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Historical Note: This comes from Larry Peahl's 53 page compilation of the "Chronology of History of Taft" from 1863 until October 2009:
January 2, 1930 -- Harry Hopkim is appointed to the California Highway Commission.
February 9, 1930 -- Wes Side Abatement District formed by action of the Board of Supervisors.
February 24, 1930 -- New Cottage Hospital is opened at southwest corner of 3rd and Warren streets by Mary Elliot.
March 22, 1930 -- Petroleum Club building (630 North Street) burn down. (Caretaker is burned to death in the fire. Land later sold to the Methodist Church. New Petroleum Club building was later constructed on Petroleum Club Road east of Taft.).
March 9, 1930 -- The Goodyear Blimp visits Taft.
June 7, 1930 -- Major flash flood causes estimated damage of $100,000 damage.
June 13, 1930 -- Herman Bris of the Los Angeles Athletic Club ties world record in shot put 52' 7 1/2" in Western States Relays held in Taft. (Bris later played Tarzan in the movies and changed his name to Bruce Bennett.)
July 1930 -- Plans are announced for the CCC camp at Mt. Pinos and the completion of the road to Apache Potreo from the West Side.
July 15,1930 -- Cornerstone for new Petroleum Club building (on Petroleum Club Road) is laid.
Remember When
Taft Hold Hands for America
Daily Midway Driller -- Saturday January 18, 1988
The Taft event was only one element of the nationwide fund drive.
Organizers of the event for the USA project hope to raise $30 to $50 million to combat hunger and homelessness.
Other activities include the special "Sports Committee" co-chaired by athlete Kareen Abdul-Jabbar.Alex English and Mary Lou Retton; an "Actors Committee" headed by actress Duyan Cannon, an extensive program of activities planned by cable channels MTV and MH-1; and a "Sponsor a Mile: program, directed at individuals as well as businesses and organizations with the first mile sponsored by singer-songwriter Prince.
Fred Droz is the organizer of the nationwide event. He was formerly a presidential"advise many" for President Jimmy Carter, Senator Hubert Humphrey and Geraldine Ferraro.
He said the event would be the largest logistical participation event since the invasion of Normandy.
Before it was over, "The Hands Across America" commercial filmed in Taft Saturday involved thousands of Taft residents in hundred of ways.
All of the energy packed into one day -- which started at 10: am and ended at 5:00 pm -- will be compressed in single three-minute video to be aired before an estimated 100 million people during the Super Bowl pregame show this Sunday.
The commercial will help kick off a nationwide fund raiser to aid the poor and
the homeless in America.
Celebrities came to donate their presence to the charitable cause began to arrive on Main Street in Taft. Three Greyhound buses unloaded stars followed by expensive sports cars and several limousines. Stars from motion pictures, television and broadcasting were greeted by more than 25 photographers, including film crews from Entertainment Tonight and MTV. The celebrities joked with each other while several stopped to pose for pictures.
Nearly all the celebrities had something good today about Ken Kragen and Kenny Rogers. Kragen, Roger's agent had the initial idea for the fund raising effort.
Singer Susan Newton, who was to teach the lyrics of the video's song to nearly 1,000 Taft residents and repeat the effort for the stars, said, "I'm having a great time. I admire Kenny Rogers and Ken Kragen, I was excited,and I came in last night."
Sunny sky's and nearly perfect 68-degree weather welcomed the film crew to Taft. Many of the crew arrived Friday night, and it was said that all but one of the towns motel room were booked.
Bon Giraldi, a nationally known filmmaker, donated his 40-man crew to produce the video.
Singer and star of Dynasty, Dihann Carrot's long black limousine had car trouble on Interstate 5 on the way to Taft. She was rescued by a CHP Officer who escorted her into Taft in his black and white Mustang patrol car -- in plenty of time for the commercial filming.
By the end of the afternoon, Taft residents had joined hands with more than 100 celebrities for the filmiing as exuberance shown in their faces as they sang the lyrics of the song they had learned for the occasion.
