sax jdaquix histd!uax - San Joaquin County Historical Museum

SAN10AQUIN C·O·U·N·T·Y
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY &
MUSEUM
SAX JDAQUIX HISTD!UAX PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Volume III, New Series
Winter 1989
Number4 Lodi Area Cooperative Wineries ­
Their Organization and History
A Discussion Presented by Charles J. Welch at the June 26, 1989, Monthly Meeting
of the San Joaquin County Historical Society.
The use of the cooperative form of
organization in the marketing and pro­
cessing of California agricultural pro­
ducts has enjoyed a long history. Many
of these organizations have experienc­
ed great periods of success, and some
have achieved near monopoly status in
the volume of the specific products they
handled. Following is a brief list of
some of these long-term cooperatives:
Name
Sun kist Growers, Inc.
Sun maid Raisin Growers of California
Sunsweet Growers
California Almond Growers Exchange
Diamond Walnut Growers
Ranchers Cotton Oil
For reasons to be explained later
there had been only a few cooperative
wineries organized in the state prior to
1933. There had been some cooper­
ative winery activity in San Joaquin
Year
Organized
% of Industry
1893
1912
1917
1910
1912
1951
60
41
44
62
51
in 1987
40
County prior to 1933, but the period
1933-36 saw the organization of most of
the cooperative wineries which have
been active during the post-Repeal
period.
a result several groups of growers
throughout the state started discussing
and investigating the feasibility of
organizing into cooperative wineries
which they would own and which would
be operated for their benefit, and from
which, hopefully, they would derive
higher levels of return for their grapes
than would likely be forthcoming from
the "commercial" buyers as evidenced
in 1933. Thus the local papers during
the 1933-36 period carried many stories
following the progress of individual
groups in their plans for organization.
Some came to fruition, and some did
not do so.
In addition to fostering the Repeal of
Prohibition, another pertinent feature of
New Deal proposals by President
Franklin Roosevelt was the expansion
of the Federal system of banks serving
agricultural interests by creation of
Banks for Cooperatives and Production
Credit Associations. These new units
were to be combined with the previous­
ly existing Federal Land Banks and
Federal Intermediate Credit Banks into
a new administrative agency to be call­
ed Farm Credit Administration. It so
happened that at that time I was
associated with the Federal Land Bank
The modern history of the California
wine industry commences during 1933,
with the introduction by newly elected
President Franklin Roosevelt of legisla­
tion providing for repeal of the Federal
constitutional amendment adopted in
1919 which banned, with minor excep­
tion, the production, sale, transporta­
tion and consumption of all alcoholic
beverages; and with the passage of
Federal Legislation by the Congress of
a "Repeal" amendment which would
become effective upon ratification by
three-fourths (36) of the existing states.
This amendment granted to each state
the power to determine the extent of its
own participation in the alcoholic
beverage traffic, and to establish its
related system of laws and controls.
In the case of California, the actual
effect of repeal took place on December
5, 1933, with the adoption of the re­
quisite body of law and regulation, in­
cluding provision for governing the pro­
duction and sale of wine within the
state. In view of the approaching
"legality" of such traffic, there had
been a somewhat liberal attitude
toward enforcement of the previous
restrictions, so that some enterprising
indivduals had even been able to "pro­
duce" wine during the 1933 grape
season, although no sales had osten­
sibly taken place. A few wineries had
been able to continue at least a minimal
level of operation during the Prohibition
period for the production of sacramen­
tal wines or unfermented grape juice or
grape concentrate. Many growers had
continued shipping "juice" grapes
throughout the country to individuals
who made their own wine. In addition
there had been a few wineries which
were sufficiently operable to permit
their use for production during the 1933
season. Thus quite a few entrepreneurs
were able to have wine available for
sale soon after this was permissible
under California law.
Many growers were unhappy with
prices paid for their grapes during the
1933 season. In addition there was
criticism of operating policies at some
of the wineries which created long
waiting lines and delays in the "turn­
around" of the growers' equipment. As
© 1989
San Joaquin County
Historical Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 21, Lodi, California 95241
Robert W. Clottu, Editor
The San Joaquin County Historical SOCiety, a non·
profit corporation, meets the fourth Monday monthly ex·
cept July. August and December. Membership Includes
subscriptions to The San Joaquin Historian and the
newsletter, News and Notes. Non-members may purchase
indiVidual copies from the Society. TheSoclety directs the
operation of the San Joaquin County HistorIcal Museum
San Joaquin County
Historical Museum
Michael W. Bennett. Director
Micke Grove Park
11793 N. Micke Grove Road. Lodi
P.O. Box 21. Lodi. California 95241
Phone (209) 368·9154 or 463·4119
2
of Houston.
floor of seei
formed. The,
ed that it wa
for Coopera
financial a!
