Two weeks ago our story introduced us to the life of Aunt Blanche Brown, teacher, historian, community asset. The episode ended with the fire that consumed her Indian Creek home in January, 1956. This week…
Posts published by “Brad Wiley”
Dr. John Brown, Aunt Blanche’s grandfather, settled in Philo in 1862, during the Civil War. His family had migrated to California, along with Iowa neighbors, the Prathers and Ingrams, in 1863. Brown family roots go…
Many Advertiser readers know the Health Center Capital Campaign “Heartbeat of The Valley” raising monies to expand the facility’s offices has moved from the “silent” to the open phase. Last month the whole community received…
Donald Dukes, current Board member of the Anderson Valley Historical Society, is also one of the first “City People” to migrate to The Valley right after World War II. Don was born in Central City,…
It was an enjoyable excursion down memory lane sitting with Mark Apfel in his Greenwood Ridge home backyard garden on a serious spring afternoon last week. Mark is a compelling story-teller, quite good with facts…
Many readers know the Anderson Valley Health Center has recently launched a Capital Campaign to fund construction of the much needed addition to its offices on Airport Drive. The new space is essential to the…
From the day I began laying out my vineyard on paper back in 1971 I wondered whether what I was doing was in the best long term interests of The Valley community. Back in those…
The Johnnie Pinoli funeral at Evergreen Cemetery on a warm winter afternoon two weeks ago was a remarkable celebration of his life and roots in Anderson Valley. At least a hundred family and friends attended,…
Last week’s story describing Anderson Valley’s early grape-growing days featured the founding Frati family and their viticultural and enological activities on Vinegar Ridge. This week I want to visit some of the other grower families…