00:00:33.540 - 00:00:48.460

during the late twenties and early thirties, while the chicken and the egg were still royalty. The small but thriving town of Petaluma had any side and a West side. But this was before the new freeway ran the length of the valley them. The Petaluma Creek, divided

00:00:48.460 - 00:01:09.820

the town. The east side of the creek was largely rural. Houses were few and far between the streets were only dirt ruts. But the stories and memories are priceless. Charlie Totally Yet Mario Rigoni and Bob Khoury Po three longtime pedal lumens, got together at the Petaluma

00:01:09.820 - 00:01:32.390

Historical Museum to reminisce about their childhoods on the old East Side. So carry weight ever win? Totally. Jack, me and I used to go. Kids told me that No, no, no, that's right. He won't see Vince's kind of come over and see if you don't get

00:01:32.390 - 00:01:55.320

money. Church, you're going to hell. I'm Charlie barely yet. I was born in these pedal, and, uh, I'm now 80 years old or it's the first. And, uh, I lived in East Petaluma until I was about 16 and then we moved out of the country. But

00:01:55.320 - 00:02:13.050

I could give you, like these fellas here a little history up to 16. So that's it. And I'm a Mario Rigoni and I was born in a coma. That's just on the other side of San Francisco. My folks moved here when I was five and, uh,

00:02:14.100 - 00:02:40.950

I went Teoh McKenley school and couldn't talk One word American because my folks who are on a vegetable ranch down there and we'll never been off the ranch and it's always was time on Mrs Tackleberry was there. That's right. I understand a couple. My dad Mom's

00:02:40.960 - 00:02:59.940

house they built from 1932 on, uh, my two sisters and my brother and I were all raised their and when I get out of the service, I was gonna buy another place and my brother. So why don't you take this one stage, so I would never

00:02:59.940 - 00:03:35.920

ever since that's that's gotta be We've been married 53 years, so we've been never that for 52 years. Okay, who started the bar? Who started the grocery store? Okay, but Danny started to hit a bar here. Medina was full of the build that

00:03:35.930 - 00:03:58.250

big house across the street, and then he passed on his soul corner here to raid one Boise on Reddit Ghost had a drug store up in Kentucky. Then Ray, uh leased it out to Joe DuPont. We used to raise his German shepherds, and he had the

00:03:58.260 - 00:04:28.570

grocery store. Then my step Dad bought this in 1934 from a Bomb Boys. He bought the property and Joe DuPont naturally moved out. That's and then 1934 when they came back with where you can start selling open up the bar and it's been barring grocery store

00:04:28.580 - 00:04:56.440

for years. Cripple. I was born in Petaluma, up one along that street, one years old. I got moved over to 4 15 East Washington Street. This is, uh, house that I was brought up in our 1st 20 years of my life in that house. I remember

00:04:56.450 - 00:05:20.320

playing marbles in the driveway, right next door in The Sopranos, Stride way on, right here or standing Now. There was a creamery. It was on by goalie was called White Cream. That was three years now. There's nothing but talk about in certain states. Well, there was

00:05:20.320 - 00:05:37.650

a story that I like to tell. That's something that a person gets it can remember for years and years and you don't know why? When my parents was moving into that house, I was probably less than one years old, and my brother was on the way

00:05:38.320 - 00:05:54.320

and they needed a larger house. And I remember going in. My dad was holding me in his arm on in. Well, it was a bedroom, but I think it was like a yeah, spare bedroom. Whatever it was that we're in on, they had the cords that

00:05:54.330 - 00:06:09.150

hung down from the ceiling with the lights on it. And as we went by, I grabbed the whole of that cord and pull it down. And that was something that I remember now that's over 80 years ago, and I can still remember So I can see

00:06:09.150 - 00:06:33.040

that court just today school for about 3 to 4 years. I don't remember. But then I went up to ST Vincent's after that for a while, but Kennedy school, when he went to third grade, that was because I went to grammar school. I'm bored on with

00:06:33.050 - 00:06:48.370

six. Yeah, because OK, Do you know what? Although I remember when we go in the other side of town, you know why you always look scared I was gonna only. But then when I went to grammar school while they all sat around me at lunchtime, help

00:06:48.380 - 00:07:10.150

me so I wouldn't get I mean, somebody giving trouble. These side in the West, That was Washington grammar there. Yeah, Yeah, that's what it was for 56 years in the school. Well, here we come. A little more. The school was right out by the street, the

00:07:10.150 - 00:07:27.760

corner of a Leo and East Washington street. Behind it was a play yard. Then there was a whole grove of, um, Cyprus trees alongside of it. And that's where we used to have our school pictures taking and all Listen that. But that's where it stopped. Valeo

00:07:27.760 - 00:07:42.230

Street came up to there, and it actually went on through up to Madison. But it didn't go through. There was just It was just a fancies all it was, it was There was no pavement, no rock, no nothing. It just stopped at McKinley School at the

00:07:42.230 - 00:07:59.960

corner of Washington Valeo in Washington. And that was the end of the Leo. But now it goes all the way up to Madison Street. It was a big thing member to go out and get the flag. Yeah, well, we used to do with this white pool

