Blair-Moffett family history,   he had a ranch in the Woodlake area.   At first he raised cattle and sheep.    He later switched to growing "fruit and grapes".

Photograph by  E.M. Davidson of  Visalia,  circa 1891.       I have a suspicion that  this photo was taken at someone's home, as opposed to Davidson's studio.    e.g. Davidson used scenic backdrops and props in his studio photos.   He did take a lot of photographs away from the studio.   And what looks to be a nightshirt strikes me as something unusual for a little  girl to wear to a photo studio.

An old school photo,  circa 1911.    Written on the back: "Tipton School chlidren, Tulare Co., Cal".

This looks like the old two-story wooden Tipton schoolhouse that was used before 1915.    e.g. Comparing it to another image of that Tipton school:   It's the same type of siding, the same type of narrow window's, similar molding and the same type of window shutters.

Cabinet card photograph by J. Hardy of  Tulare,  circa 1884.

Photograph by Doran of Tulare,  circa 1896.

Photograph  by E. J. Kildare of  Visalia,  circa 1875.      Written on the back of the photo:  "Uncle George & Aunt  Louisa  Caldwell ..."      This is George Marion Caldwell (1851-1892) and his wife Matilda Louisa Kelly (1858-1935).     I would guess that this is their 1875 wedding photo.

Louisa was born in Visalia, a child of Greenberry Marion Kelly (1835-1884) and Sarah Jane Henderson (1839-1917).         George's parents were:  George Caldwell (1808-1881) and Lydia Williams (1813-1899).     They had moved to Visalia by 1860.

One California history book,  published in 1905,   talks about George Marion Caldwell and spoke of his ranch two and a half miles southwest of Visalia.     I suspect it was located on-or-near the present Caldwell Avenue.

A small  carte de visite   photograph by  E. J. Kildare of  Visalia,   circa 1875.

On the back of the photo someone wrote:   "Alice McNamara a daughter of Dr. Asay of Visalia".
This appears to be an image of Almira Alice Asay (1858-1887).   She was married to the lawyer Thaddeus Morgan McNamara (1854-1924).   Her father was Dr. Jacob Lambert Asay (1836-1925).

Photo by Doran of Tulare, circa 1899.     Written on the back of the photograph: "To Mary & Edith Weaver from S. S. Hesse.  March 12th, 1899".

This is probably Samuel S. Hesse.    He was listed as living in Alila (Earlimart) in the 1900 U.S. Census.    There is also property recorded for "S. S. Hesse"  near Alila, in the Tulare County 1892 Thompson atlas.

Photo postcard,  postmarked from Visalia  on July 4, 1922.     At the right lower corner it says:  "Kodak Shop  Visalia Cal".      From the signage and store names,  this appears to be at the intersection of  Main and Locust Streets in Visalia  (Looking in a NW direction, down Main St.).      The circular sign at the left edge of the photograph is for  McBride's Business College.    McBride's moved to this location (212 W. Main Street) in February of 1922.      Doing a search through old newspapers,   it looks like the only circus that was in Visalia between February and July 4th of 1922 was the Al G. Barnes Circus.    Barnes  had a circus parade on Main St., on  3/30/1922.

Photo by E. M. Davidson of Visalia, circa 1890.

Written on the back: "Sophia Wegman Unger,  Coraline Wegman".     Written below that in a different handwriting: "George Wegman's Sisters".    And it looks like the same hand added the name "BELZ" to the end of "Coraline Wegman".    Sophia Wegman and Caroline Wegman were 1st cousins, not sisters, and as far as I can tell neither had a brother named George.

Caroline Wegman (1851-1913) was a daughter of George John Wegman (1821-1896) and Caroline Wennerholdt (1821-1903).   She was married to Andrew G. Belz (1832-1913).

Sophia Wegman (1866-1945) was a daughter of Phillip Wegman (1828-1907) who was George J. Wegman's brother.    Sophia was married to Phillip Unger (b. 1867).

Photo by the Visalia studio of   S. W. Watrous,  circa 1886.

There are several things written on the back of the photograph, in different writing...

One set of writing appears to have the women's names: "Arza Patterson, Alice Stevens".    Under that, in a different handwriting: "Neighbors of Eliza Baker".
And to the side, in a third style of writing: "M: Ferguson, A.D. 2/13/89".

I was able to find Arza Patterson (1866-1942) in a few family trees.    She was born in Visalia.   On 2/13/1889 she married Andrew Darwin Ferguson (1868-1943).    I couldn't find any solid info on Alice Stevens.            I looked at the 1880 census to see if they were neighbors of Eliza Baker in Visalia,  I couldn't find the two women's names near Eliza Baker's.

On the back of the photograph is written:   "Bertha Levy on left, Julia Levy on right".   And in another handwriting: "Momma at 14".            

These are the daughters of Julius and Dora Levy of  Visalia.      Julia (1864-1923) didn't have any children,  so the "14" reference would apply to her older sister Bertha (1862-1953).    This would mean that the photo was taken around 1876, which also coincides with the time period that this photographer was is Visalia (The photographer was E. J. Kildare).
Another photo of Julia Levy:

Photograph is of Julia,  circa 1887.      On the back of it someone wrote: "Julia Levy,  scholar and grade school teacher."    Records indicate that Julia taught at Tulare High School,  during the 1890s.

Photo by E. M. Davidson of Visalia, circa 1888.

The writing on the back of the photo looks like it says:    "Will C. Stuben, oldest son of  Zane".     The oldest son of Zane Steuben, of Visalia, was William Elmer Steuben (1869-1923).   

He is standing next to a penny-farthing bicycle.   The high front wheel of these bikes allowed for faster speeds and smoother rides, but they also caused more serious injuries,    e.g. If the rider fell from the bike.    With the advent of the safety bicycle (the modern bicycle),   the penny-farthing became obsolete during the early 1890s.      Safety bikes had a chain and gear system which allowed higher speeds with smaller wheels, and they also had pneumatic tires for softer rides

This is a postcard view of the intersection of (what is now) highway 99 and the 198.     Circa  1921.       This appears to be a view from the 198,  looking east.       The buildings on the right are  Fred A. Kame's  Plaza Garage and I believe a restaurant that he also owned at that time. 

Photo postcard image from Sequoia National Park, by Lindley Eddy.      Circa 1912.      Looking closely at the image it appears Mr Eddy added the "Visalia Cal" to the photograph,  most likely placed directly on the negative.