Historical Happenings

E. G.'s German Born Neighbor

2012-01-20T14:19:00.000-08:00

Last week I introduced Edward Gardner Lewis' Paso Robles neighbor, Ignace Paderewski and this week you will get a glimpse of E. G.'s neighbor to the southwest of the Colony. Some of the following information was found in my cousin, Douglas J. Gates, Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo thesis written in 1983 and some was related to me by my grandparents, Meredith and Luceille Gates.

German born Baron John H. Von Schroder upon retiring from his military career embarked on travels abroad seeking fame and fortune. His travel led him to San Francisco in 1881 where he met his future wife, Mary Donahue, daughter of wealthy San Francisco industrialist, Peter Donahue. Von Schroder pursued the hand of Mary Ellen but was met with a stipulation from her father that he become a landowner and swear to become a good American.

While staying at the Paso Robles Hot Springs in 1881, Baron Von Schroder heard of the abundance of wild game on fellow German, Albert Benton's ranch. The Baron spent several months enjoying the hospitality of Benton and resolved to own the property. He purchased the entire ranch in 1882 and set about immediately making improvements to provide accommodations for his future wife. Mary and John Von Schroder were married November of 1883. The Baron had developed a friendship with his countryman Albert Benton and retained him as Superintendent of the ranch. 1883 was a period of feverish activity on the ranch as superintendent, Benton and his crew of workmen raced to complete the various projects commissioned by the Baron.

Baron Von Schroder chose a name for his estate which would be in keeping with his regal bearing. A pair of eagles had established a nest on the steep cliffs near the falls on Atascadero Creek. It was reported the Baron climbed the incline and captured a young eaglet which he took to San Francisco as a symbol for his ranch. From that time the property was known as Eagle Ranch. Over a period of years the Baron secured additional parcels of land enlarging the ranch. He also purchased property in Rancho Morro Y Cayucos in 1890 and 1895 and in the town of Morro in 1897. Some of these properties were later sold to E. G. Lewis for the future development of the Cloisters. Other properties purchased by the Baron were former Rancho Atascadero land. In 1903 he purchased 1400 acres which became known as Eaglet because of its relatively small size and proximity to Eagle Ranch. This property is located in the vicinity of Food 4 Less and extends south to include the Atascadero State Hospital property.

James Wilkins is the president of the Atascadero Historical Society. The Colony Museum is located at 6600 Lewis Avenue, mailing address: P.O. Box 1047, Atascadero CA 93423. For more information, visit the website, www.atascaderohistoricalsociety.org or call 805-466-8341

The Great Publishing Plant

2012-01-20T14:17:00.000-08:00

Most everyone who thinks he can accomplish anything at all, thinks there is some one particular thing that he can do just a little better than most people. If he thinks this hard enough, and tries hard enough to do it he is rather apt to do it really better than most people. He must back himself with faith to the limit of his ability and resource, however, and show that he himself is not afraid of any possible obstacle, and that he has the confidence in his own ability to do the thing set forth that he asks others to have. There is just one thing that I think I can do, and that is build up a journal to an enormous circulation and hold it there.

There is a time to do everything, and a thing may sometimes fail, no matter how meritorious, because of being untimely. For many, many years I have been convinced that the greatest journal of the age would be a PICTURE journal, one that gave the news of the whole world, and carried its editorial messages by ACTUAL PHOTOGRAPHS.

I Believe that the public has become PICTURE-MINDED. The moving pictures would seem to demonstrate this. The leading publishers of the day are beginning to recognize it by the constantly greater effort to illustrate their journals by actual photographs. But a real pictorial journal, one giving the news of the world by ACTUAL PHOTOGRAPHS gathered each month through world-wide services, from the ends of the earth, was the thing of which I dreamed.

Until very recently, this was impossible because of the MECHANICAL problems of reproducing the photographs. Then came the perfection of a very old process, that of intaglio, in the form of a fast rotary printing press, reproducing the actual photographs with great speed, even more beautifully than the original. It seemed to be the answer to my problem, and last September the first issue of The Illustrated Review was born.

