ARGONAUT GAZETTE KEEPING THE PAST ALIVE

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1 ARGONAUT GAZETTE KEEPING THE PAST ALIVE SACRAMENTO, November 2013 November is Here Janessa West, Program Coordinator While this is not my favorite month of the year, I am looking forward to our new member training and putting faces to names. We should also all be breaking in our vocal chords this month while the Parlor Singers practice for the upcoming caroling season. December gets extremely busy with family commitments, so make sure to pack your bag and go to the Dickens Fair this month. And if you get a chance, come down and see the tall ships before they sail away into the sunset. See you at the November 9 th meeting! President s Message Richard Vincent, President Ghost Tours have been so well received that it is downright spooky! Thanks to all the participants (but maybe not to the skunk who took an interest in Ted Judah). Get on your Christmas finery and come to the tree lighting in Old Sacramento on November 27. Join in on the caroling. We need a critical mass of us in period clothing to make a splash. If you can't make November 27, come to any or all of several nights a week for the light show from then until Christmas. To clear up some misunderstanding: Dr. Morse has not disappeared; he merely has gone into semiretirement and given up the tools of his trade (to Warren). He will still be around for limited consulting hours in the future Gold Rush Days. Jeff Bush Jeff was the behind-the-scenes guy for Living History for many years. He steadfastly refused to dress up in those silly costumes, but if we needed someone to decorate the Santa Parade float, or set up for Living History Day, or bring us something we desperately needed during Gold Rush Days, he was our guy. We miss you, Jeff. Thank you for your help. Volunteer Holiday Potluck and Decorating Party Friday, November 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Janessa West It s time to deck the halls, or in our case, decorate the museum for Christmas. This has been an all hands-on-deck party for the last few years and truly is one of my favorites. Join us as we decorate, sing carols, and have the ugliest holiday sweater contest. This is a potluck, so please bring a dish to share and enjoy! 1

2 Ghost Tours Janessa West Well, we did it! We had a very successful ghost tour season as we sold out all three weekends. Thank you to everyone who helped to research stories, put together a script, and iron out the wrinkles. Our ghosts and guides were fantastic this year as were the props and make-up! It takes a team to make these tours successful and you all proved yet again that we are up to the challenge. Thank you! Reports from the Field 2

3 Ghost Tours Terry Eargle Once again, a core group of committed members have made Ghost Tours 2013 another successful year in edutaining Old Sacramento patrons! This year's script was a wonderful blend of several members writing about spirits and their tales based on coroner logs historic facts, along with the deathly of Sacramento City history. The story thread was the life and death of the sweet May Woolsey who remains part of today's story with her trunk on display in the Sacramento History Museum and her grave site at the Sacramento City Cemetery. The use of the museum with its own interior ghost added to the ambience of the spirits from the beginning! This was the first time that I was a tour guide. It was an interesting change of pace and allowed me to interact with all the spirits and enjoy the reactions of our guests at each stop along the tour. I want to send a personal thank you to all those who participated including the script-writers, spirits, tour guides, shepherds, prop assistants, meet-ngreeters, reservationists, and event coordinator. Yes, and the last category is our most special Janessa West, who scurried about each evening, along with all of us, ensuring everything went well. Huzzah! And kudos to all! Reports from the Field 3

4 Creative Corner New from Laughing Moon Ball Gown with 2 bodice variations and 5 sleeve variations. This dress has a dropped shoulder typical of the time period. It comes with both a princess seamed bodice and a darted bodice. The neckline is a wide-boat and there are lower-cut options as well. View A is an 1840 s ball gown with plain, straight sleeves and an applied bertha. View B has a flared sleeves and bretelles and is great for the 1850 s. View C has a double puffed sleeve, which can also be made as a normal puffed sleeve, and a flounced, tiered skirt. View D has a flounced sleeve and a detached bertha, and View E has pleated sleeves. Both have piping at the armholes, waist and neckline. The back can be closed with either hooks and eyes or laced shut with eyelets. This dress was copied from an existing ball gown dated to the mid-1850s More Tips from Mrs Booz Submitted by Barbara Rothermel From The Standard Handbook of Household Economy for the People by Guillaume St Jean, 1860 To prevent the Hair falling off---apply a little of the following lotion to the roots of the hair two or three times a week: Spirit of turpentine, trotter oil, of each one ounce with the addition of thirty drops of acetic solution of cantharides. Another Put four pounds of unadulterated honey into a still, with twelve handfuls of the tendrils of vines, and the same quantity of rosemary tops. Distil as cool and as slowly as possible. The liquor may be allowed to drop till it begins to taste sour. Cheap Wash for the Hair Dissolve over the fire, in a quart of water quite boiling, one ounce of borax and half an ounce of camphor, finely powdered. Allow it to cool, and perfume it, if you choose, with a little rose water. Wash the hair frequently with the preparation, and brush it till it is dry. A Highly-Preservative Tooth Powder Take of prepared chalk and washed sulphur, of each one ounce; powdered myrrh and Armenian bole, of each two drachms. Mix Another Reduce to an impalpable powder halfan-ounce each of charcoal and orris root, two drachms of cuttle-fish bone, and one drachm of myrrh. 4