00:08:00.840 - 00:08:29.370

after school, we take the rope on, go up here on the steppe swath. I, too, was a cotton rope was double because plastic and break now. But, you know, that's a good view right there. You know, I thought I did that a few times. I thought

00:08:29.380 - 00:08:51.960

Now, sports and I don't make it right before you go out about 15 or 20 feet. If I come back and hit that pole gonna quit doing it. Yeah. Victor, Bill. Cardinal Carlo. Well, Joe birth you because he and Victor Yeah. Yeah. Joke. Well, sweet. Before

00:08:51.960 - 00:09:12.060

we used to play marbles there alongside the school. Yeah, no video is a big hey was one of the better. All the needle on babe. Casey goes with two sharks sharks with, uh, we were never a couple of never played Marti's, did you? I know that

00:09:12.070 - 00:09:34.860

group that we were with everything was baseball. Oh, started 67 in the morning. Mostly Casey was that, You know, that was a big guy, you know? Okay, that was a big guys talking about the baseball team. Yeah, actual Casey motive. Which Bill Fuller? Yeah, pulling. You

00:09:34.860 - 00:10:02.050

said Hanson was pitching? Yeah. Louie, Uh, Fuller was 1st May be the guy put away from bonsai guy. Hi. Yet, Piazza? Yeah. See, I know what was done. Lived there day and night. They come in and shale on my cousin Jim Mottola. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I

00:10:02.060 - 00:10:25.150

know. I just just couldn't wait to get out of school just to play ball. That's a lot. Still, I was doing until 50. Baseball and marbles were the popular games for the East Side Boys. Here's a refresher on how to play marbles by Charlie Twirly. Yet

00:10:26.390 - 00:10:47.100

this is, uh, in the late twenties and the early thirties that, uh, in East Petaluma. We used to play marbles nearly all summer long, and we used to have the marble sharks and the regular ones. Anyway, this is the way we used to play. We used

00:10:47.100 - 00:11:14.850

to schoolyard resolve dirt. There was no pavement on those days in school yards. And this is what we did. We started in and we drew a circle just about this over here. And then you would either be how many we each one plate is. It was

00:11:14.860 - 00:11:45.160

fired playing. We have one up they called it or two up or three up. So I'll put up that we There's five of us plan and reach putting to us. So we put two marbles in the center of the ring and then each one of the

00:11:46.450 - 00:12:06.250

the players would make sure that it was all right. He could change him around if they want to do. And then they took and you had a bigger a bigger marmol is you used as a shooter, and, uh, then we'd have a line drawn down here

00:12:09.660 - 00:12:33.930

and you get about 10 feet away and you'd throw your shooter toward, and whoever got closest to the line got to be first to shoot second would be the closest would be the next one that would shoot and so on. Until you had all five. Those

00:12:33.940 - 00:12:50.380

days, we were so good that everybody would get about one or two inches from the line, and then you would Then you start in and then you get down on your knees, put it in your in your hand, and then it was up to you to

00:12:50.390 - 00:13:07.250

try to knock those marbles out of the ring. And if you hit it just right when you were shooting, if you hit the marble and you hit it dead center, the shooter would stay in the race. So then or if it went over to the site.

00:13:07.260 - 00:13:20.980

But as long as it stayed in the ring, you had another chance to shoot again. But if you hit your marble and or if you miss and it went out of the ring, that was your turn. But if you hit one and it stayed in the

00:13:20.980 - 00:13:41.790

ring, then you got to shoot again. Get it? Then it went out. You had to hit the marble the other marble out of the ring. And if this marble went flying out of the ring, you got another shot at anyone you wanted to not gotta get.

00:13:42.030 - 00:13:58.980

But you had to knock it out of the ring and the the ground was a little bit more solid. And this is so if it wasn't such when you hit it, just go plan right out of the room. And anyway, that's that's the story of the

00:13:58.980 - 00:14:39.520

round wearables. Now, another one we played, which was more of a skill, is we had a Oh, let's see. Okay, we drew course like this. Then you had a circle like this, like that, and it's the same story. You would say how many's up and either

00:14:39.850 - 00:14:58.550

put one or two or whatever it was in, and then you would take your shooter and we call it Lagging. You had the leg to the line to see who got to shoot first. Then you had it about eight feet away. And that's when you black

00:14:58.550 - 00:15:13.530

it up there. And whoever got the closest got to shoot first. And it was the same story. If your marbles stayed in the circle after you hit one, then you've got another chance to take it out and ever got close to the lion. It was in

00:15:13.530 - 00:15:34.300

rotation. That's where you shot and using about five plays. And did you accumulate many marbles? Who was the champ? Al Benito is champ. I played him quite a few times, not many times that I beat him, and then we used to have what they called crystals

00:15:34.300 - 00:15:46.320

as a shooter. When you shoot him, they've never chip. They would just make a little big on the outside, and you put him in Greece and rub it and it would come right back again. But they were worth about 25 cents apiece those days, and there