The subscription price was put at 10 cents for the first year. The purpose of this was that since it would cost just as much to organize the world-wide photographic services and secure the thousands of photographs from the ends of the earth each month, and then to etch them on the copper cylinders for the printing, whether one copy or one million were printed, manifestly the great problem was to secure a paid subscription of several million in the shortest possible time. The advertising income would also be based on the CIRCULATION, and it is the advertising income that makes the profit. I figured that at 10 cents for a year’s subscription, I would quickly be able to secure an enormous circulation and then by giving the subscribers such a journal as they never saw before, would be able to RENEW their subscriptions for the second year at $1, while if I made the subscription price $1 to begin with, I would be a life time getting the desired circulation.

So The Illustrated Review was born at 10 cents per year, last September. It had been hatching in my brain for ten years, but its actual birth was made possible by the new process of printing…

Then came the rapid organization of world-wide photographic services, so that nothing of importance could happen in the world, but that as quickly as possible the actual photograph of the event, persons, places and things would reach The Illustrated Review. Today twelve great photo services bring to The Illustrated Review from three to four thousand photographs from every corner of the earth each month.

“You may read about it in the newspapers, but if you want to actually SEE it, you must get The Illustrated Review.”

Did the public take to it? Well they did, just like ducks taking to water. When the January issue had been reached, we printed an enormous extra edition over what we thought would be the utmost demand, and there was not a copy to be had by the second day of January. Then we printed 100,000 more copies of the February issue, and it was all gone the first day of February. Then we printed 150,000 more copies of the March issue than of the February issue, and again it was not enough. Now we are printing 150,000 more copies of the April issue than of the March, and they probably will not be enough. That means an INCREASE of FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND in four months. Last week over FORTY THOUSAND subscriptions were received in two day’s mail.

It was just ten years ago next Sunday (March 4^th) that a former little journal that I had spent many years in building up to a circulation the largest of any publication in the world was destroyed. In those days it was possible to destroy any magazine or newspaper at the whim of a public servant. Those days have passed, however, and with them have passed into oblivion and “innocuous desuetude” all who had a hand in that crime. Let us forget them and it.

As I gazed at the corpse of that life work, the thought of a new and better journal sprang to life—a journal that would reach into more American homes than any journal ever before; a journal that would fill a new place and a new want. But the time was not ripe and no then known mechanical facilities could produce the thing I thought of. Nearly ten years I waited and the time came. Now with the most astounding rapidity The Illustrated Review is becoming the great national illustrated journal of America and I believe that before this summer passes it will have reached a circulation in excess of THREE MILLION SUBSCRIBERS.

No publication in all the world ever had three million subscribers before. In it I see the rebuilding far greater, better, more useful and more influential than before, a greater publishing institution of the people. I see again the building in a thousand cities and towns those beautiful little chapter houses where the greatest of opportunities may be placed in the reach of every woman and her children. I see behind it great new artistic and educational institutions, and back of it there now stands Atascadero, an empire of happy homes, sunshine and flowers, whose thousands of acres of fruitful orchards shall send their products into a million homes without the aid of the middleman.

And I see other things of which I will not speak now.

The most pressing requirement at this moment is the immediate building of the greatest plant, for the production of the Review by the wonderful new rotary gravure process, in the world. I want this great plant and The Illustrated Review to be ABSOLUTELY FREE. I want to pay off quickly, the last dollar of debt on our great plants at University City that they also may be free, and become the Central and Eastern plants of The Illustrated Review.

The building of this great new plant at Atascadero, and the carrying out of my plans for the Illustrated Review calls for a large sum of money quickly. I could obtain this by mortgage loans, by the selling of stock to certain interests or by taking into partnership in The Illustrated Review, large capital. It would not then be free. There is one way I can get the money for this plant, and that way means to personally take all the risk. I have the faith, and knowing those plans, will take it.

Recently I sent a letter to a large number of friends, stating the case and suggesting that if they would lend me personally, from $100 to $1000 I would give my personal note, payable on or before one year, with interest at 6 % and would with this note, give as bonus $500 of the Dividend-Sharing certificates of the Publishing Company owning The Illustrated Review, for each $100 of the loan. These certificates are NOT stockholdings and have no vote whatever, but represent an assignment for the full life of the publishing company of one-half the net-declared profits. The certificates holder has no voice or vote and is not a stockholder and these certificates are not for sale, but whatever profits from The Illustrated Review may be for the next fifty years, one-half of those profits go to the certificate holders.

I personally take the risk, and whether The Illustrated Review becomes the great success and profit that I expect to make it or not, I will have to pay the loans, since I give my personal note for them payable on or before one year with interest at 6%. The Dividend-Sharing Certificates are given as bonus.