growers of a
form cooper,
cess or mark
nish educati
which group:
whether the
best suit the
tion the folll
SENTINEL f'
local interesl
St(
of S
"Dr. E. A. S
California dl
was elected
newly estab
tives for th,
Stokdyk is 1
the farmer's
show a sym
administerin\
So, in late
Lodi district
fronted with
circumstancE
The makifl
again legal·
They felt .
were taking a
ing low price
the vinesThey were
cial wineries
of grapesThey had a
of borrowed
(although all
tually use th I
They had c
of the newly
Cooperatives
It is not SL
number of c'
were soon or~
compulsion
Following is c
of organizatic
1934 - Bear
tion - L.K. M
Joseph Beckman, F.D. Balliet and David
Baumbach
Eastwide Winery - E.J. Mettler, et al
1935 - Cherokee Vineyard Association
- E.A. Covell, H.F. Ellis, R.S. Lowe, L.D.
LeFeber, John M. Doherty, F.W.
Reynolds, Jacob N ies
Mokelumne Winery - J.R. Wiederich,
et al
Lodi Winery - Henry Schnaidt, Jacob
Nies, J.N. Ballantyne
1936 - Del Rio Winery, Inc. - Walter E.
Garrison, Geo. L. Chapdelaine, J.E.
Devine, J.C. Skinner, Charles A. Mahin,
John Graffigna. The association was
first organized 3/14/34, but before ac­
tually commencing operations it was re­
organized 2/4/36.
of Houston, and was in on the ground
floor of seeing these new units being
formed. The enabling legislation provid­
ed that it was the mission of the Banks
for Cooperatives not only to provide
financial assistance to groups of
growers of any product who wished to
form cooperative organizations to pro­
cess or market their products, but to fur­
nish educational and other assistance
which groups might need to determine
whether the cooperative form would
best suit their situation. In this connec­
tion the following article in the LODI
SENTINEL for 10107/33 was of much
local interest:
Stokdyk New Head
of Bank Co-Operative
"Dr. E. A. Stokdyk, of the University of
California department of agriculture,
was elected yesterday president of the
newly established Bank for Coopera­
tives for the eleventh district.... Dr.
Stokdyk is thoroughly conversant on
the farmer's problems and is certain to
show a sympathetic understanding in
administering his new duties."
So, in late 1933 and early 1934, the
Lodi district grape growers were con­
fronted with a unique combination of
circumstances:
The making and selling of wine was
again legalThey felt that commercial wineries
were taking advantage of them by offer­
ing low prices for grapes maturing on
the vinesThey were not sure that the commer­
cial wineries would buy the entire crop
of grapesThey had a new, sympathetic source
of borrowed funds available to them
(although all of the groups did not ac­
tually use this source for their needs)­
They had confidence in the president
of the newly formed Berkeley Bank for
Cooperatives.
It is not surprising, therefore, that a
number of cooperative winery groups
were soon organized. A sort of "me too"
compulsion seems to have erupted!
Following is a listing, including the year
of organization:
1934 - Bear Creek Vineyard Associa­
tion - L.K. Marshall, Gottfried Handel,
Two "cooperative" winery organiza­
tions pre-dated the Prohibition period:
Community Grape Corporation
-located on Turner Road at the Southern
Pacific tracks. It had been originally
built in 1909 by the Mokelumne Winery,
a small cooperative, but in 1922 it
became the Community Grape Corpora­
tion. Having been in continuous opera­
tion, although on a limited basis, it was
all ready to resume full production
operations during the 1933 season.
Leaders of this group were J.V. Bare,
H.G. Mettler, E.H. Pope, W.A. Spooner.
Woodbridge Vineyard Association
-this group was organized in 1905 and
operated until Prohibition commenced
in 1919. Its winery operation was
located on the Mokelumne River at
Woodbridge, about where the Wood­
bridge Greens residential sub-division
is now located. Operations were discon­
tinued in 1919 and the property was sold
to the Sebastiani family. Still later this
property was sold again and continued
operating as the Rio Vista Winery, even­
tually giving way to the Woodbridge
Greens development. Early directors
were Freeman Mills, J.H. Thompson,
M.F. Ham, C. Newton, and Fred Snyde.
Upon repeal in 1933 the Woodbridge
Association was re-activated, purchas­
ing the former Bradford Winery, located
on the Western Pacific tracks, south­
west of Galt, in Sacramento County.
This remained the scene of operations
until 1946 when a new plant was con­
3
the organization of cooperative
wineries! That turned out to be the easy
part! Physical facilities were provided
for the preservation of grapes in the
form of less perishable wine, most of
which was in the form of dessert or
"sweet" wine and contained about 20%
alcohol - Port, Sherry, Muscatel, White
Port, etc. It did not take long, however,
to learn that physical homes had been
found for some grapes which actually
did not have any proper "economic"
home. Selling wine was a dilfferent ball
game from merely producing it, and was
certainly somewhat of a foreign subject
in the experience of most of the grape
growers. These new wineries in San
Joaquin County were not only in com­
petition with the commercial wineries
in this area, but with both commercial
and cooperative wineries in other parts
of California.
structed on the WP tracks at the in­
tersection of Turner Road.
