NSGW Historical Preservation Foundation
Project Update
On August 5, 2023, Pebble Beach Parlor hosted a calamari steak dinner as a fundraiser for the ongoing restoration of their building, a historic Methodist Church in Pescadero. Several Grand Officers and and Grand President George Adams were in attendance.
Summer Updates
Beyond the grants to relocate the Centerville Cross in Ferndale and to the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation for interpretive signage, the HPF has also approved grants to:
The Willow Springs Schoolhouse Preservation Committee for their work on preserving the Willow Springs Schoolhouse, and
The Fiddletown Preservation Committee for their work on preserving the Fiddletown Schoolhouse.
Currently, the Board of Directors has talen the month of July off and out next meeting is scheduled for August. After that, check here for updates!
Check Presentations
The work of the HPF continues. Grand Trustee and HPF Director Richard Cortez presented a $6000 check to Ferndale Parlor #93 to help fund the relocation of the Centerville Cross and Grand Trustee and HPF Treasurer Douglas Love presented a $5000 check to the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation for interpretive signage for the USS Mariano G. Vallejo Memorial. Pictured with Richard Cortez are the Brothers of Ferndale Parlor. Pictured with Douglas Love are Brother Mike Kollar and his wife Dorothy, Brother Mike Steinberger and his wife Geraldine, of Vallejo Parlor #77, NSGW, MIHP Foundation Directors Bruce Christensen, Lynn Anderson, Dennis Kelly, and President Kent Fortner.
Thank You!
On behalf of the directors of the HPF, I wish to thank all of the Brothers who participated in the Special Fundraiser this year. Your generosity resulted in a net of $3905.91 for the HPF and I can assure you that those funds will be put to use helping to preserve California's History for future generations.
Thank You, my Brothers!
Douglas Love
Grand Trustee
Treasurer- HPF
Napa Parlor #62
Project Update!
June 14, 2023
Last year, the Historical Preservation Foundation helped fund a Gold Rush Exhibit at the Benicia Historical Museum. The exhibit is open and features a replica Miner's Tent, rockers, sluice boxes and artifacts from the 1840's and 1850's along with interpretive signage. The museum may be asking for further funding in the near future. Thanks to Executive Director Jen Roger, from Placerville #9, for some of the pictures and to her staff for such a fine exhibit! You can visit the museum's website at: https://beniciahistoricalmuseum.org/
Legacy Day at Donner Memorial Park
On June 10, 2023 Members of the HPF were invited to take part in "Legacy Day" at the Donner Memorial State Park. Chairman Carl von Bargen, Grand 3rd Vice President Kris Nelson, Vice-Chairman Robert Bruno, and Treasurer Douglas Love attended the event and manned the NSGW booth. We were able to see, first hand the restoration of the monument and the further plans for landscaping and beautifying the area. The Native Sons were the original owners of the park, the builders of the monument and the original concessionaire organization. We are proud of our continuing relationship with the Sierra State Parks Foundation and look forward to the final completion of the Donner project. To find out more about the Sierra State Parks Foundation, please visit:
https://sierrastateparks.org/
146th Grand Parlor
During the week of May 14th through May 19th, the Foundation had a hospitality room open in South Lake Tahoe. Chairman Carl von Bargen and the Board of Directors wish to thank the volunteers who staffed the room, especially Sean and Lisa Roden, Karen von Bargen, and Bree Aichele. Finally, we wish to thank all of the donors for their generosity and support, without all of you, we could not continue to fulfill our mission of preserving California's rich history for future generations.
Thank you.
442nd Regimental Combat Team Dedication
While some members of the HPF were in Smartsville for Pioneer Day, others were taking part in a historic joint plaque dedication at the 442nd 1combat Infantry Team Memorial in Roseville with member of the Native Sons and the Japanese American Citizen's League.
Pioneer Day in Smartsville
Members of the HPF barbequed tri-tip on April 29 as a fundraiser for the restoration of Church of the Immaculate Conception in Smartsville during the Pioneer Day Celebration. Thank you Director Brice Walker and Grand Trustee Richard Cortez for the photos.
Join The HPF at Pioneer Day in Smartsville!!!!! April 29, 2023
We will be selling Tri-tip at this event. Come by and Say Hi and find out what great projects we are working on.
Hope to see you There!!!!!!
Event Information Found Here!!!!
Pioneer Day (smartsvillehistoricchurch.org)
Spring is here!! (Sort of...)
Pebble Beach Update
Work continues on Pebble Beach Parlor's meeting hall. The photos below are courtesy of Frank Vento.
Project Update
Pebble Beach Parlor continues it's restoration of it's hall which is the historic 1890 Methodist-Episcopalian Church in Pescadero. New windows are being installed and new siding is going on to make sure the building is preserved for future generations. Photo Credit: Frank Vento, Pebble Beach Parlor #230
Benicia Historical Museum Grant
One of the more recent grants made by the HPF was a $2500 matching grant to the Benicia Historical Museum to begin work in a new Gold Rush exhibit.
Pebble Beach Parlor Restoration
Another of our ongoing projects is the restoration of the building used as a meeting place by Pebble Beach Parlor #230 of the Native Sons of the Golden West. This historic building began life in 1890 as the Methodist-Episcopal Church in Pescadero. After the 1906 Earthquake, the building served as a school house and community center. From 1927-1941, it served as the Japanese Community Center. In 1941, the Native Sons and Native daughters purchased the building and jointly owned it until 1999. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. In 2000, the Native Sons and the Pescadero History Project began to jointly restore the hall and operate it on behalf of the community as a community center. In 2020, Pebble Beach acquired sole ownership of the building and continue to restore it and use it as a meeting place and community center.
Photo Credit: Frank Vento, Pebble Beach #230
2022-2023 Directors
Congratulations to the 2022-2023 Board of Directors.
Chair: Carl von Bargen
Vice-Chair: Robert Bruno
Secretary: Jedidiah Watson
Treasurer: Doug Love
Director: Alfred Jones III
Director: Dan Ryan
Director: Brice Walker
Director: Lee Adams
Director: Marcia Skelton
Ex-Officio: George Adams
Gary Padgett
Richard Cortez
Liaison: Ethan Phillips