The response to these letters was very fine. Thousands of dollars were sent me as loans for the building of the great new plant for The Illustrated Review, and the building of The Review itself. The plans for the great buildings are nearing completion, and already the first of the great new presses is on the way, to be followed by five others. I hope by another month to have enough in hand to build and equip the great plant for spot cash, pay every dollar of remaining debt on the University City plants and then double the size of The Illustrated Review and also bring out THIS magazine by the same wonderful new printing process, superbly illustrated.

With the May issue, The Illustrated Review opens its columns to advertising for the first time, with an advertising rate up in the thousands of dollars per page. Beginning with June its subscription price goes to $1 per year. The new plant is estimated to save its entire cost, twice over, the first year, in the cost of producing The Illustrated Review.

If you would like to have a hand in this thing, you can do so to whatever amount you wish up to $1000. Whatever amount you loan, will be a personal loan to me. My personal note payable on or before one year will be sent you, bearing interest at 6% and with it a Dividend-Sharing Certificate in The Illustrated Review of a par value of $500 for each $100 of your loan.

E. G. LEWIS

People's University & American Art Porcelain - The work of The University City Pottery

2011-12-13T16:31:00.000-08:00

People's University (Lewis 1907 - 1912)

The information found in today's article are excerpts from an article written by Paul F. Evans in the December 1971 edition of Spinning Wheel, The National Magazine about Antiques. The article demonstrates another example of Edward G. Lewis' ability to attract highly talented individuals to assist in working towards the goal of furthering the opportunities available for communities. The 1910 Dean and Director of the Art Institute in University City, George Zolnay's bronze, "The Pioneer" may be viewed at the Atascadero Colony Museum. The statuary fountains around the Historic Administration Building as well as the round "cameo" style insets in the lower rotunda are by Zolnay also. Pottery and porcelains by Doat and Robineau may periodically be seen on display in our museum on loan from a private collection.

American Art Porcelain – Two

The work of The University City Pottery

Edward Gardner Lewis, a man of many talents and ambitions which centered largely around a group of co-related publishing, educational, and business enterprises, launched the American Woman's League in 1907. An editorial in the American Woman's League indicates that the plan and purpose of the League – dedicated to “the integrity and purity of the American home, with wider opportunity for American women” - centered about the People's University. Members of the League were entitled to enroll in correspondence courses; during the first full year of operation in 1910, a total enrollment in excess of 50,000 had been recorded. All instruction was given by that means, with one exception: women of superior talent were invited to University City as honor students to study under the personal instruction of the staff there assembled.

At University City, schools of education, language, commerce and administration, journalism, and photography were planned, but none were developed to the extent of the Art Institute. The germ of that Institute was Lewis' own artistic interests and his amateur ceramic work, a skill which was self-taught using Taxile Doat's textbook, Grand Feu Ceramics, translated by Samuel Robineau.

The faculty of the institute was most impressive; George Julian Zolnay, internationally renowned sculptor, was Dean and Director. John H. Vanderpoel, Director of the School of Painting, was the leading instructor at The Art Institute of Chicago. Antoinette P. Taylor was the Instructor of Metal and Leather work, and Mrs. Prudence Stokes Brown of Elementary Handwork. Taxile Doat, known throughout the world for his exceptional work at the National Manufactory of Severes, was engaged as Director of the School of Ceramic Art...

Both Lewis and his wife, Mable G., modeled, decorated, and fired earthenware and porcelains, and examples of their work can be found with their names or initials. So great was their interest that when Lewis founded the town of Atascadero, the California colony of the American Woman's Republic... At one time it was contemplated that the Institute be moved from University City to Atascadero but that never materialized... Plaques modeled by Mrs. Lewis were made by Doat at University City for the new colony. These bore the facial designation “Atascadero; Nymph of Springs,” one possible meaning of the town name.

Atascadero Centennial Daffodil Project Has Deep Roots

2011-12-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

This project was conceived by Lee Swam as a way to beautify Atascadero in general and Colony Homes specifically in advance of our Centennial celebration which is only 2 years away. The goal is to plant 25,000 bulbs prior to the celebration. So far, 3200 bulbs have been planted around town. Seed money was provided by the Atascadero Mutual Water Company to kick off the project. Among others involved are the Chamber of Commerce, Rabobank, Teens at Work, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. This project has roots and bulbs that go back 88 years or more. For example, the Thalia bulb was introduced in 1916 coinciding with beginning of the Colony Home period; February Gold and Mrs. R.O. Backhouse were introduced in 1923 and the Carlton bulb in 1927.