Just over the county line, in
Sacramento County, two groups were
formed: Florin Winery Association,
founded in 1934, and Elk Grove Fruit
Growers Association. These units are
mentioned because at a later date each
of them became associated with either
one of two cooperative sales organiza­
tions which were formed to more effec­
tively handle the sales problems of
various producing wineries throughout
the state.
In 1937, eight of the eighteen San
Joaquin County wineries were coopera­
tives. In 1942, Wines and Vines Annual
Winery Directory showed 12 of 28 San
Joaquin County wineries were coopera­
tives.
So, now you know something about
Original Board of Directors, East Side Winery, 1935 - (front row) Herman Vollbrecht, Edward Preszler, E.J. Mettler; (standing) Henry G. Mettler, Herman C. Lange, Jake Kurtz, Adolph Nies. 4
Within a fe
area produc
associated
and marketil
Fruit Industri
facilities in
several ott
throughout tl
Iy, for varyin,
forming th
Cherokee, (
Winery, and
ship of FI inl
and commer,
of California
organization
a "federated'
In Novemt
Del Rio, tOgE
ative Winery
another "fedl
California W
quarters in L
to FI for a bri
from CWS in
mission of (
J. W. Fleming. I
Wine Growers Within a few years, several of the Lodi
area producing cooperatives became
associated with a pre-existing sales
and marketing organization known as
Fruit Industries, Inc., which had bottling
facilities in San Francisco and in
several other metropolitan areas
throughout the United States. Eventual­
ly, for varying periods of time, wineries
forming this affiliation included
Cherokee, Community, Florin, Lodi
Winery, and Woodbridge. The member­
ship of FI included several cooperative
and commercial wineries in other parts
of California. This type of cooperative
organization is commonly referred to as
a "federated" cooperative.
local bottlers in all parts of the United
States. Each of the member wineries
reserved the right to sell some bottled
wine in limited areas of California and
other West Coast states.
By mid-1942 the entire California
wine industry was facing many special
problems created by the full participa­
tion of the United States in the Second
World War. Some of these were:
1. The government requirement that
most, if not all, Thompson Seedless
grapes be converted into raisins for the
armed forces and our Allies.
2. Creation of an artificially good
market for wine, resulting from the
cessation of domestic whiskey produc­
tion so that all distillery facilities might
be devoted to the production of in­
dustrial alcohol for munitions.
Some of the larger disti lIeries attemp­
ted to keep their alcoholic beverage
distribution systems open by entering
the California wine business through
acquisition. Thus Schenly purchased
Cresta Blanca and Roma Wine Com-
In November, 1939, Bear Creek and
Del Rio, together with Muscat Cooper­
ative Winery Ass'n of Selma, formed
another "federated" organization called
California Wine Sales, Inc., with head­
quarters in Lodi. Muscat had belonged
to FI for a brief time, and later withdrew
from CWS in 1943. Until 1943 it was the
mission of CWS to sell bulk wine to
J. W. Fleming, Lockeford Winery, (left) and L.K. Marshall, Bearcreek Vineyard Association and
Wine Growers GUild.
5
certainly applied to the cooperative
wineries in San Joaquin County,
especially to CALWISA (CWS), whose
entire business was the sale of bulk
wines. By this time Cucamonga Pioneer
Vineyard Association in Southern
California and Sanger Winery Associa­
tion, near Fresno, had been added to its
membership. The shortage of tank cars
was the first of the mentioned condi­
tions which directly affected CALWISA
by making it increasingly difficult to
make sales equitably for the individual
wineries, but instead it was forced to
determine the point of shipment by the
availability of tank cars. Soon it became
apparent that the only way in which
each member winery could receive
equitable allocation of sales proceeds
was to accomplish a method of "pool­
ing" each year's production, with each
member to receive a percentage of in­
terest in all sales proceeds. Even so,
however, the filling of bulk wine orders
became increasingly difficult; so it
became necessary to develop a cased
panies, National Distillers took over
Italian Swiss Colony and Hiram Walker
acquired Valliant Wine Company.
3. The government requisition of
tank cars in use by the wine industry for
utilization in the shipment of
100-octane gasoline and other
chemicals needed in the war effort.
4. The availability of favorable price
levels under OPA regulations for items
which had no historical price records
subject to "freeze", thus being able to
support price levels based on current
cost situations.
5. The availability of rail cars other
than tank cars for eastward movements
of packaged wines, these cars having
been used for west-bound shipments of
war materials destined for the Pacific
war zones, and being sent back east for
further such shipments.