5 New Member Training Saturdays, November 2 & 16 If you are new to OSLH, plan to come to new member training in November at the Living History. We offer training twice a year, and all new members must attend both sessions in order to be considered full-fledged members. If you can only make one training date, you can pick up the second half at our April training days. To sign up for training, please talk to Mark Roper or Janessa. Training Schedule November :30: Welcome, Housekeeping, Intros - Mark Roper, Richard Vincent 10:30-11:00: Events, Organization, Rules - Mark Roper, Richard Vincent 11:00-12:00: Culture, Deportment - Mark Roper 12:00-1:00: Lunch 1:00-2:00: Character Development, Research - Ken Knott, Janessa West 2:00-3:00: Women s Clothing - Jane Clapp, Candi Zizek Upcoming Events November 16 10:00-11:00: History to Richard Vincent 11:00-12:00: Old Sac Walking Tour - Greg Tracy 12:00-1:00: Lunch 1:00-2:00: Bring it to the streets - Candi Zizek, Doug Peterson 2:00-3:00: Character Development - Barb Weisman 3:00-4:00: Men s Clothing - Doug Peterson Hawaiian Chieftain Sharon Taillefer The beautiful tall ship Hawaiian Chieftain docked above the Tower Bridge on October 21 st. It is a reproduction of what was once called a packet ship, a vessel used to carry passengers and cargo in the 1850s. The Hawaiian Chieftain is primarily for living history education, but the public can take tours of the ship Tuesday through Friday between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. and between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, with a donation of $3.00. It will be here until December 8 th, so be sure to come take a look at this beauty while it's here. Holiday Ball and Pony Express Holiday Ride Saturday, December 14 Things are still in the planning stages, but please mark this date on your calendar. This is an annual holiday event that combines cookies and cider, dancing, great music, and the Pony Express holiday ride. Dickens Fair The Dickens Fair runs for five weekends, including the Friday after Thanksgiving, from Saturday, November 23 through Sunday, December 22, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. If you haven t been, this is a fun and lively program brought to life by the same folks that do the Time Travel Weekends in Old Sacramento during the summer months. Many of our friends stroll and play various characters. 5

6 Parlor Singers The parlor singers meet an hour before the general meeting and practice singing 19 th century songs. If you are interested in lending your voice please come to the next practice on November 9 th at 9 a.m. Of General Interest Librarian s Random Pick Cathy Clarke Land of Many Hands: Women in the American West by Harriet Sigerman This is a new addition to our collection, a look at the lives of ordinary women trying to make a go of it in an inhospitable land. The author explains the role of women in the home and the community, and includes women of different ethnicities. This book is a good overview of women s lives in the 19 th century American Frontier. The Argonaut Gazette is published monthly by Old Sacramento Living History. Editor: Catherine Hanson Old Sacramento Living History Located in the Scurfield Basement Commonwealth Alley, Old Sacramento Mailing address Sacramento History Museum Attn: Living History 101 I Street Sacramento CA From your Editor Catherine Hanson Thank you to all who submitted articles and photos for this issue. All OSLH members are invited to submit items for inclusion in the Argonaut Gazette. Articles, photos, letters to the editor, calendar items, and personal news announcements are welcome. The submission deadline is the 25 th of the month before publication. Submissions may be modified for length and readability at the discretion of the editor. articles to me at: c1hanson@comcast.net For those without access, submissions can be mailed to: 1179 Theo Way, Sacramento CA Janessa West, Program Coordinator jwest@cityofsacramento.org, (916) OSLH Officers Richard Vincent, President Mark Roper, Vice President Doug Peterson, Past President Lisa Praxel, Secretary Janice Flowers, Treasurer Sandra Hand, Member-at-Large Dale Shinn, Member-at-Large OSLH is sponsored by the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation.

7 EVENTS CALENDAR Date Time Event Location Contact November 2 Saturday 10:00 a.m. New member training Living History Mark Roper 7 Thursday 6:00 p.m. Executive Board Sacramento History Janessa West meeting Museum 9 Saturday 9:00 Parlor singers practice Living History Doug Peterson 10:00 a.m. 9 Saturday 10:00 Membership meeting Living History Richard Vincent 11:00 a.m. 9 Saturday 11:00 a.m. Take it to the streets Lisa Praxel 16 Saturday 10:00 a.m. New member training Living History Mark Roper 16 Sunday 10:00 a.m. Project work day Living History Candi Zizek 22 Friday 5:30-7:30 Holiday Potluck and Sacramento History Janessa West p.m. Decorating Party Museum 27 Wednesday 5:30 p.m. Tree Lighting and Old Sacramento Janessa West Theatre of Lights 23 24, :00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. Dickens Fair Cow Palace, San Francisco December 12 Thursday 6:00 p.m. Executive Board meeting 14 Saturday 1:00 4:00 p.m. TBD Holiday Ball Caroling Sacramento History Museum Janessa West Saturdays & Sundays to 22 nd 11:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. Dickens Fair January 9 Thursday 6:00 p.m. Executive Board meeting 11 Saturday 9:00 10:00 a.m. 11 Saturday 10:00 11:00 a.m. 11 Saturday 11:00 a.m. 19 Sunday 10:00 a.m. February 1 Saturday? 10:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Parlor singers practice Membership meeting Take it to the streets Project work day Sacramento Museum Day Cow Palace, San Francisco Sacramento History Museum Living History Living History Living History Janessa West Doug Peterson Richard Vincent Lisa Praxel Candi Zizek 7

8 The Back Page Our amazing cast of ghosts dissolving into the moonlight 8