This week, 88 years ago in 1923 a letter was submitted to the Editor, H.J. Loken, Atascadero News in response to his call for the community to submit ideas for the ‘Atascadero The Beautiful’ campaign. This reprint of that letter illustrates the timeliness of the current community effort.

“Dear Editor: “Beautify Our Homes” would be a good slogan for Atascadero for the next two years at least. Your editorial concerning this will no doubt bring ready response from many of us who came here because of the beauty of nature which surrounds Atascadero. The Nature Club is doing much to enable us to see with our eyes, hear with our ears, in short to use our senses to the utmost to appreciate the beauties so bounteously bestowed by Nature upon us.

The people will find it ready at all times to render assistance to the limit of its ability. So far it has utilized its time in learning our flowers, birds, trees, rocks, etc. but what a noble work it could do and will do if everyone interested will do his little to help. A handful of seed gathered by one is not much but think of the marvelous beauty that could be created if a thousand people brought a handful of seed and the Nature Club saw to the planting and rearing of the seed and its young plant. The operation of our local experts would certainly be voluntary and the results would make Atascadero stand out above any other place in the state or perhaps the world.

So far I have had wild flowers in mind but let us go further. Let us find out what cultivated flowers and shrubs and trees do best here and let us plant them in abundance. Let us do team work; let us obtain color harmony. The way to do such things is to get together and talk it over and receive expert advice. The Nature Club will handle the details, I feel sure, if people show they want such things. Our pioneer life here is rapidly drawing to a close and the second stage is close upon us, namely, the blending of our architecture to make it harmonize with the architecture that nature has had here for thousands of years.

Could we spend a few nights this winter to better advantage than to have talks on the different flowers both cultivated and wild which we could use to beautify the places we have rudely scarred the natural beauty. Because we already have more wild flowers than any other place in the world is all the more reason why we should replace them in the places where we have ploughed them up.

Conservation is a work that is being spoken more and more. All know that it is a good thing to conserve but all have not realized that the word is applicable right here as well as elsewhere…How many volunteers can we get who will plant just one shrub or tree or flower in the park around Paradise Spring for instance, and care for that plant till it no longer needs attention. Or perhaps better let us take some place or places nearer for those who must walk-Community House, Pine and Lookout Mountain, the Highway, Traffic Way, etc., etc.

If this plan meets with approval let us drop the Editor a postal and ask for a meeting with the Nature Club to start action.

Yours truly

CARL H BRYANT “

If you would like more information or you are interested in participating in the Centennial Daffodil Project, please call Lee Swam at 440.0765 or Joe Benson at joe@envisionsgallery.com

Submitted by

Thomas E. Lewis

Vice President AHS

Pup in a Cup

2011-11-28T16:52:00.000-08:00

Hearty wishes to you from the Atascadero Historical Society as we enter the Holiday season!

Hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Day and found lots of things to be thankful for. Remember, as Christmas shopping begins; buy American and locally whenever possible.

This photo of a cute little pup in a cup covers a full page in the April 1919 Illustrated Review.

Caladero Pumpkin Flour introduced in 1920

2011-11-23T17:21:00.002-08:00

Caladero Pumpkin Flour introduced in 1920

I hope everyone enjoyed celebrating Thanksgiving Day with family and friends. I am not a fan of Pumpkin pie but it is a Thanksgiving Day tradition in our household not only for dessert but for breakfast the next morning (not eaten by me I assure you). You pumpkin-eaters may be interested to learn that in1920 Atascadero there was a dehydrating plant located on Traffic Way and Via. Pumpkin flour was produced there and received a mention in the January 1922 monthly publication, “The American food journal.” The following is excerpt from an article in the journal.

Rapid Development of Dehydration Since War.

Just as the wars of the last century stimulated the development of canning so did the recent war create a worldwide interest in dehydration. California also felt this call and supplied several million pounds of dehydrated vegetables during the war, the principal producer being E. Clemens Horst of San Francisco. Over 200 dehydrators have been built in California since 1918. These range from small one ton per day dryers to large modern plants of 50 to 75 ' tons capacity. Of special interest among these is, the Caladero Products Company, Atascadero, in whose $200,000 plant a variety of dehydrated fruits and vegetables is produced. This company has recently perfected and introduced an excellent pumpkin flour for pies.

