click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Now, this would make a good treasure-hunt... Find the Ghirardelli sign on the side of the old barn in Petaluma, California.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
It's down by the old historic area of the Petaluma River, which is more-or-less the END of the river and the beginning of the creek.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
[the following taken from the information display at the barn]
In the wee hours in March, 2004, this 19th century livery stable ended its residence on the corner of First and D Streets where it had dozed, forgotten and decomposing for decades. The fragile building was cut in two and trailered across the D Street Bridge, one half at a time, to this location on the McNear Peninsula. Restored, it becomes part of Petaluma's riverfront park.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Imagine that you're standing in front of this livery stable at Fifth and D Streets in 1910. The sound of hooves and buggies along the street sets up a rhythm. Barn swallows twitter past our head as they swoop through the stable entrance. You follow Mrs. Feldstein as she guides her horse and wagon into the dark interior. She exchanges greetings with Mr. McKinney, the liveryman, and you overhear how the weather is affecting the chickens. For a fee Mr. McKinney agrees to water and feed her horse while she runs errands.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Little Maria Lopez, clutching a whimpering puppy, follows her father into Doc Tierney's veterinary office located inside the stable. you follow them, but--phew--you stop at an awful smell. The liveryman laughs as you back out of the vet's door. "Doc doesn't believe in washin'. His shirts, that is, let alone himself. When a shirt gets dirty, he throws it in a pile and buys a new one".
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Serving as a combined veterinary office, "parking garage" for horse and buggy, information center, horse rental and even wagon and harness repair shop, the livery stable was once a vital hub of Petaluma's community.
CLICK for what I call my BIG site.
2 comments:
Great photos. The colour was so nice.
The text took me back in time. I remember some of the things from my childhood that were being described.
- J
Post a Comment