00:15:46.320 - 00:16:04.050

wasn't many people that had 25 cents for a marble. But, uh, anyway, I probably was maybe fourth the best or something like that. But we used to have a lot of fun. We play all summer long. And then when I went to junior high of a

00:16:04.060 - 00:16:22.010

fair street where it was the same thing, I guess in six and seven, six and seven greens when we play, we get the grade. We didn't play that much, and then we played in Washington grammar, and that was from third through the sixth grade. But they

00:16:22.010 - 00:16:36.380

didn't allow you to play it Washington grammar until after school. You could use a school yard, but it had to be after school. You play couldn't because it was a competition of the marbles. You one you got to take home and that course wouldn't work in

00:16:36.380 - 00:16:56.810

the school. They didn't watch a gambling with marbles trying, but anyway, that's about the story. I know of it. I have a collection that I I would say we're a period of six years playing marbles. Um, I have a collection of been a great big jar

00:16:56.810 - 00:17:29.300

on top of my fireplace and maybe take it. I'll show you that. That was my accomplishment anyway. And I saved them all these years. Thanks for the lesson, Charlie. Do you fellas remember where you used to go to buy your penny

00:17:29.300 - 00:17:51.900

candy where your families used to shop as far as the shopping, I think my mother used to go up. Teoh Colletti. Mottola. These have right where Studdard's world alphabet is there now. Right about that. They had a grocery store there, and she used to do a

00:17:51.900 - 00:18:07.700

lot of the shop, Nick, because they delivered in those days. It was House, house work. House was up the floor with DuPont. Was on the floor. Yeah, Joe. Yeah. And you know, a lot of people don't know, But you know what? Dupont. When I mapped, right?

00:18:07.710 - 00:18:25.760

Yeah, the driver. Where you going? To the back. The bar? Yeah, well, right over here. McDonald's had a little grocery store, but it was candy and bread. Milk wasn't too much. Just a long old thing. A lot of people don't remember that I didn't know there

00:18:25.760 - 00:18:42.670

was a little story. I always remember Joe DuPont's store across the street. That's where everybody seemed to go to buy their, you know, their quick food War house There. That Yeah, that was Yeah, that was one of the main stores. Was right across the street from

00:18:42.670 - 00:18:57.150

you. Yeah, he had to go across the street with Penny to get candy. Charlie, do you remember the old shoe factory? Oh, my dad worked there. You know, that is a room that was done on the corner down there. Yeah, you know, just telling. But I

00:18:57.160 - 00:19:14.760

have a picture of the shoot back. Really? Brandis writes it up all the time. Is the pendulum a shoe factory? And right, of course. Is this California shoot back? This picture was taken across the street from the nursery where I built up right across the street.

00:19:15.640 - 00:19:33.700

And that is the street was all dirt is where the nurseries that now you can see the barbed wire fence, probably on This is what the nurse was that And this is where the shoe fact would be way down at the other end of Jefferson. And

00:19:33.700 - 00:19:54.140

it is not a house on this side of the street or over on this side, then is he sunset line and twine here and then over on this side is we're no. But the old tannery used to be there, and it caught fire. And, uh, I'm

00:19:54.150 - 00:20:16.010

trying to think, uh oh, I think the first houses that were built, it was two houses down below. Then I think they were built by, followed by the name Atran. Tell I just remember the last name. I don't know what else I could for this picture

00:20:16.130 - 00:20:48.450

was taken, and it was taken by Mr Howard taking on the porch. You can see the Bob wire offensive this empty lot here with the dirt road East D Street here was just a dirt road. And this is a picket fence, Mr Wilson, Jefferson Street. And

00:20:48.470 - 00:21:06.570

right on the corner here, probably right up to the sidewalk because they like this green shoot back came right over there at the time. When my dad worked aboard, it was swollen and Earl was a factory out of New York and they made shoes complete. Remember

00:21:06.570 - 00:21:18.680

when I was a little guy used to riding my tricycle down here at night because my dad would I put my tricycle right outside the door, and then we would win any probably work a couple hours and that he'd leave. He was kind of a boss

00:21:18.680 - 00:21:37.160

down here. But Bill, sir Brandon's His dad was the boss of the whole shoe factory. And then right behind the shoe factory was a cannery. And the Tanri, um, they got a lot of their letter from this area from the cattle, and they would do all

00:21:37.160 - 00:22:06.370

the tanning. The shoe factory bought a lot of their can canning pills, and they it was too. Story on stitching rooms were all in the upper story and across the street courts is the old silk mill in my my dad worked over here, and my mother

00:22:06.370 - 00:22:20.050

worked over silk and up at the end of Wilson here about a black up. I used to get out of McKinley school and then wait for they used to have a big whistle that the ladies to get out of 4 30 and they blow the whistle

00:22:20.050 - 00:22:35.130

and you could hear it all over town. And then the and then street would be just they had like, 150 women that were working here and they were processing the silk. They used to get it right from China and then in big skeins, and then they

00:22:35.130 - 00:22:49.790

would process it in the dye house. This is a dye house right here. And that was two stories when was was the schoolers up above and the other ones were the processors down below. And I used to sit in the car, my mother right there, and

