News and Events
Jack Swanson Book Back in Stock
Western artist Jack Swanson is considered the premier artist of the California vaquero and the horse and cow culture of the west. Art collectors highly value this work for its over 100 paintings, drawings, and bronzes along with Swanson’s life’s stories and personal photographs.
A few copies of his book, The Life & Times of a Western Artist, have been generously donated to the Society by his widow Sally.
For more information, click the link below:
Annual Holiday Party December 14
Save the Date!
Our annual Holiday Party is on December 14, 2024, from 3:00 to 6:00 PM.
It’s a great event to catch up with old friends, meet new ones while enjoying a nibble and beverage.
We look forward to seeing you.
Historian Speaks at Trail & Saddle Club
The talk was hosted by the Community Foundation of the Carmel Valley Trail and Saddle Club whose mission is to provide programs that benefit the community.
About 3 dozen people attended to learn about a subject deeply ingrained in the history of the West.
Annual Membership Meeting April 27
Be sure and attend this year’s Annual Membership meeting on Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 4 to 5:30 pm at the History Center.
Elect new board members, review our 2023 accomplishments and financial status while enjoying light refreshments and meeting old and making new friends. Then sit back and listen to Historian Jeff Ohlson’s talk on one of Carmel Valley’s interesting histories.
Carmel Valley Centennial Newspaper
Click the link below to download a full 56-page file of the Centennial Newspaper for your enjoyment. Since it is also “OCR’d” (digitally keyword or phrase searchable), you can also do historical research on the history of Carmel Valley. This rare issue contains many historical articles about Carmel Valley, such as: Ranching, Native Indians, noteworthy families, old schools, Valley Library service history, fire departments, churches, parks, and much more.
Show more
RELATED: The following souvenir program adds many more details on Centennial’s August 1989 scheduled events, its organizers, the Centennial Song, Queen candidates, in addition to a few more historical articles.
The History Center’s “Talking Machine”
A Living History to the Sounds of the Past
Many millions of 78 rpm recordings were pressed on shellac (beetle resin) records between 1898 and 1950. These particular recordings were made by the OKEH Phonograph Corp. of NY in the 1920s with one 3-minute recording on each side of the 10-inch diameter record. The songs “Are You Lonesome To-night?” and “Carolina Mine” are both sung in 1927 by artists Jerry Macy & John Ryan. The record is played on the museum’s 1909 Columbia Disc Graphophone that is wound up like a clock to play – no batteries needed or electricity attached. The cost of a record in the 1920s was about 50 to 75 cents ($7.50 – $11.25 today).
CAROLINA MINE
ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT
October 2023 Update to “Jamesburg Earth Station”
New Exhibit: Piazzoni Cowgirls
The early 20th Century saw many ranches and farms in Carmel Valley. Whether wives, mothers, or daughters, women played important roles in family life. The Piazzoni Ranch was one such ranch. Luigi (with Swiss ancestry) and Tomasa (with indigenous Rumsien/Esselen ancestry) had nine children: one boy and eight daughters, all born and raised on their ranch. All their children had to pitch in with ranch work, as it was their only livelihood.
Several of the daughters became outstanding western horsewomen who participated in the famous 1913 parades in San Francisco and Oakland to herald in California Rodeo Salinas, California’s first Wild West Show.
The Society is pleased to honor these women with a new ranching exhibit called “Piazzoni Cowgirls”.
20 Years of Historical Newspapers Now Available
December 2022 Update to “A History of Ranching”
The December 2022 update of the ranching book is now available at the History Center and on this website.
This one-of-a-kind, 140-page book now includes 260 rare images and over 2 dozen rare ranch histories. It is a stylish addition to coffee tables or a great gift idea for ranching aficionados.
It is authored and self-published by CVHS historian Jeff Ohlson.