The St. Helena Historical Society is launching a new exhibit and hosting an open house on Sunday, May 1, at 1 p.m. at the Heritage Center, 1255 Oak Ave.
The exhibit, “The History of Firefighting,” features artifacts and photographs from the collection of longtime volunteer fireman Art Carr, who also will be the featured speaker at the event. He’ll be sharing anecdotes that trace the development of St. Helena’s fire department. Art’s collection includes helmets that date back to the late 1890s, clothing, fire extinguishers, hoses and other equipment.
Carr reminds us that with open flames, fires were an inevitable part of life.
People relied on candles, lanterns and open fireplaces to cook their food, to provide light and to heat their homes and businesses. But it was easy for those open flames to be knocked over and ignite curtains and tablecloths, haylofts and barns. Providing a way to fight the inevitable fires became an important part of building the community’s infrastructure.
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As city planners became more sophisticated, they built a dam on Spring Mountain so that water flowed downhill into the fire hydrants on Main Street. Firemen would roll their hose carts to the hydrants and hope that their hoses were long enough to reach the flames.
Join SHHS as it celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with wine and bites. This is also the annual membership meeting for Historical Society members.
The Historical Society moved into its new home at 1255 Oak Ave. and opened the Heritage Center in 2022. It’s now open on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. It’s a small museum that documents St. Helena’s history that dates back 10,000 years to the area’s Native Americans, the Wappos.
“We’re looking forward to showing off our Heritage Center. Many of our loyal volunteers have been carefully cataloging artifacts for 20 years. We’ve been entrusted with preserving memories,” said SHHS President Stephen Taplin. “We take this role seriously.”
Historic photos tell the story of St. Helena High School
St. Helena Saints
A big banner hangs over the stairwell at Vintage Hall, which served as the high school for many years. It is now home to a collection of more than 50 historic photographs and other items telling of the high school’s history.
St. Helena’s Vintage Hall
The original St. Helena High School was dedicated June 6, 1912. It was used as the high school for many years and the building was renovated to its current use in 2003.
Electric car line to high school
In 1919, an electric car line delivers students to the high school.
Students in classroom
Students in class in the high school in 1919. The classroom is now the board room in the renovated Vintage Hall on south Main Street in St. Helena.
Drama Club, 1965
The St. Helena High School Drama Club in 1965. It is one of more than 50 framed photographs in the hallway in Vintage Hall, which for many years was St. Helena High School.
Basketball champs
The 1919 basketball championship was won by St. Helenans, Clifford Allen, front row from left, Ralph Richard Leavers and Alred Carl Jursch. In the back are Rothwell Lilly, from left, and Dean Swift.
Tennis champs, 1920
The Saint Helena Saints were the NNSCAL tennis champs of 1920. They were George Rivers, from left, Alfred Carl Jursch and Ellery Maxwell Murray.
1968 track team
Coach Snipe was the leader of 1968 St. Helena Saints track team.
1918 Firefly Girls
The photo of the Firefly Girls, shown, and the Clown Boys was taken in 1918. The groups were part of the second annual Circus, which began in 1917 and was held for many years. It included Vaudeville shows, The Wild Man from Oat Hill, food and game booths and the NIckel Dance.
Clown Boys, 1918
The photo of the Clown Boys, shown, and the Firefly Girls, was taken in 1918. The groups were part of the second annual Circus, which began in 1917 and was held for many years. It included Vaudeville shows, The Wild Man from Oat Hill, food and game booths and the NIckel Dance.
Vintage Festival Queen, 1918
Carmelita Murray was the 1918 Vintage Festival Queen
SHHS Marching Band, 1967
The St. Helena High School Marching Band paraded down St. Helena’s Main Street in 1967.
Majorettes, 1947
St. Helena High School majorettes from 1947
High School Stock Judging Contest, 1917
The trophy for the April 28, 1917 High School Stock Judging Contest, presented by the Sacramento Bee was won by Elmer Coolidge, Erwin Hurd and Roy Spear. It is in a large cabinet with other trophies and photographs that tell the history of St. Helena High School.
Newspaper articles about high school dedication
In 1912, there were two newspapers in St. Helena, both that told of the June 6, 1912 dedication of the new high school. The newspapers, business cards and a variety of other items came from a cornerstone that was placed in 1912 and removed when the building was renovated in 2003.
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