"I feel excited," said Don Gillaspie of Taft, who held hands with Catherine Orenberg of Dynasty.
"I think this is a great project, and I hope it is a success across the country. I feel Taft is privileged as a starting place. Taft has the friendliest people in the world, and beside that the weather is beautiful," said Phil Kirkpatrick, 72.
Readers Comments
Historical Note: This comes from Larry Peahl's 53 page compilation of the "Chronology of History of Taft" from 1863 until October 2009:
January 2, 1930 -- Harry Hopkim is appointed to the California Highway Commission.
February 9, 1930 -- Wes Side Abatement District formed by action of the Board of Supervisors.
February 24, 1930 -- New Cottage Hospital is opened at southwest corner of 3rd and Warren streets by Mary Elliot.
March 22, 1930 -- Petroleum Club building (630 North Street) burn down. (Caretaker is burned to death in the fire. Land later sold to the Methodist Church. New Petroleum Club building was later constructed on Petroleum Club Road east of Taft.).
March 9, 1930 -- The Goodyear Blimp visits Taft.
June 7, 1930 -- Major flash flood causes estimated damage of $100,000 damage.
June 13, 1930 -- Herman Bris of the Los Angeles Athletic Club ties world record in shot put 52' 7 1/2" in Western States Relays held in Taft. (Bris later played Tarzan in the movies and changed his name to Bruce Bennett.)
July 1930 -- Plans are announced for the CCC camp at Mt. Pinos and the completion of the road to Apache Potreo from the West Side.
July 15,1930 -- Cornerstone for new Petroleum Club building (on Petroleum Club Road) is laid.
Remember When
Taft Hold Hands for America
Daily Midway Driller -- Saturday January 18, 1988
The Taft event was only one element of the nationwide fund drive.
Organizers of the event for the USA project hope to raise $30 to $50 million to combat hunger and homelessness.
Other activities include the special "Sports Committee" co-chaired by athlete Kareen Abdul-Jabbar.Alex English and Mary Lou Retton; an "Actors Committee" headed by actress Duyan Cannon, an extensive program of activities planned by cable channels MTV and MH-1; and a "Sponsor a Mile: program, directed at individuals as well as businesses and organizations with the first mile sponsored by singer-songwriter Prince.
Fred Droz is the organizer of the nationwide event. He was formerly a presidential"advise many" for President Jimmy Carter, Senator Hubert Humphrey and Geraldine Ferraro.
He said the event would be the largest logistical participation event since the invasion of Normandy.
Before it was over, "The Hands Across America" commercial filmed in Taft Saturday involved thousands of Taft residents in hundred of ways.
All of the energy packed into one day -- which started at 10: am and ended at 5:00 pm -- will be compressed in single three-minute video to be aired before an estimated 100 million people during the Super Bowl pregame show this Sunday.
The commercial will help kick off a nationwide fund raiser to aid the poor and
the homeless in America.
Celebrities came to donate their presence to the charitable cause began to arrive on Main Street in Taft. Three Greyhound buses unloaded stars followed by expensive sports cars and several limousines. Stars from motion pictures, television and broadcasting were greeted by more than 25 photographers, including film crews from Entertainment Tonight and MTV. The celebrities joked with each other while several stopped to pose for pictures.
Nearly all the celebrities had something good today about Ken Kragen and Kenny Rogers. Kragen, Roger's agent had the initial idea for the fund raising effort.
Singer Susan Newton, who was to teach the lyrics of the video's song to nearly 1,000 Taft residents and repeat the effort for the stars, said, "I'm having a great time. I admire Kenny Rogers and Ken Kragen, I was excited,and I came in last night."
Sunny sky's and nearly perfect 68-degree weather welcomed the film crew to Taft. Many of the crew arrived Friday night, and it was said that all but one of the towns motel room were booked.
Bon Giraldi, a nationally known filmmaker, donated his 40-man crew to produce the video.
