The Bric-a-Brac of Our Lives

It’s true what they say about one man’s trash being someone else’s treasure.

Grocery store calendars, restaurant ashtrays, thermometers with corporate logos are junk to many. But pulled together by a skilled curator, the bric-a-brac of our daily lives can say a lot about us.

The bakery where Petaluma residents would always get their children’s birthday cakes.

The mill that provided more than 100 jobs at its heyday.

The local mortician who prepared the dearly departed for their last meeting with loved ones.

The assortment of simple, every day objects to paint a bigger picture of a community is the concept behind “Petaluma Remembered,” a new exhibit that opened Thursday at the Petaluma Historical Museum.

Organizers dug deep into the museum’s storage, unearthing all manner of kitschy treasures including cologne and toothpaste bottles from Tuttles Pharmacy, ashtrays, posters, calendars, jewelry and even a few eerie artifacts from Blackburn Mortuary, where Parent Sorensen is today.

“We just went into our basement and found anything we thought evoked the earlier days,” said Solange Russek, a museum volunteer and retired park ranger who organized the show.

It's not all bric-a-brac. The exhibit also includes several vintage dresses from the turn of the century through the ‘40s, hats, jewelry and other items donated by local families.

The exhibit is being timed with the upcoming Butter & Egg Days Parade on April 27, the theme of which is “Petaluma Legends.”

To that end, there are many artifacts about local legends on display at the museum, from recently retired Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey to Bill Soberanes, the Argus columnist and founder of Petaluma’s Wrist Wrestling Contest.

And for all you video fans out there...part of the exhibit features archival footage from Petaluma's past, including old Butter & Egg Day celebrations.  

“Petaluma Remembered” runs through May 19. Museum open Thursday through Sunday. General admission $4/Members $3.

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