Local History and Genealogy Notes

Happy Thanksgiving - Max Poehlmann

Posted on November 23, 2013

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I thought something on Max Poehlmann, who not only hatched chickens, but also turkeys at his Petaluma Boulevard North facility, was in order.

Max W. Poehlmann was born on June 16, 1890, in San Francisco. His parents were Frank and Bertha Poehlmann. When he was 10, Max moved to Petaluma where his father established the Poehlmann Tannery on Wilson near Jefferson Street.

The family lived at 744 B Street and as a teen, Max was employed at his father's tannery, but by the time he registered for the draft in 1917 he was residing in Seward, Alaska working as a fisherman.

According to Ernest Finley’s History of Sonoma County, Max also did a bit of mining and prospecting as well as railroad work while in Alaska.

When Max returned to Petaluma after serving in France during World War I, he joined his parents in their newly established hatchery business at 620 Main Street (now 620 Petaluma Boulevard North).

In 1921 Max married Nell Jones, a native of Texas. A year later his father passed away leaving the hatchery to be run by Max and his mother. The business prospered and in 1927 the Poehlmanns hired Oscar Johnson, a local contractor, to build a new hatchery.

By 1937, the hatchery had a capacity for 250,000 eggs at one time and was producing up to one million chicks per year. This same year, Max and his partners: brother-in-law, Nathan C. Thompson, and William H. Warner, a poultry specialist associated with Utah State agricultural college, purchased the Yolupa Ranch located on Carriger Road in El Verano where they raised broad-breasted turkeys.

Poehlmann was apparently successful enough in the turkey hatching industry to be hailed as a pioneer by Petaluma Argus Courier in their 1941 85th Anniversary Edition.

In 1948 the El Verano ranch consisted of 650 acres dotted with dozens of 20x20-foot pens, each housing 400 baby turkeys, and heated by 20 Jamesway butane gas brooders.

In addition to the El Verano ranch and the Petaluma hatchery, Poehlmann Hatchery, Inc. (incorporation occurred in 1953) had a plant in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Several sources state that the Poehlmann Hatchery closed in 1970 when Max Poehlmann retired. Not clear is whether this included the El Verano ranch and the Salt Lake City plant as well or if those two properties ceased operation prior to 1970.

I may just have to drop Keith Poehlmann, surviving son of Max and Nell, a note. According to a directory, Keith was vice president of Poehlmann Hatchery in 1965 and by performing a simple Google search it appears that he currently lives in the City of Napa.

Sources:

Biddle, George, ed. Western Poultry History. First Edition. Privately printed: Pacific Egg & Poultry Association, 1989.

Finley, Ernest Latimer. History of Sonoma County. Santa Rosa: Press Democrat, 1937.

Lowry, Thea, ed. Petaluma Poultry Pioneers Recall the Heyday of Chicken Ranching. Ross: Manifold Press, 1993.

Lowry, Thea. Empty Shells: The Story of Petaluma, America’s Chicken City. Novato: Manifold Press, 2000.

Petaluma Argus Courier. May 5, 1980, page 3A – “Max Poehlmann, Early Name in Poultry, Dies.”

Petaluma Argus Courier. May 9, 1941, Section B, page 5 – “Poehlmann Pioneered Turkey Hatching Here.”

Petaluma Argus Courier. February 17, 1939, page 8 – “Mrs. Bertha Poehlmann, Loved Petaluma Pioneer, Called to Rest Following Illness.”

Petaluma Daily Courier. June 23, 1927, page 4 – “Mechanic Dies as Trusses in New Building Collapse.”

Polk, R. L. and Company. Petaluma Directory. Montgomery Park: R. L. Polk & Co., 1965.

Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino Counties Telephone Directory. 1955

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Visit to Cypress Hill Memorial Park on Veterans Day 2013

Posted on November 14, 2013

Last Monday I walked to Cypress Hill Memorial Park for no particular reason other than it is a great destination walk and only about a mile and a half from my house.

I enjoy checking out the different styles of tombstones and reading the inscriptions. One of these days I’d like to organize a tour that highlights not only the history of the cemetery and those buried there, but the architecture and symbolism of the grave markers themselves. The Sonoma County Library has a great book on the subject called Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography written by Douglas Keister that I’d reference.

This tour might include the grave of Albert Frederick Adams which caught my eye on Monday, perhaps because it was Veterans Day.

 

At first glance one might think that since the year of death on this headstone is 1924 that that is when the stone was made. Not true.

Jess E. Dabner of the American Legion, Post 28, applied to the War Department for the headstone on January 24, 1939. It was shipped to the cemetery on March 16, 1939.

Born on February 16, 1896, Albert was a Petaluma native. His parents were Robert S. and Amelia Adams. Robert Adams was Petaluma’s fire chief at the time of his son’s death. Albert and his brother, Robert, Jr. grew up in the family home at 2 Keller Street, which was located where a portion of the A Street parking lot is today.

Prior to enlisting in the United States Navy, in July of 1917, Albert worked for Jack Morris on Western Avenue as a shoe maker.

 

Albert was discharged from the Navy on October 2, 1919, having served as a Pharmacist Mate 2nd Class.

Despite his medical training, Albert continued in the shoe business when he returned to Petaluma. According to the Census, he worked as a salesman at a shoe store in 1920.

The California Death Index states that Albert died in San Francisco where he may have been living. San Francisco city directories do list an Albert Adams, shoemaker, residing at 3551 24th Street in 1921 and 1923.