Another Use for the Caladero Processing Plant

2011-11-23T17:21:00.000-08:00

Another Use for the Caladero Processing Plant

Hospitality was alive and well in the young colony of Atascadero according to the article published in the July/August 1920 edition of The Illustrated Review. E. G. Lewis put the members of the Editorial Association up in tents the first time their conference was in Atascadero but found a new approach to housing them during their 1920 conference. After writing last weeks article about the Caladero Processing Plant you may find the following article as interesting as I did.

Newspaper Editors at Atascadero

Recently the Illustrated Review entertained for a week nearly two hundred editors of newspapers of California, at Atascadero. The great conserving plant of the Caladero Products Company was converted into a hotel. Twenty thousand fruit boxes were used to build little houses with, each house being completely furnished and all facing on streets leading out from a civic center, in which had also been built from fruit boxes, a city hall, jail, hotel and pawnshop, where needy editors could get small loans on their watches. Following the convention of newspaper editors, the following resolution was presented by them to Atascadero:

Resolutions

Whereas, The members of the Southern California Editorial Association four years ago, in 1916, as guests of Mr. E. G. Lewis, while enjoying his handsome hospitality had the privilege of a pre-view of his vision of an ideal illustration of community life at Atascadero, California: and,

Whereas, Four years later, in the year 1920, we are again the glad guests of the good people of Atascadero and have seen the amazing consummation of Mr. Lewis' dream – a fact accomplished by the cordial cooperation of Mr. Lewis and the wonderful folk he has attracted to Atascadero from all parts of the world; therefore be it

Resolved, That we congratulate Mr. Lewis and his able assistant Mrs. Lewis on the result of seeing their dreams come true, and the people of Atascadero on their good fortune in their association with such a leader as Mr. Lewis, and the remarkable result of such association; further, be it

Resolved, That in returning thanks for Atascadero hospitality, twice enjoyed by ourselves, we give hearty and practical expression thereto by telling the world through our various newspapers that Mr. Lewis and the good people of Atascadero have here actually accomplished what has so often been attempted – a choice community life that people everywhere hope for, but not many besides the fortunate folk casting their lot with Mr. Lewis in Atascadero, have ever actually attained.

Committee on Resolutions

Crombie Allen, Chairman, Ontario Daily Record.

W. O. Hart, Orange Daily News.

W. S. Spencer, Oceanside Blade.

Geo. F. Orgibet, Redondo Breeze.

M. D. Witter, Brawley Daily News.

Harvey Johnson, Banning Record.

R. M. Adam, Lompoc Record

Atascadero's First Zoo

2011-11-23T17:20:00.001-08:00

Atascadero's First Zoo

E.G. Lewis definitely had a sense of humor as witnessed in this excerpt from a very long article he wrote in the January 1920 issue of The Illustrated Review. He frequently added amusing paragraphs in his articles reporting the progress and events of early Atascadero. It appears from his writing that forming a zoo was his desire from the very formation of Atascadero. It is unfortunate E. G. didn't have Charles Paddock to assist with the Colony's first zoo; the release of his collection may not have been necessary.

Making the Unearned Increment Earn Itself

The Zoological gardens that I had secured, composed of all the native varmints obtainable, was located close to Headquarters House, the only residence on the vast estates. They soon learned to sing in chorus, however, with a big black furred coyote name Bob as bandmaster. They certainly could go some when they got started about midnight; but for the fiercest noise the ear can listen to, commend me to about a thousand cows with their calves inside a corral being weaned, while they talked to them through the rails all night...

A great convention had been held, to which came several thousand people from every part of the United States... A tent city, complete in every detail, had been constructed with a capacity of four thousand people, and it was filled to over-flowing... It was during this convention that the Zoo having become such a nuisance, Mrs. Lewis insisted that it be dispensed with. One clear moonlight night, about 2 o'clock a. m., the nightly concert having become insufferable, I went out and cut the wires of the cages and pens.

First Old “Bob” the leading coyote, slowly and carefully stuck his head through, then jerked it back, and watched to see what would happen.