In order to survive, the wineries which
had been engaged largely in tank car
sales of their wines were forced to take
advantage of these opportunities. This
Board of Directors, Wine Growers Guild (1944) (I-r) S.A. Lines, Jake Rheingans, Sanger Winery
Association; Paul B. Hofer, Cucamonga Pioneer Cooperative Winery; David Baumbach, L.K.
Marshall (President), Bear Creek Vineyard Association; A.M. DeBerard, Cucamonga Pioneer
Vineyard Association; J.E. Devine, W.E. Garrison (Vice President), Del Rio Winery.
6
East Side Winery, Victor Road. LOd;
7
goods program with CALWISA to pur­
chase all glass and other bottling sup­
plies and to handle the allocation to the
member wineries of orders for bottling
and shipment. Some bottling equip­
ment was obtained from bottler
customers who were unable to pur­
chase bulk wine for continuation of bot­
tling under their own labels.
A major problem to California
wineries, including CALWISA in start­
.mg a new bottling operation' was the
lack of historical useage of glass which
could be used as the basis of alloca­
tions under the system of war-time con­
trols. This was at least partially solved
by working out agreements with prev­
ious bottler customers whereby the lat­
ter would exchange glass allocations
with a California winery for a like quan­
tity of glass filled with wine under the
winery's own label, such as CALWISA.
In order to more adequately advertise
and promote the new bottled products,
the CALWISA board, in December 1943,
engaged a well-known advertising agen­
cy to make recommendations as to
brand identity and promotional pro­
grams. The resulting recommendation
would establish "GUILD" as the leading
b~and for the association's products,
with an accompanying change in the
corporate name to Wine Growers Guild.
Many' developments took place in
1946, immediately after the World War II
period, including the relaxing of restric­
tions on new building. A new cooper­
ative winery ws organized in San Joa­
quin County - the Lockeford Winery; and
several of the other wineries carried on
plant expanion programs. Woodbridge
Vineyard Association constructed a
new facility on Turner Road, at the
Western Pacific tracks. During Guild's
initial efforts at a branded bottling and
marketing program, it had been found
most difficult to maintain a uniformity
of product while bottling at four dif­
ferent locations. in an effort to correct
this situation it was decided to con­
struct a new Central Blending and Bottl­
ing facility at Lodi. This new plant com­
menced operations on September 5,
1942, and has been expanded several
times over the succeeding years. By
this time Guild had a membership of
seven producing wineries, including
Bear Creek, Del Rio and Lockeford in
San Joaquin County.
Soon after the 1946 grape crush the
war-time "bubble" in whictl win~ries
had been living started to burst. Com­
petition with other alcoholic beverages
was resumed, Thompson Seedless
grapes were again available for winery
utilization, and pricing restrictions were
removed! Many cooperative winery
members finally received as low as $35
per ton for the 1946 grapes which had
been worth $100 per ton at the time of
delivery. It was very hard to realize that
the war-time period had indeed been
one of artificial optimism. The reality of
hard work and rugged competition was
difficult to face. With the availability of
wine, local bottlers in the Mid-West and
East resumed operations. Over a brief
period the price of bulk wine went from
$1.50 per gallon to 32.5 cents.
In 1951 three of the member wineries
outside San Joaquin County withdrew
from their federated affiliation with
Guild, largely because their particular
grape varieties were not receiving what
they deemed to be fair evaluation in the
division of pool proceeds, plus the fact
that competition was causing a slow
down in sales, resulting in a build-up of
inventories and delays in the pay-off of
pools. The year 1951 saw other major
changes. The directors of Fruit In­
dustries, Ltd., employed the well-known
firm of McKinsey & Co. to make a
management survey of the company
and its operation in an effort to discover
sources of improvement. One of the im­
portant recommendations was that FI
adopt a single brand under which to
concentrate its principal sales and pro­
motional efforts and resources. This
plan was adopted, and the brand name
selected was ELEVEN CELLARS, a
representation of the fact that at that
time there were eleven production units
constituting FI's federated member­
ship. At this time also, the principal
identiy of FI was changed to CALIFOR­
NIA WINE ASSOCIATION, a name
which it had purchased in 1926.
It was not only the cooperatives
which were feeling the effects of post­
8
,
f
\
war problE
wineries VI
bankruptcy.
principal fin
Petri spent r
formation a
grape growe
the purpOSE
relieve his
load of inves
at the time
organizatio
became kr
Growers.