On July 17, 1924, the Petaluma Argus reported that “all of the city offices of this city will close at noon tomorrow as a token of respect to Fire Chief Robert S. Adams so long and so prominently connected with city affairs and the flag at city hall will fly at half mast out of respect to Albert Adams. The young man’s father has been for many years the efficient chief of the fire department and the dead youth was born and reared within the shadow of the city hall.”

The funeral took place at the John C. Mount parlors under the auspices of the Odd Fellows.

No cause of death is specified in any of Albert’s obituaries. A death certificate would provide that information and because Albert died in San Francisco, that is where I’d need to go.

For $16, and a visit to the San Francisco County Clerk, I could discover what took the life of this young World War I veteran. In the meantime, I’m happy to have learned a bit more about those who occupy Petaluma’s past.

Research for this article provided by Sonoma County History & Genealogy Library volunteer, Barbara McFarland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautification Project at 330 Western Avenue, Petaluma, CA

Posted on November 06, 2013

Plans are underway to spruce up the old gas station at the corner of Western Avenue and Howard Street that was most recently occupied by the Cotija Restaurant.

I’ve often dreamed of purchasing this building and fixing it up. I think it would make a great spot to operate an ice cream shop, sell pizza by the slice and the like. Such a perfect location being across from the very active St. Vincent’s Parish Hall and just down the street from City Hall.

Apparently I am not the only one with a vision for this site. Marla Pedersen, a St. Vincent’s High School art teacher, has already begun working with her students to beautify the gas station that has sadly become an eye sore and graffiti magnet as it sits year after year vacant and waiting to be purchased.

Ms. Pedersen’s students are painting murals and doing a bit of landscaping. The Howard Street façade will include a tribute to the history of the building as a gas station which as far as I can tell dates back to the late 1940s when it was first operated by brothers, Clyde and Ted Zimmerman, as a 76 station. Later, Harry Park established a Richfield Service Station and then an Arco Station at this location.

The gas station was converted to a restaurant around 1979 when Pete’s Steak Sandwich moved in. Later there was the Rib Station and then of course Cotija Restaurant (sources: 2008 Phase I Environmental Site Assessment prepared by ECON, obit for Clyde Zimmerman, PAC 1/25/60, obit for Harry G. Park, PAC 7/19/82).

The work being conducted by the St. Vincent’s students is terrific and if you’d like to support their efforts please contact Marla Pedersen at mpedersen@svhs-pet.org.

With improved curb appeal the chances of a sale will hopefully increase. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that someone with a lot of spare cash will be inspired to invest in the property and follow the example of Brian Noyes who converted a 1921 Esso filling station located in Warrenton, Virginia into the Red Truck Bakery.

Meanwhile I’ll keep buying those lottery tickets!

A Little Bit of Petaluma Beer History

Posted on September 14, 2013

I’ve known for months that the Petaluma River Craft Beer Festival was today (9/14/13) and had looked upon the event as opportunity to write something about Petaluma’s beer history. Well things haven’t gone quite as planned, but I still wanted to put something out there so here I present an abbreviated version of what I originally had in mind.

According to J.P. Munro-Fraser’s 1880 History of Sonoma County, the Petaluma Brewery was started in 1855 by Christlich & Erbe, and was the first establishment of its kind in Sonoma County. After some years they were succeeded by Baltz & Schierhold. In 1873, George Roberson, purchased the property and in 1880 he was producing about twelve hundred barrels of beer annually, which was sold throughout Sonoma County and to adjacent counties. The Petaluma Brewery was located on Main Street (where I’m not exactly sure) and according to Munro-Fraser was surrounded by pleasant gardens and shady arbors, making it a pleasant resort for those looking for a refreshing beverage of “jolly Gambrinus.”

George Griess was another well known Petaluma brewer. He was born in Alsace, France around 1844 and came to Petaluma in 1870, where he joined Charles Mitchell in operating the Sonoma Brewery which was located on Stanley and Upham Streets. Following a fire at the brewery in 1886, Griess established the United States Brewery at Bodega Avenue and Upham Street which he operated until his death in 1914. The property was later purchased by local contractor, William Sylva who built several homes in this neighborhood, including his own at 115 Bodega Avenue, beginning in the mid 1920s.

 

Sign Provides Clues to Past in the Oakhill Brewster Neighborhood

Posted on August 17, 2013

Now that my sister has moved into Petaluma's Oakhill Brewster neighborhood I find myself traveling Oak Street quite bit which is where I spotted this sign. I was curious as to its history and with some clues from a friend and a little sleuthing here at the Sonoma County History & Genealogy Library I was able to uncover its story (or at least one of the stories).IMG_1692

Using city directories, Ancestry.com and back issues of the Petaluma Argus Courier, which we have here on microfilm for 1950 to 2000 (the Petaluma Library has the complete run), I discovered that the sign is hanging on a garage that is associated with a residence at 343 Kentucky Street, the former home of John Axel Lundstrom and his wife Carrie.

Lundstrom was born in Sweden on July 8, 1882 and immigrated to the United States in 1909 and in 1915 was living at 223 Keller Street, Petaluma. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I and by 1929, had married Carrie Colmar and the two were living at 409 C Street, Petaluma.

A 1939 directory has John and Carrie living at 343 Kentucky Street. John's occupation is given as sheet metal worker with a shop at 350 Main Street. According to the census the couple were renting the Kentucky Street house for $30 a month in 1940. They later purchased the home.

John Lundstrom died at 343 Kentucky Street on April 14, 1962. His obituary states that he at one time operated the Petaluma Sheet Metal Works - hence the sign which the current owner of 343 Kentucky Street found in an outbuilding on her property.

Carrie Lundstrom remained on Kentucky Street until shortly before her death in 1986.

 

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