Annual ‘History Talks’ Program Opens In the Plaza Saturday June 20

HEALDSBURG– The Healdsburg Museum Docents’ “History Talks” program returns to the Plaza this summer from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays June 20 to Aug. 29 with new illustrated talks about our town’s history. The talks are presented by a team of 20 Museum docents and guest speakers.

The first program, Saturday, June 20, will be “1976: A Year to Remember,” exploring Healdsburg of 50 years ago with four people who were there: mayor Jerry Eddinger, businessman Eric Drew, wine guy Dennis Hill and band leader Lew Sbrana.

The Museum Docents, who host the History Talks, are a group of volunteers formed four years ago to help take history out into the community. History Talks started as informal chats under a tent on the lawn at the Plaza in summer 2023 and have grown into a 10-week series with topics changing weekly, slideshows and kjdldk presented on the Plaza Gazebo.

The History Talks topics are selected by the docents, who are always looking for the best stories to tell and often add a personal touch, especially since many are long-time town residents who draw on their own experiences and old family stories.

“All the docents have studied Healdsburg history,” said History Talks chairperson Joanne Taeuffer. “And many of us ARE Healdsburg history.”

Some of this summer’s upcoming topics are:

·“School Days: Teachers, Text Books and School Spirit” presented by Steve Deas. (June 27)

·“Three Pioneers: Carrillo-Fitch, Heald and Matheson” presented by Claire O’Neill, Nita Miller and Don Anderson. (July 11)

·“Pine Flat and Preston: Quicksilver Mines and Utopian Visions” presented by Susan Sheehy and Holly Hoods. (Aug. 1)

·“Rails and Wheels: Turn-of-the-Century Transportation” presented by Mathew Lopez and Don Anderson. (Aug. 15)

·“Farm Town Forever: Dairy Farms and 4-H, FFA and HFFCF Traditions” presented by Elizabeth Bucher and Lillie Deas. (Aug. 22)

For a detailed schedule of topics and dates, check out https://www.healdsburgmuseum.org/history-talks-in-the-plaza

History Talks presentations are also presented in video form on the History Talks YouTube channel available here: https://www.youtube.com/@HealdsburgHistoryTalks