At the bee
Allied woulc
Company pi
winery at ESI
ty, then cont
duction ant
Allied to be
basis which
tion and its
any net pro
organization
Joaquin Cal
as i ndividl
members of
tion, whose
by Allied. i
changes brc
into the Pet'
the new na
Allied taking
and furnishir
duction, bot
jority interes
quired by H,
quiring the
contracting'
vices. A fu
years ago 'I;
of Heublein
ners by Allie
sent the i
growers, ani
former Petn
Problems
Guild opera
were three
Creek, Del ~
Growers. Ir
located at Ui
ment was re
Company of
war problems. Many commercial
wineries were being forced into
bankruptcy. At the instigation of his
principal financial backers, Mr. Louis
Petri spent most of 1951 promoting the
formation of a new organization of
grape growers on a cooperative basis,
the purpose of which would be to
relieve his company of the financial
load of investing the full price of grapes
at the time of a season's crush. This
organization did materialize and
became known as Allied Grape
Growers.
became a member of Guild. Alta had
been put together during the 1950's
through the acquisition from bankrupt­
cy preceedings by a Fresno en­
trepreneur of several separate winery
operations; Alta Vineyards Company,
whose winery was across McKinley
Avenue at Clovis Avenue from the
Fresno Municipal Airport; Cameo
Vineyards, which had operated as a
cooperative; and Cribari Wine Com­
pany. In the case of Cribari, Alta had
purchased only inventory and brand
names, with the winery on Clovis
Avenue being acquired by Gallo. Alta
also had given employment to three of
the younger members of the Cribari
family. In 1961 Alta had acquired the
wine assets of the Garrett family in
Southern California, at Guasti. This had
included considerable inventory, and
the former Guasti Winery, and several
brand names including Virginia Dare
and Paul Garrett.
Over the years there had been much
discussion of the possible advisability
of Guild's departing from the
"federated" structure with multiple
managements and boards of directors,
and merging into one integrated cor­
porate structure which would own all
needed facilities, have a single manage­
ment and a Single board of directors.
This subject received intensive con­
sideration during 1963, with the result
that as of September 1, 1963, such an in­
tegration program was effected. The
surviving corporate name continued to
be GUILD WINE CO., the change from
WINE GROWERS GUILD having been
made on 9/01/62.
In July 1968 Guild purchased the
physical property and inventory of the
Crestview Winery near Sanger, in the
Fresno area. Guild's membership in the
area was getting beyond the capacity of
its Fresno Winery (formerly Alta) and
any expansion at that location was not
feasible because of its closeness to the
Fresno city limits and the Fresno
Municipal Airport. The encroaching
residential areas were also creating
criticism of the winery waste odors
from all of the wineries in the general
neighborhood. As of March 1, 1971,
Guild further expanded its scope of
At the beginning it was planned that
Allied would purchase the Petri Wine
Company plant facilities including the
winery at Escalon in San Joaquin Coun­
ty, then contract to furnish grapes, pro­
duction and bottling services, with
Allied to be compensated on a formula
basis which would give that organiza­
tion and its members a percentage of
any net profits which the Petri sales
organization might engender. Many San
Joaquin County growers joined Allied
as individual members including
members of Community Grape Corpora­
tion, whose winery later was acquired
by Allied. Later a series of further
changes brought Italian-Swiss Colony
into the Petri sales organization under
the new name United Vintners, with
Allied taking over the physical facilities
and furnishing the same services of pro­
duction, bottling, etc. Still later a ma­
jority interest in United Vintners was ac­
quired by Heublein Co. with Allied ac­
quiring the minority interest and still
contracting to furnish the previous ser­
vices. A further development a few
years ago was the acquisition of most
of Heublein's interest in United Vint­
ners by Allied which continues to repre­
sent the interests of many grape
growers, and which sti II operates the
former Petri Winery at Escalon.
Problems continued to occur in the
Guild operation, until by 1962 there
were three member wineries - Bear
Creek, Del Rio and Mendocino Grape
Growers, Inc., a small cooperative
located at Ukiah. During 1962 an agree­
ment was reached with Alta Vineyards
Company of Fresno, whereby the latter
9
operations by purchasing from Schenly
Industries, Inc., the latter's subsidiary
known as Roma Wine Company. This in­
cluded all of the brands and inventories
plus three winery properties - at Fresno,
Delano and Kingsburg. The more impor­
tant of the brands involved included
ROMA, CRESTA BLANCA and COOK'S
(CHAMPAGNE). The corparate name
was changed to GUILD WINERIES AND
DISTILLERIES to recognize the higher
level of brandy production capability
which the acquisition had achieved for
GUild.
the past several years there has been no
CWA (FI) operation in the County. As a
matter of fact, I believe that CWA (FI)
has ceased operations altogether.
Most remaining cooperative wineries
have greatly changed their basic
operating philosophy. Now they accept
from grower-members only those grape
varieties which will produce wine
varieties that meet current sales pro­
gram requirements, and no longer do
they merely try to dispose of grape
varieties or quantities which grower­
members choose to deliver. They can­
not exist as surplus grape outlets!
There is something of a legend about
cooperatives - that they are formed in
periods of adversity, then the members
elect a board of directors, the board
hires management, and then all is left
to management until dissatisfaction
with results arises, in which case new
directors and new management are
elected, and the cycle is permitted to
repeat! But, nevertheless, in my opin­
ion, a cooperative enterprise can be of
great value to its farmer members.