00:22:49.790 - 00:23:05.070

then go up steps up because she was on the wind, er right inside the door. And But that has a lot of memories. Soap meal to the old shoe factory was something a lot of people don't know about, cause that burned down. This is the old

00:23:05.080 - 00:23:23.110

die house 66 big bat that they kept all the water in and run inside there, and then they had big round. That's and that's what they died to soak it. And I remember when I was a little guy used to sit on the on the edge

00:23:23.110 - 00:23:34.250

of it and the feeling that was in the charge of dye houses, come out and get me and take me in and show me all these big bats that have orange. And they have black because they got the raw silk from China. There was no coloring

00:23:34.250 - 00:24:05.500

in it. And they process it all here in the color, you know? And then they process all the way down to the schools. I remember I said on my front porch on Watch him beg up with cobblestone. I was just going to say that we watched

00:24:05.510 - 00:24:22.390

still school were someone is a great school that? Yeah, because my dad got about 20 loads of those cobblestones, dumped it in the back of his place right across from on. They dug all those with the horses, and the only mechanical power was a steam roller.

00:24:22.570 - 00:24:39.310

Yeah. And what was the Galbraith? Galbraith? I think I don't know, Running, but remember? Yeah. And they have a fire inside the big iron wheel and heat up the car so they could melted. Stopping the tar and they run over Jefferson Street was all dirt. You

00:24:39.310 - 00:25:01.810

know, us get used to run down there when pat tell a madness. He was driving the horse with water Weidman and he later became caught. It was Constable. It will. Yeah, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, We jump on the back of it. You know, those sprint with

00:25:02.530 - 00:25:19.470

just take our shoes off and go down to pay. Ran a turnaround Combat. That was all dirt. He was a great guide. Stop for you to get on. You know, it was packed alone. That was filled. Tele mantises. Dad, do you felt remember any time was

00:25:19.480 - 00:25:42.400

lost? No mountains. Do you have any really cold winters? There was no one that I remember Snow in the moms love. And I was going to high school right in the back of spleen arts. Pelini's truck? Yeah. And call. It's all I remember. Do you remember

00:25:42.730 - 00:25:56.290

Scott? The way he got a couple of girls and we went up in the some of the mountains and we had a good first. We went up there and it was so nice. We went back, got two girls we knew there. Yeah, And then the next

00:25:56.300 - 00:26:29.770

day, we went into to buzz office because we've been off that day and she heard we were this. No, we got a couple of days off schools. However, when the scheme of old burned down Oh, the building, their steamer gold? No. When I was a kid,

00:26:29.770 - 00:26:47.180

I was gonna high school. I loaded apples on the steamer goalie. Come in. Yeah. Problem in Santa Rosa? Yeah. Real released to go that they come in, They come in on that on, Uh, there was bunch of kids. One of them, remember? Was Barney ever when

00:26:47.180 - 00:27:06.600

he was that reels, sleeping, telling, you know, he was five feet 10 inches tall, weighs about £98 like that. He was there, and we loaded the apples from the train down the chute on a truck, and there was a big six inch black that you put

00:27:06.610 - 00:27:25.260

the iron wheel Amtrak and holding on a cock. So take off on and he straighten it out. He couldn't pull that back right down when one door and out the other door in the river. Oh, that's every time I look at that mural up there on

00:27:25.270 - 00:28:07.790

Washington Street right there. You see that guy with truck road apples on the street? I said, That's me. Younger than that. That's a flood cabin, Hedges. Yeah. Yeah, the City Council. To see that, it's like it's flooding. That's that's a time and no, amigo. he

00:28:07.800 - 00:28:25.560

lived down there, just Wilson straight. He got his boat out, rowed his boat right up toward AM Street. Yeah, these air, some nice old pictures here was, though, before I think our time. But this one, this is 1912. But it did that. They added often our

00:28:25.570 - 00:28:45.680

time because I watched him. And a lot of years after that, it had floated Wilson Street. Clear from that way, right by the quick coming down. Madison and L s streets were Charlie Charlie yet and Toby Jack Kkamini's old neighborhood. Charlie tells about living on the

00:28:45.690 - 00:29:08.110

banks of Washington Creek. Well, I look around here and it brings back old memories. Uh, Jack immediate family with seven Children. They live in the corner house. It's still here that he only half It's around here. I live right across the street. We had two acres

00:29:08.110 - 00:29:26.280

in there and Jack meaning had about 12 over here. That was all this area where all of these homes are. And when they were, it's summer time now, and two older boys used to dig a a little upon down there about two feet wide, about six

00:29:26.290 - 00:29:44.850

feet long. And, uh, what about two feet of water and the whole family would dangle their feet. That was their swimming pool. That was It was depression days real bad. And they had about 5000 chickens, about 10 cows. And, uh, I remember when Toby and I

00:29:44.850 - 00:30:00.020

used run the cows out this lane, it was all dirty. And also, Ella Street was all good and used to with the cows on the road there and let him eat on both sides because it was hard. Any cars that ever went up or anything came

