REMINDER: Only 160 days until the Taft Diamond Jubilee -- The Taft Oildorado, Inc., celebrating Taft's 100th birthday, October 15-24 and the dedication of the Oil Worker's monument with Huell Howser present to videotape his program called, "California Gold" for public television broadcast on the West Coast. This is also the anniversary of the world famous Lakeview Gusher -- the granddaddy of all gushers -- that spewed 9 million barrels of oil over a year and a half before it stopped flowing. A historical marker is located at the crater of the gusher between Maricopa and Taft.
The Taft Oildorado website is oildoradodays.com.
The following article
was sent to me by
Larry Peahl, class of 1955, from Bakersfield, CA
It is perhaps not generally known at this time that in the early days of Taft there was quite a strong movement on foot to form a separate county of the West Side. It was felt by many people that this section was neglected by the county officials, and the state of the road between Taft and Bakersfield was so very bad that dissatisfaction and irritation was engendered every time a trip to the county seat was necessary.
The Midway Driller, June 16, 1911
"At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce Monday evening it was suggested that the West Side has become a sufficiently prosperous and populous locality to demand its own county government. It was contended that this part of the county has not received the consideration from county authorities.
"A committee was appointed consisting of Dr. Key and R. D. Whittemore to get data as to population and property, and also secure the sentiment of other West Side towns, from Maricopa to McKittrick.
"While Taft is most centrally located and therefore the logical place for the new county seat, that phase of the question would be determined at the county district election.
"The matter being brought forcibly to the attention, the county officials determined to do more for that portion of their taxpayers living in this section, starting with the improving of the road to Bakersfield. The increasing number of automobiles had rendered this imperative, if riding dissatisfaction was to be stopped. The Driller of September 23, 1911, has this to say on the subject.
(To be continued)
Readers' Responses
From Eric Cooper, President of Taft Oildorado, Inc., Taft, CA
Hi Everyone!
We are looking for someone to assist with the Hot Air Balloon group that will be coming to Taft for the first weekend of Oildorado. The Chair for this activity would be responsible for:
1. Working with Dianna Piles, the main organizer of the balloon group & reporting back to the Oildorado Committee with updates and changes
2. Work with the sponsors; Energy, Cooper's Petroleum and Synagro to make sure they are recognized at the event with signage and other sponsorship commitments
3. Help recruit 20 volunteers to serve as ground crew to help the balloonists while they are here (2 per team, 18 and older)
4. Help over the course of the 3 days they are here in Taft to serve as a local contact and be the person the Oildorado Board looks to if questions arise.
5. Have fun with a group of people that really love their sport and are excited to come to Taft to help celebrate Taft Oildorado Days!
If you are interested or can recommend someone, please let me know ASAP.
Thanks,
Eric
747-2605
From Linda Talbert, Class of 1957, from Princeville, Kunai. Hawaii
Pete,
My daughter, three granddaughters and I were stranded in Paris waiting for a flight to California because of the Icelandic Volcano Ash that covered Europe. I slipped and fell while climbing on the Eifel Tower and fractured the top of my tibia so I had to give up the rest of the six weeks I was to be in Germany and France and fly home for treatment. I am healing while staying with my daughter who is a criminal defense lawyer in San Diego. My granddaughters are all waiting on me! Love, Linda Talbert
From Paul Maysonave, Class of 1958, from Sonoma, CA
Hi Pete: Don’t know if you remember me, class of ‘58. Our family moved from Avenal to Taft in the summer of ‘55, and I have my father’s smooth puss badge from that year. We had moved from Taft, where I was born in 1940, to Avenal in ‘43, and my father was in the Chevron personnel dept. I was back for the 50th reunion, and you were so swarmed with people that I never got or took the opportunity to say ‘hi’. I spent a good deal of time over the weekend with Tom Herman. We were very good friends in high school, and he beat me for student body president by 5 or 6 votes.
I’ve been living in the beautiful town of Sonoma since ‘82. Came for dinner one evening and never left. At the reunion I received the award for having the youngest child, she, Arianna, was 13 at the time and will be 15 next month. My one and only!. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a father. It’s an extraordinary experience, especially at this age!