Guild continues as an important
operating entity in the California wine
industry, with headquarters remaining
in Lodi. The only other cooperative
winery currently operating in the Lodi
area is Eastside Winery, which con­
tinuously since its organization has
functioned as an independent, not hav­
ing affiliated with any other entity, such
as Guild or California Wine Association.
Over a period of time each of the other
wineries severed connections with
California Wine Association until for
Chuck Welch spent most of his career working with farmer Cooperatives, first with the
Federal Land Bank of Houston for twelve years, then with Guild Wineries and Distilleries in
Lodi, retiring after 26 years. His first position was controller for the Guild; however, he served in
several capacities including three years as Vice President·General Manager. Chuck has also
served as a Museum Docent for nearly 16 years.
10
Tra
t
The decac
was one of
eras. The cc
porated in 1S
police force
car; a fire tn
tial areas tt
sidewalks, e
streets that
lights. South
red light dis
second clas
was known,
earned bec,
games, slot
bli ng devicee
quor in this t
However,
in Tracy's fal
projects thaI
acres of prirr
ing; a Cham!
of local n
farmers, and
newspapers.
Byron Time!
was urged to
would give T
participated
"boosters,' .
were called
editor of th
"knockers" t
leave town.
In the pre
was a rural
almost 2,000
the automob
ty. The busi n
comprised ot
tral Avenue
streets, was
to the new LI
nation's first
reached fro'
cisco. With
however, co
halted for th!
Immediate
building boe
tures and r:
and along the Lincoln Highway, now
known as Highway 50. The 350-acre
Adam Parker estate covering roughly
the area between the highway and
Grantline Road and Holly Drive to Tracy
Blvd., was divided into several subdivi­
sions. The Parker Villa development
was advertised to appeal to families
who wanted "a rural life within the
city." This utopia had its drawbacks,
however, when a neighbor had a ban­
tam rooster that crowed at various inter­
vals from midnight on. The City
Trustees' attention was brought to the
matter, but they felt that any ordinance
regulating the time and place the
rooster could crow would be "construed
by the Supreme Court as interference
with the rooster's personal liberties"
and unconstitutional. Shortly after this
statement was issued, the matter was
cleared up when a neighbor had the
chicken for supper.
Homes, by the way, did not always
come with the land. Lots sold from $350
and the average three-bedroom home
cost nearly $4,000 to build, but monthly
payments of $13.20 could be arranged.
It was reported that one of the first
homes sold was to a fireman and his
family who had lived over the fire sta­
tion for some time. The wife was
especially happy because every time
the fire truck left it woke the baby.
The residents of the new residential
areas were soon requesting more
modern conveniences, including home
delivery of the mail. Local Postmaster
George Gischel reported that there
were three obstacles to overcome
before the mail service could begin. The
first problem was the lack of house
numbers. Most homes had no offcial ad­
dress, much less a display of numerals.
The second obstacle was that mail
receptacles had to be placed at conve­
nient places. If the house was set back
more than fifty feet from the walk, then
a box had to be erected. Otherwise a
slot in the door would be acceptable.
The last problem was the lack of con­
necting links of sidewalks. "Uncle Sam
will not allow his carriers to walk in
mud," noted an article in the Press. On
March 1,1928, free home delivery within
the town was started.
Tracy Boosters
1920 - 1930
by Amber Smith
The decade between 1920 and 1930
was one of Tracy's most progressive
eras. The community had been incor­
porated in 1910 and by 1920 Tracy had a
police force of three men but no police
car; a fire truck but no alarms; residen­
tial areas that had no paved streets,
sidewalks, sewers or electricity; and
streets that had no signals, signs or
lights. South of the railroad track was a
red light district divided into first and
second class bordellos, and the town
was known as "Poker City," a name it
earned because of its open poker
games, slot machines and other gam­
bling devices, and the easy access to li­
quor in this time of prohibition.
However, there were several factors
in Tracy's favor: the growth of irrigation
projects that opened up thousands of
acres of prime land to diversified farm­
ing; a Chamber of Commerce made up
of local merchants, progressive
farmers, and railroad families; and two
newspapers, The Tracy Press and The
Byron Times. The whole community
was urged to participate in projects that
would give Tracy a "boost." Those who
participated in projects were labeled
"boosters," while those who did not
were called "knockers." Henry Hull,
editor of the Press, encouraged the
"knockers" to change their minds - or
leave town.
In the pre-World War r days, Tracy
was a rural town with a population of
almost 2,000 citizens, but the coming of
the automobile changed the communi·
ty. The business section that had been
comprised of a three-block area on Cen·
tral Avenue, between 6th and 9th
streets, was beginning to expand north
to the new Lincoln Highway, one of this
nation's first continental highways that
reached from Chicago to San Fran­
cisco. With the onset of the war,
however, construction projects were
halted for the duration.
