Tag Archives: History

Indian Cave

This cave is located in Ventura County. It sits overlooking a gushing perennial spring in otherwise very dry landscape. There are numerous bedrock mortars in the cave and around the immediate area. There are traces of soot on its walls … Continue reading

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Desperate Fight with Condors: Narrow Escape of Santa Barbara Man (1899)

A front page illustration on San Francisco’s The Call newspaper from April 30, 1899 showing two condors attacking a ledge-bound man wielding a club in defense. (Click to enlarge.) The illustration above accompanied a harrowing tale of two Santa Barbara … Continue reading

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Manzana Creek Schoolhouse (1893)

Manzana schoolhouse, Santa Barbara County Historical Landmark No. 2. “I got paid $50 a month for teaching and paid $14 for room and board, and that was a shared bed at that, with at least one or two children.” —Cora … Continue reading

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The Death of Happy Jack (1879)

A photo of a whiskey lovin’ drunk circa 1907. Nineteenth century police blotter from the Ventura Signal newspaper, March 1, 1879: Daniel Collins, commonly called “Arizona Jack,” or “Happy Jack,” died at Saticoy on the night of the 25th of … Continue reading

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Cuyama Viticulture

“Unlike raisin or fresh grape production, where greater cluster size and quantity were preferred, wine grapes often produced superior vintages on rocky, sandy (e.g., Virg. Georg. 2.346; Colum. Arbor3.6), or even infertile soils, which tended to check productivity and overall … Continue reading

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