Did you click on the link that showed several other pieces of ‘soldier art’ at camp dodge?. Seems likes quite an undertaking. With your permission, I will forward you other ‘interesting’ and/or relevant emails I receive. Janice Smith sends me lots of stuff, as does Gary Carlson. Take good care Pete. Sincerely, Paul
...as an afterthought, I attached a photo of my daughter and I -- taken at a friend’s art opening. maybe 5 yrs ago.
From Doug Smith, Class of 1957, from Laguna, CA
Dear Mr. "G",
Really enjoy your weekly email posts regarding the history of Taft, the Westside, your family and your experiences in the U.S. Army during WWII in the Pacific.
Have you been watching the TV miniseries, The Pacific? If so, I am anxious to hear what you think of it.
Please forward this email of mine to Mr. Richard Williams, and have him contact me, via email. I can supply him with some stories about Mr. Newlee, from both in the classroom and as our neighbor in Taft. I, too, was a student of his. In addition my family lived on Kern St., and Mr. Newlee lived on 7th. Our back yards were adjacent to each other, and we had interaction with him as a neighbor, also. I am certain that Mr. Williams would appreciate
knowing some things about Mr. Newlee as a neighbor. This might show some insight in this man, as he acted and reacted outside of the school environment.
Thank you, Mr. "G",
Doug Smith ('57)
From Michael Adams, Class of 1956, from Madison, Wisconsin
Dear Pete,
Please forward item below to Richard Williams, per his request for some more anecdotes for inclusion in the book on Bailey Newlee. Thanks Pete. Keep up the good work. I always enjoy reading the newsletter.
Michael Adams, class of 1956, now living in Madison, Wisconsin
Richard, below is my anecdote for inclusion in the Bailey Newlee book:
I recall vividly the day I stepped into the freshman English class of Mr. Newlee (must have been in fall 1952, as I recall). Wow. First thing Mr. Newlee said to the assembled pupils in the classroom was “How many of you speak a foreign language?” (silence from the classroom, then Mr. Newlee responds): “You ALL speak a foreign language, and it is called Kern County Dialect!” . At that point, Mr. Newlee tossed an eraser (sort of gently) in the direction of a drowsy pupil. Soon after that point on we were “off to the races”, all of us realizing we had a real and unusual teacher for our English class!!
By the way, later on in life I studied eight semesters of German, and I knew that my solid English training that started in Mr. Newlee’s class made learning the German all the easier (both languages being in the same language group).
From: Michael Adams, class of 1956, now resident in Madison, Wisconsin (I am a retired Professor of Botany at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, email msadams@wisc.edu
From Corbin Bernsen from Los Angeles
Hey Pete
I'm heading to Taft next weekend to meet with folks about shooting part of our film "25 Hill" in town the second week of June. I'd love to meet up and discuss with you what we are doing. The majority of the shoot has been in Akron Ohio as the movie is about the Soap Box Derby. But the hero of our film is from Taft so we'll be shooting all the "beauty shots" there. We'll
be in town next weekend May 1 and 2. Any time to meet up?
To learn more about our film you can visit www.25hill.com
Thanks
Corbin (son of Jeanne Cooper ) (Jeanne was an inductee into the Taft High Hall of Fame in 2009)
From Eric Cooper, President of the 2010 Taft Oildorado
Dennis Muleady and I spoke today and he liked the Budweiser proposal (we are asking for $15,000). He liked it so much and was OK wit the $ amount that he told me he would like to go to bat again to get the Clydesdales. BUT - Budweiser/InBev now charges an appearance fee(around $3500) for the horses to show up. He is willing to share that cost if we can contribute something (he hinted at $1,000 from us). With the success of parade sponsorships (we have $10,000 paid and another $1250 promised), I would like the boards' blessing to contribute no more than $1000 to help get the Clydesdale team here. He also
stated that they now stick around a lot longer after the parade since they are being paid for where before they got out as quick as possible. After the parade, we could locate them around the tent area on Rails to Trails to go along with the trophy and ribbon award ceremony will take place.
Dennis hopes to call me back in the next few days with info on the Clydesdales.
Talk to you soon.
Eric