Immediately after the war there was a
building boom of commercial struc­
tures and homes, especially north of
11
Central Avenue, Tracy's main com­
mercial area, supported such
businesses as barbershops, hotels, dry
goods outlets, pool halls, and saloons;
while the new Lincoln Highway began
receiving tire and radiator shops,
garages, gas stations, and restaurants
that catered to the traveler. The opening
of a gas station and garage on the
highway was a major event in town.
Close to 1,000 couples participated in a
dance held at the grand opening of the
Central Garage in 1923. The local paper
reported, "The spacious floor of the
garage was treated to furnish the
dancers (with) a smooth surface."
One of the town's most unusual com­
munity projects was the building of the
Tracy Inn, a landmark even today. In
1925 the Chamber announced that a
hotel was being planned. Tracy's
boosters banded together to work out
the details and sell the necessary
$185,000 in stock to finance the project.
A strong selling point was that by the
following summer, tourists, who had
been passing up Tracy because of the
lack of accommodations, would be
stopping at the modern hotel. In
January of 1926 the committee bought
property at the corner of the Lincoln
Highway and Central Avenue. Over
$137,000 of stock, at $100 per share,
had been sold to local investors and the
building of the hotel was assured. The
Tracy Inn opened a year later and a ma­
jority of the clubs and organizations
moved their meetings and events from
the Portuguese Hall to the Inn, making
it a focal pOint of activities in Tracy. The
two-story building had 60 rooms for
over-night guests, a spacious lobby,
coffee shop and a large dining room
that could accommodate 300 people.
Also there was room for eight
businesses on the ground floor facing
the highway. The uniqueness of this
project was that the local people raised
the capital and made this a community
venture.
City Hall/Firehouse/Police Department with Nick Canale and Charles "Roxy" Hudson riding
"old Betsy." Circa 1917
Photo Courtesy of The Tracy Press
12
The auton
changes to t
1920s, the C
driving of au
a short time
ing troughs a
from Centre
Trustees' att
problem of c
the corner o·
because aut(
four deep or
room for pasl
head their au
rear ends ex'
others parke
tersection. 11
parking at thE
the middle
eliminate thE
to get to and
The week t
committee
Trustees and
be installed
The signal ,/,
The automobile also brought other
changes to the community. In the early
1920s, the City Trustees prohibited the
driving of autos over the sidewalks and
a short time later ordered horse water­
ing troughs and hitching posts removed
from Central Avenue. In 1922 the
Trustees' attention was brought to the
problem of controlling heavy traffic at
the corner of Central and the highway
because autos were parking three and
four deep on the streets, allowing no
room for passing cars. Some drivers did
head their autos into the curb but let the
rear ends extend into the traffic, while
others parked in the middle of the in­
tersection. It was recommended that
parking at the curb would not only clear
the middle of the street, but also
eliminate the necessity of jay-walking
to get to and from cars.
The week before Christmas in 1924, a
committee appeared before the
Trustees and asked that a traffic signal
be installed at the busy intersection.
The signal was to be a flashing light
that would operate day and night.
Citizens were in favor of slowing traffic
down because of the students at the
grammar school near the corner. The Ci­
ty agreed to the signal and supporters
started gathering financial help. Charlie
Clark, of the Terminal Cigar Store and
Tracy's gambling kingpin, indicated his
willingness to donate by asking, "How
much does it take?" When tOld, Clark
handed over a $50 bill with the
understanding that a second signal
would be installed at the corner of 6th
Street and Central, in front of the Ter­
minal, the town's gambling head­
quarters.
For several years there had been
discussions over the use of autos for
police work. After the City Attorney
assured the City that it would not be
held responsible for accidents in which
the auto might be involved, the council
agreed to a patrol car. It was also
agreed that if the officers caught
enough speeders, the auto would more
than pay for itself. In 1927 a newly
Tracy Inn, Circa 1930
Photo Courtesy of The Tracy Press
13
Throughout the '20s, Tracy had grown
by leaps and bounds. New businesses
arrived and old businesses constructed
new offices. By 1929 the Tracy Press
had become a bi-weekly, the Tracy
American Legion Airport was being
developed, and the Chamber hoped that
the population was near 3,000. The local
paper lamented that one of the
noticeable things about the town's
rapid growth was the number of
strangers seen on the streets; time was
when "everybody knew us and we knew
everybody and all about their affairs."
elected set of Trustees stated that if the
policemen wanted a car, then they
should supply their own machine. The
officers' salaries were a dollar a day,
but the three men pooled their funds
and boUght a used car. The city then
agreed to rent the car for $30 a month.