00:30:00.020 - 00:30:17.880

up. And we take him down across Washington Street and in on the outside of Kenworth Park, watching for about two hours and then chase him home and they were full, and, uh, right across the bridge here was were they have your feed room in their chicken

00:30:17.880 - 00:30:35.960

house at about 5000 chickens, which is a big chicken rancher then and then on this side over here, way down about 300 yards was born and then right alongside of the most important thing. Was there capacity to make wine because everybody made their own wine. And

00:30:35.960 - 00:30:50.270

right about here is where the truck used to come once a year and drop off a ton of great. And then they would take a been the boys and everybody would get in and smashing with their feet. That was then Toby and I would sneak down

00:30:50.270 - 00:31:09.750

there sometimes when it was all getting fermented. But anyway, that's another story. This is where the chicken houses started and they had a big feed room here. This is where they used to bring truckloads of feed in and poultry producers and drop it off. And then

00:31:09.760 - 00:31:26.900

from the feed room, they would. These were all chicken yard. Those days, all the chickens were on the ground and then back in here, they had a big alfalfa green out. I would say nearly a whole acre. He would cut it with side was green course

00:31:26.910 - 00:31:41.670

irrigated? Cause there's a lot of water here. The water is only about 15 feet under the ground, and they had a lot of water, and then they cut it and put it through a ko cutter, and, uh, they beat it out green with chickens. Now you

00:31:41.670 - 00:32:00.840

don't want to give the chickens any green grass or any al foul for anything, because it makes the your dark, but those days, everybody now they all want a yellow. And like I say, that born was down about 100 feet from here and then the buildings

00:32:00.840 - 00:32:24.150

where they made the wine and everything. And then behind that was all feet our on the other side of the street of the creek, just about 100 yards down. Here, there's to be a big foot gator question. And when all the water would come down from

00:32:24.150 - 00:32:39.980

the normal mountains, it used to run this creek just about level, and it used to bring telephone poles and trees and all the debris down and the jacket meanings used to have a big, long hooked like about 30 feet long, and they pull all those things.

00:32:39.980 - 00:33:05.850

And that was the wood for the winter time. They would cut it up. Of course, they have all the boys cut it all up right by the front gate. This was Johnson's daughter, Faye, with your older than I am Johnson tonight we're big, but he's and

00:33:05.860 - 00:33:19.290

used to. We played together and and they had a big day at about four chicken houses in here, and he worked in the poultry producers In fact, he was the man that brought in women candling eggs and poultry producers. And I remember he was the most

00:33:19.290 - 00:33:33.140

hated man for so long because he brought all the ladies and to do all the candles, but there about twice as fast as him in. So you got well paid and that that was the days when, you know, big cars was Chandler or whatever it was.

00:33:33.140 - 00:33:48.100

And they had a big a big, and that's that whole area there. Hey, had chickens on the side, and I used to help the the other eggs. Now where I was over there on the other side of the street, my dad worked the shoe factory until

00:33:48.100 - 00:34:03.540

it closed up, and, uh then he went to work Provence and ambience and coming. And then when I was about 15 why we moved from here out delivery district on the ranch, up my dad always going to be it. Retiring the chicken race, which he did.

00:34:03.550 - 00:34:46.310

Finally. Yeah. Now we're on the corner of Ellison. Madison. Well, across on this, to my right, is where we had a place in a big tank house and chicken house, and then over in this field where

00:34:46.310 - 00:35:05.130

McKinney school is, and all the programs that was a vacant, a vacant line, Not a lot. It was acreage, and there was an old border fence here. We used to have a little baseball diamond inside their neighborhood, used to play video, falling this corner, and we

00:35:05.130 - 00:35:18.480

would fly kites. Over those days, everybody made their own kite flying. We fly the kite here, and it would be such a good win because there's a lot of wind in this area we take. It would go down and across Washington Street and over into the

00:35:18.490 - 00:35:32.300

big park over there. Kendall, we get so many, so much string on it. But then we'd leave it flying at night and at nighttime we go down and we had to trace it all away the next day. But they raise Hey in it, and that was

00:35:32.300 - 00:35:48.560

a day when the Taylors were Big Five wire Baylor's and they had four horses and go around the circle. They didn't have any gas engine or anything. That was a big thing to watch him put the hay into bales. When it wasn't in veils, they put

00:35:48.560 - 00:36:03.250

it in a big stack and then with the whole neighborhood of about along the jacket. Reason Johnson a couple more down the street all over in the hay pile and tell spooky stories. Killer was about nine o'clock at night, and then we get scared of ourselves

00:36:03.250 - 00:36:29.080

that we come home. Here's the same gun stickers that we had in those days talking about 65 years ago, maybe 70 years ago and we used to have in our backfield, and that was my job to go back there with the whole and cut them all

00:36:29.080 - 00:36:51.150

out. And this is with Jack comedians. They had the whole whole whole all the time. You get there and they haven't left yet. This bridge Remember when they put a bridge across your Ridgely tour out and put this nice superhighway in here was the bridge that