Singer and star of Dynasty, Dihann Carrot's long black limousine had car trouble on Interstate 5 on the way to Taft. She was rescued by a CHP Officer who escorted her into Taft in his black and white Mustang patrol car -- in plenty of time for the commercial filming.
By the end of the afternoon, Taft residents had joined hands with more than 100 celebrities for the filmiing as exuberance shown in their faces as they sang the lyrics of the song they had learned for the occasion.
"I feel excited," said Don Gillaspie of Taft, who held hands with Catherine Orenberg of Dynasty.
"I think this is a great project, and I hope it is a success across the country. I feel Taft is privileged as a starting place. Taft has the friendliest people in the world, and beside that the weather is beautiful," said Phil Kirkpatrick, 72.
Readers Comments
From Laura Hall, Class of 1934-35
My name is Laura Hall and I’m writing a memoir about my father, Duane Hall. He was born in Fellows in 1918 and went to Taft Union High School from 1931-1935. He was Class President in his sophomore year. His brother was Howard Hall. Both of them are deceased.
Any memories about my father would be very much appreciated. I’ve attached his photo. Thank you.
Thanks. Laura Hall
Hello again Pete,
My father’s scrapbook has the attached card from the West Side Dancing Club in Derby Acres. It was from sometime in the 1930s. Do you know anything about the club? Laura Hall
Hello Laura Hall,
I am aware that there was a Dance Club in Taft in the early days, but I have never heard of one in Derby Acres. They would get together once a month for a dance and they would really get dressed up on these occasions. There was always a cocktail party at one of the member's homes before the dance.
There was a dance hall in Derby Acres in the good old days, It was called the Derby Acres Ballroom located on the north side of the highway through Derby Acers. It was a very popular dance on Saturday nights after World War II was over. There was always at least one fight during the night. As I recall there were some very, well known bands playing there on the weekends.
The Derby Acres dance hall doesn't exist anymore. It must have been torn down.
In discussing the Taft Dance Club with Stan Barrett, he tells me the he and his wife, Wanda, belonged to the Taft Dance Club, and the club members did were formal attire at the dances.
He also remembers going to the Derby Acres dance hall, and he saw Bob Wible, Spade Coolly and the Tommy Duncan bands there.
Pete Gianopulos
From Daniel Richard, Class of 1974, from Bethpage, Tennessee
For the record...the Green Wave Greens are cooked with a big chunk of slab bacon, chilled, dressed with vinaigrette and garnished with chow-chow, chopped red onion and chopped Kosher dill pickles. If I didn't do that, I'd have to call them Green Wave Weeds :)
If' they hung me for me being a marketing dude, they'd be hanging an innocent man
From Herb Spencer, Class of 1949, from Bakersfield, California
re: the designation of Sandy Creek as a navigational waterway - it took a guided tour by then Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy to convince USGS and state officials that it was not a navigational waterway - which had adverse environmental considerations.
Herb Spencer
Class of 1949
From Janice Smith, Class of 1958, from San Carlos, California
It is with sadness that I share with you, Sue, Don's sister just phoned me that Don peacefully passed away today (Sunday, August 7, 2011) at 4:00 pm at the Glenwood Gardens in Bakersfield.
We'll all miss him.
There are no definite plans, at this time, for the service, I'll let you know when I know the specifics.
Janice
From Daniel Richard, Class of 1974, from Bethpage, Tennessee
Terribly sorry some of you are too far away to enjoy the vittles. That means more for the rest of us :) Unless Guy and Ron get all hungry.
Give me a call. Have Bento, will travel. I'm more than happy to custom design a menu just for you. (615) 405-4080
Cheers,
Daniel
From Beverly (Merrill) Stafford, Class of 1960, from Fall River Falls, California
Pete, would you happen to have an e-mail address for Alvin Gillaspie (Don's brother). I want to send my condolences, but I don't have an e-mail address or a mailing address. I know he lives on Brookview Manor Drive in Bella Vista, but I don't have the actual street number.
Thanks.
Beverly Merrill Stafford
Class of 1960
(NOTE: Sorry to say I do not have that address.)