In 1929, someone stole the auto. One
night the officer made a stop at a hotel
and left the motor running. When he
returned, the car was missing. The
Tracy Press reported that the "car was
in deplorable condition, was not noted
for its speed and was, in general, the
laughing stock of the town." When
stolen, the car had over 300,000 miles
on it and three gallons of gas in the
tank. The gas, according to the Press,
was "the most valuable part of the
whole contraption."
Elvira Mugar
Riverboat Pa
Stockton t
No Publicath
Manteca - Ci
No Publicatil
No Publicatil
The John Lyr
Lodi's Germ,
Amber Smith
earned her Bachelor's
Degree in History at
Sacramento State and is
enthusiastically in­
terested in Historical
research. She has con­
ducted research for the
California Dept. of Parks
and Recreation, City of Lodi, and City of
Tracy. She has written nearly 100 articles for
publication . mostly for The Tracy Press.
Amber is a very active member of the Board
of Trustees for The San Joaquin County
Historical Society.
One building that has fond memories
for the people of Tracy is the Grand
Theatre located on Central between 7th
and 8th streets. The theatre opened in
1923 but did not have "talking" pictures
until June 1929. A month after the
talkies reached the Grand, R.H. "Bob"
Allen, manager of the house, took the
audience one step further. A scene in
the movie "In Old Arizona" called for an
actor to cook ham and eggs for the
Cisco Kid. On an electric plate in back
of the screen, Allen fried ham and eggs
with the odor reaching the audience.
The experiment was well received by
the audience until Allen got carried
away, and during the hot love scene he
burned the food.
Henderson B
Ninety Thr
The Sperry ~
Towne Corne
The Grange
Let There be
A Prominent
J.R.W. Hit(
As Ripon Gr<
The Castelar
Those Who"
Chronological Index ­
San Joaquin Historian
New Series
March 1987 through December 1989
Spring 1987 Vol I New Series No.1
Stockton, The City of Windmills
by Edrie Bastion
Love, Cherish, and Obey - No More
by Amber Smith
(Broken Marriages in Early San Joaquin County)
Summer 1987 Vol I New Series No.2
The History of Street Cars in Stockton
by James L. Burke
The Pioneer Family Register
by Robert Shellenberger
The Calaveras School
by Amber Smith, Kathy
Bonham, and others
14
Lodi Area Cc
Their Orga
Tracy Booste
Chronologie,
March 198
Fall 1987 Vol I New Series No.3
Elvira Mugarretta Alias Babe Bean
by Louis G. Sullivan
Riverboat Passenger Travel,
Stockton to San Francisco
by Randy Facher
Winter 1987 Vall New Series No.4
No Publication
Spring 1988 Valli New Series No.1
Manteca - City in Transition by Howard Shidler
Summer Vol II New Series No.2
No Publication
Fall 1988 Vol II New Series No.3
No Publication
Winter 1988 Vol II New Series No.4
The John Lyman Beecher Story
Pioneer Register
Lodi's German-Russian Heritage The Beginnings
by Sandra Cole
Spring 1989 Vol 3 New Series No.1
Henderson Brothers Company, Inc.
Ninety Three Going on One Hundred
by Joyce Boda
The Sperry Mills of Stockton
by Renee McComb
Spring 1989 Vol 3 New Series No.2 Published in Summer of 1989 Towne Corner Interview with Del Smith and
records left in the Towne
House
Edna Wagner, Mrs. Henry
The Grange
Gronroos
Let There be Light and Power
by Robert W. Clottu
Fall 1989 Vol 3 New Series No.3
A Prominent San Joaquin Farmer Dead
Oral History - J.R.
J.R.W. Hitchcock
Hitchcock
As Ripon Grows
by Elsie Brown
The Castelanelli Dairy
Interviews with Lee, Bert,
Larry Castelanelli &
Georgette Marinkovich
Interviews with Jos
Those Who Killed Jack the Rabbit
Dubacher, Jack Williams,
Resource of The Manteca
Bulletin arranged by Mary
Albertson
Winter 1989 Vol III New Series No.4
Lodi Area Cooperative Wineries
by Charles J. Welch
Their Organization and History
by Amber Smith
Tracy Boosters 1920 - 1930
Chronological Index New Series
R.W. Clottu
March 1987 through December 1989 15
Funding for the printing of this quarterly issue was provided by....
ThE GRUPE COMPANY PLANNERS FOR THE FuTVRE. (209) 473-6155 Editorial Comment
The San Joaquin County Historical Society is grateful to THE GRUPE COMPANY
for providing the funding for this issue. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Each year, the December issue of The Historian will henceforth contain an index of
all articles published during the year. The index in this issue includes the subjects in
the "New Series." John Porter Bloom was Editor from March 1987 through 1988.
Robert W. Clottu has been Editor since January 1989. We appreciate the considerable
time and effort put forth by the authors and others who have contributed so much to
our publication.
Non·Profit
Organization
POSTAGE
PAID Permit No. 48 Lodi. CA 95241 16