00:36:51.160 - 00:37:07.300

they put in and it was just dirt road, one lane and two grooves. And in the winter time that grass would get about a foot high. And I remember when they built the bridge Well, Toby and I came up and whoever built it gave us a

00:37:07.310 - 00:37:21.010

job of picking up Olis crabs and pay us a penny a minute and he gave a 60 cents an hour and everybody was getting, like, 25 cents an hour on every place else. We always thought we were so big. I think you always paid us in

00:37:21.020 - 00:37:38.480

cash. We got like, $3. That was a big deal. And But anyway, then they built that bridge. But there was only two. What? This was Tom Bojack Imedi, which was Toby Jack Kkamini's dad's brother. And he came over from Italy and he all in this side

00:37:38.480 - 00:37:54.580

of him. He had the chicken ranch just like they had here. And he raised our foul foot, probably about a block down here, and big feed room was just just around the corner there. And it was the same way. It was just two lanes, dirt Road

00:37:55.430 - 00:38:10.110

and, uh, our place back right in to the creek here and then top Bojack. Renee's was right across your staff, Alfalfa field right across, and I used to watch him sigh it with a sign. Nobody had a moon machine or anything. They just sigh it with

00:38:10.110 - 00:38:25.450

a sigh and and cut it and give it to the chickens. Like the other jacket and Then there was this realities that have been in the Jack Kkamini's moved only chickens and all their operation were down this way. And then it was about maybe 1/2 a

00:38:25.450 - 00:38:37.590

block up the lane where they built a new home, and then they built a new barn. I remember when, Gosh, I must have got 10 years of that barn is still there, I think was about 10 years old, and all the people in the area were

00:38:37.850 - 00:38:51.620

invited to this barn dance on. That was really something I remember I wasn't old enough to dance, but I sat down and watched all the ladies in the man. Every time I look at that barn, I think of that. And, uh, that was that was a

00:38:51.630 - 00:39:04.920

thing with this creek. I mean, it was only about third is white is it is now, of course, Now you got cement on both sides of it. But your property line came right out to the creek and there was no offense. It was just you look

00:39:04.920 - 00:39:36.210

down. The in fact, those days used to take your garbage, come out to the back your place and throw the cans and everything down. And then during the wintertime, the heavy water just took everything away. Yeah,

00:39:36.220 - 00:39:59.430

from that bridge on way, the creek comes down and branches is a Northport goes up subdivision Over here. This is where Toby unite. The jacket was another top Bojack a mini which was a brother of Toby's Dan and he had this place came all over them.

00:39:59.430 - 00:40:14.260

There was Philippines. It owned all this over here with the flooding is and, uh, decree bought it and he developed it up. Toby and I used to come over the creek where we went down to the white down their to bridge because the other creek comes

00:40:14.260 - 00:40:30.720

this way in this creek comes together and we walked this up here with chicken. That's then we we see these turtles on pieces that there was like trees and everything in it, and it was always here. That's tidewater. Tidewater came way up to the trestle train

00:40:30.720 - 00:40:46.290

presses appear goes across and it was a hobo jungle on the other side and the we used to go and we sneak up and here's the turtle sitting on top of the logs and we run down there with their nets and if they jumped in the

00:40:46.290 - 00:41:01.380

water, we hope we got some. Then when we got about 10 50 we had a turtle pin language about 10 or 15 way. We take him down to the Chinese place down on it, which is still there by Washington Street, and the wing was were there

00:41:01.380 - 00:41:19.330

then, and we sell them to him for eternal suit. You got 25 cents apiece for we thought we were rich. That's where that was probably about 1/2 a block around corners where you see over there right now, there's some degree in the creek right across the

00:41:19.330 - 00:41:44.630

way over. There is just like like it was then. Big pieces of tree just about maybe still have turtles around here. I don't know, because that's all tied water. That's That's the water that comes in every day. When the tide comes up and is the tight

00:41:44.640 - 00:42:00.210

comes up every day. If it's a minus or a plus or whatever, it is that since high in the water news, there's no way you're going to stop it for not coming in at the tights. In just you got San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Baby

00:42:00.280 - 00:42:48.060

wins it, pushing it in here. So you have to lower the whole bay. If you have type, you get a 200 feet tight comes in, they're still gonna have to. This is sweet. And the days when the depression was Nobody had liquid.

00:42:48.060 - 00:43:03.480

Sure, Anything that we used to come down Break the vine off. Take it down and peeler than that was used to chew on it for about 1/2 an hour That was our It was all along the creek away Back up with things Always sweet And you

00:43:03.480 - 00:43:19.220

always got that smell that sweet anise Now I don't know what it looks like It's still growing And I see it on the other side of the creek in this site is just like that Stick ary week. It's still here. Everything still here After about seven

00:43:19.230 - 00:43:52.900

years, you don't have a picture of that old but ask with all the A's and the chicken set knocked out in the battle over there. Yeah, but we used to walk by. They're bigger numbers and we

00:43:52.910 - 00:44:17.430

remember it used to be population 2800. Yeah, I remember that right across when there is no way got it. At least I remember when they finally put a chicken up by excited, passionate, striking way got into it about the colony clothes. That's right. What the hell?

00:44:17.600 - 00:44:37.640

Yeah, sure. That's washing. You see the bridge up there? Oh, is it? Yeah. Okay. Right here in the corners is a PNs rto petal of rose. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, because that's what your reserves, the old. That's where you got on. That's where I used to get

00:44:37.640 - 00:44:58.860

on the streetcar. There's the end of the street car right there when you get on. That's a good picture. There's the old streetcar one of them, 25 cents to go to Santa Rosa. It was probably a nickel when they were doing. Look at that conductor. Is

00:44:58.860 - 00:45:22.370

he got class with those? We have a grocery store in the bar there, but money 28 7 but in error used to pay George treatment. Dairy is to pay all the help with the little brown envelopes. It was cash was no checks and never saw a

00:45:22.380 - 00:45:42.720

check in those days would be ppd. It's in a couple opening up. Throw up. How would you think they were making? And they worked on Saturday. Icahn. I don't want that. $27 in their heads have changed. That was up. Well, they make just about $2 a

00:45:42.730 - 00:46:00.940

day. Not even a $2. Uh, I know most guys making $2 days. I remember some of those bullets coming in that they get a $60 paid for the muffin. My dad worked down Johnson. You know where Barrios is now. And he got $5 a day, but

00:46:00.940 - 00:46:17.590

he worked Saturday morning for nothing. Oh, you got 25 books. So what did they say? Money. Those days, you know, No mother working. Just don't know what was. The beef was a daughter since the day, and then she'd make six or eight or 10 cents because

00:46:17.590 - 00:46:42.600

she done over 1/4. It's It's a different area now, Uh, that's the creamery down at a big, long building. The bird l three men right across the street. Que the western area? Yeah, park there. And that's That's a woman. Russkies, Walnut orchards out there. And that

00:46:42.600 - 00:47:03.890

was the end of town that was on. That was that was out of the country. What do you remember about the surface Well, I wonder when it used to be that the dabblers that feel there and the winds of so milk, you know, used to go

00:47:03.890 - 00:47:18.320

down to get it fresh at night, Every night we get a pint of milk because I was a kid. And then when the circus had come to town, why he wouldn't take his cows across the street into that big field from that day that the circus

00:47:18.320 - 00:47:34.870

was there. Then the next day, he put him back over there again. And Toby Jack, me and I used to cut school and go down and work in the well. We were only by 12 years old. 13 I guess. And work down. You did to Bob.

00:47:34.880 - 00:47:48.130

Didn't you Go down? Yeah, we usedto work. And what are the animal? I remember we used to put that big tanda. We didn't do much on the way, but we thought we were doing the whole thing. But anyway, and then at the end, why they come

00:47:48.130 - 00:48:03.460

by and and an inside a ticket. A ticket to go. That was what We got some work with the circuit disorders. When that circus come, we knew it was coming Yeah, you right close to where I lived. You could see it all. I could hear it.

00:48:03.830 - 00:48:21.760

I heard it. Could you? Oh, yeah. On the train Coming, they start the wagons coming off of the cars away. All the circus equipment is on wagon circus wagons. And they were at one boxcars flatcars union, And so assumes. I heard the 1st 1 boy was

00:48:21.760 - 00:48:35.090

up, and I was out there out there. They have that. They took the elephants off first on the elephants way, if they use them like horses. And they took him up to the wagons and they had all the cars on that side track. And they brought

00:48:35.480 - 00:48:48.600

one at a time out on Washington Street and dropped him off the car and pulled him out. And then they have the horses and looked up to him and take him down to them a lot, then helping it back up and take the other car for

00:48:48.600 - 00:49:08.130

a team. That was something to see in them days and bad people have taken a movie of that. Yeah, that was really something. That's a boss. They took him all over to the a lot. And you guys put up the tab. Yeah, only around. By noon

00:49:08.130 - 00:49:24.050

time, they had a parade. I remember that went up Washington Street. Not all these little ponies. They started out about this big and up. They must have 20 ponies pulling that fly. API. They had all the horses with plumes and offered bloody with their friends in

00:49:24.060 - 00:49:42.970

general. Is that one of the top of the elephants? And they went up through town. Kentucky Street, back down. Washington. Everybody went to the circus is in town. Compare that left the kids out of school because they were gonna go to the circus after a lot

00:49:42.970 - 00:50:00.170

of money. I know, right? Thank on that. That was a big day. By that night 10. That night, everything was getting back on the railroad car the same way as they come off. The elephants didn't stay long on, like you say, putting up those tents on

00:50:00.170 - 00:50:17.820

the main poll. They had a big set of points went down enough big old elephant was out that he got all the stakes in the tent and then he remembers used a pound. Four guys, six guys around that stating, Don't hit it about Senate. If you

00:50:17.820 - 00:50:41.440

just like to throw them right into place. Not a welcome to pull out thinking up, but it go go. But just East Petaluma kids got the advantage of that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. West Petaluma Kids over there work in the desert, and no, no, that was That

00:50:41.440 - 00:51:06.790

was really good. That was the highlight Once a year. Bridges what? You remember about it on the street? I never did go up. Then it is. Just spin around on. We hear these boats coming up, you know, with the feet going into McNair's over there. Go

00:51:06.790 - 00:51:28.700

legal B deep with run. Like it to get on so we could swing on that, right? Oh, yeah. It was great state that swung back and would go out in the East side. West side. You just need over there When the bridge even close. Washington ST.

00:51:28.710 - 00:51:48.460

Bridget. It was hope. Open up Like this? Yeah, Yeah, my That's one. Rob the street. One of the street was on a hinge and my dad had a slew in up there. Well, it's on the block where Bank of America is now. My chill already had

00:51:48.470 - 00:51:59.840

one there. Oh, yeah, Back America was there. And I One day I decided to walk up to my dad's place and I got as far as a bridge. And I was scared to go across the bridge because I was afraid it was going to go up.

00:51:59.850 - 00:52:19.620

I was about six years old, I guess even now it scared me. Now, that's who's a fire trip. That's I know that building there. Leers. Yeah, right on Washington Street. You know, that's where frequent brothers ended up before he moved up to Santa Rosa. When it

00:52:19.620 - 00:52:41.560

burned down, my Uncle Peter had a place right next to Yeah. Yeah, time on this side of the street was bragging. A little restaurant. If you're Vitali. If you're detail now, don't you think that? Is that what they used to call it? The engine that used

00:52:41.560 - 00:52:54.710

to suck all the water out of the Petaluma. Correct. Remember when there was a fire, we'd always go down to the fire. And here was the old not working, and it was pumping all the water out of the Greek rants. LaFrance. Is that what they had?

00:52:54.710 - 00:53:11.550

A left France pumper, remember? Only Dad used to call. They must have got the old way volunteer Fire department had completed the house that is going into the creek right there. Now has to be. I was going to say about that. My God, Look at the

00:53:11.550 - 00:53:36.260

size of that hose. I thought those days, maybe you're really looks like my water hose in the garden Now. Three in shoes way. The whole story. Well done. My Yeah, I would. Yeah, I was just trying, you know, shamrocks at right now would be 30 or

00:53:36.270 - 00:53:57.370

40. Homeboys may have these box harbored Boston shingles and fixing the mess. Kids used to walk to do that, and he had these coffee cans cooking. You know, that never bothered you. We go down, then turn around, come back. But every year I'm gonna see every

00:53:57.570 - 00:54:14.790

four months of run. They would run all, clean them all out, Then they'd let him come back. Yeah, I guess they didn't want to be a residence. Yeah, yeah, but like I say, they never caused any problems. No, no, no. And you know, they used what?

00:54:14.800 - 00:54:28.780

We really have three houses from the tracks there, you know? And they come to our place on my mother would always everyone's watching as something give something. But Bill's mother builds a brand is his mother. She bring him instead of down the table and cook a

00:54:28.780 - 00:54:47.380

meal, for they send them out with the sounds to go every time. Every day, two or three guys in the booth used to say they put a mark on your hardest. Okay, I lived down by the hobo jungle, you know, And Toby Jacket mean I'm used

00:54:47.380 - 00:55:03.630

to go turn on The hobo jungle was down by the old Carell's like that. That's for the whole. That's what they used to get off shamrocks and moved out. How were great on out in that area? Because over the trestle is that you see from, Well,

00:55:03.650 - 00:55:20.720

Toby and I used to go there and in the middle of the track was all this candy he used to drink straight alcohol, you know? Anyway, we see him down there, and there probably is. Yes, there was another. Like you said they would be cooking in

00:55:20.720 - 00:55:52.360

car along their back when they get on Shamrock. That was a big that was right across the street from me was the white cream was built in the white foam I remember having an ice cream that no going back and get those cats barrel used to

00:55:52.370 - 00:56:10.590

deliver their milk with horsing y guessing. That's yeah, on this guy joke and saw that it was a horse guy and he kept the horses behind their didi Dutch for yeah. Who was chairs? Sheriff Santa Rosa. When he got out of college, he was delivering milk

00:56:10.640 - 00:56:29.510

or eat. He run that person? Why? No. No, I think at that time. Then I got a car with trucks with Yeah, yeah, yeah, But I remember when we used to go up the street and like you're saying and the guy would deliver the melon, just

00:56:29.520 - 00:56:48.440

walked horses. Would Yeah. Yeah. And he never got over there told, you know, they just knew he took out for such a house. Go up in the ocean. My dad had the garbage company Had the horses going, pick up a couple of horses, go right on.

00:56:48.440 - 00:57:06.700

I stopped. Only those horses trained by Did you have delivery? Everybody had nice blocking the backboard. No, not everybody. We were poor people and we didn't have a nice, but we didn't have a nice box until we moved out into the country. And that was when

00:57:06.700 - 00:58:32.950

I was about 15 or 16. And then we bought a refrigerator. No ice pole way had just cool. Remember each other over the first guy that deliver. That was car no from