Then he stuck it out again, and jerked it back, then he sat and contemplated the hole in the wires, and the moon, and thought a moment. Then he stuck his head clear through and carefully examined all the edges and the ground below; then like a flash he went through.

After gamboling round a few moments he went back and tried to get the rest of the bunch to come out, jumping in the cage and out again to show them it was all right. Finally one by one he coaxed them out. Meantime, the bob cats, the coons, the eagles, the foxes, the badgers, the owls and the rest of the varmints had taken their silent departure.

The whole outfit struck right over to the tent city and crawled in wherever they could. There were many heroes in Camp Atascadero that night. That Zoo outfit stuck round Headquarters House for months and in fact the coons and some others still are with us, as the watermelon patch bears testimony to each summer. The eagles made a specialty of cleaning up all the cats, while the coyotes feeling that they were the original option holders, helped themselves to Mrs. Lewis' chickens. One eagle used to sit out on the pergola in front of the house all day, and a visitor with a fine Pomeranian dog, dropped him on the ground one day. The eagle spotted the pup and not having had any Pomeranian recently, made a dive and I lost a land purchaser when she lost her pup.

Removed Rotunda Trees to be Utilized by Historical Society

2011-11-23T17:19:00.001-08:00

Removed Rotunda Trees to be Utilized by Historical Society

When you travel across the Lewis Avenue bridge heading toward the Junior High, you will see a sight that most of us haven't seen in our lifetime. The grandeur of Atascadero's Historic City Hall is a striking sight. This jewel built as the heart of the Civic Center by Atascadero's founder, E. G. Lewis, is a magnificent work of art. Now that the trees have been removed from the Lewis Avenue and East Mall sides of the building, also known as the Rotunda, it can stand in its original glory.

As president of the Atascadero Historical Society my first contact with Bernards, the construction management team contracted to oversee the restoration of the Rotunda, was during an evening when they were walking around the building prior to them being awarded the bid. They caught sight of the Atascadero Colony Museum. I happened to be there working on a project and observed them looking curiously towards the museum so I invited them in. This was my first introduction to them and their first contact with Historical Society. Bernards was the only construction company that actually spoke to us about the history of the building which made a favorable impression on me. I spoke in their favor at the City Council meeting and was pleased when their company was awarded the project. I felt compelled to speak before the council on several occasions after that when concerns about the protection measures for the trees were viewed as a possible safety hazard for the construction crew. The majority of our board of directors agreed the historic building could be better appreciated if it was not hidden behind the trees.

When the idea of removing the trees came to light I proposed the Historical Society would like to utilize the larger sections to be milled into lumber. Whit's Turn Tree Care was awarded the contract to remove the trees and agreed to give wood for milling to the Society. The lumber will be used around the Colony House Museum for future projects. We have received some of the wood chips for use in our landscaped areas. Another use will be as a fundraiser for the Society to raise monies to help with Atascadero's upcoming centennial in 2013.

For the past month or so I have worked on the logistics of lining up the necessary equipment and timing with Bernards, Whit's Turn Tree Care, R. Burke Corporation and Dwight Peterson Low Bed Service to secure the wood after it was cut and move it to a storage area. Steve Burke of R. Burke Corporation provided use of an excavator with a thumb to pick up the logs and Dwight Peterson provided the trucks and trailers to move the logs. We are grateful to both companies for working with us to minimize our costs.

The Story of a Pioneer

2011-11-23T17:18:00.001-08:00

If perchance you attended the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce Business Showcase a couple of years ago and viewed the Historical Society's exhibit, you may have noticed an elderly gentleman pictured holding some gigantic vegetables. That gentleman was Dr. J. E. Littlefield, one of Atascadero's earliest settlers. Dr. Littlefield truly embraced the pioneer spirit that E. G. Lewis envisioned for our community.

The following article is excerpt from the Atascadero Historical Society's February 13, 1928 bound copy of the Atascadero News.

The Story of a Pioneer

by DR. J. E. LITTLEFIELD

I came to Atascadero in 1913 and selected my land. In 1914, I opened the first business (optical and photographic) on the Estates. In 1915, I became the first President of our Booster Club. I built my home, planted the first family orchard, garden, grapes and berry patch. I brought in the first baby chicks, rabbits and pigeons. For five years my place was known as the “Show Place” of Atascadero.

With this statement as a foundation, I feel that I am qualified to speak as a real Pioneer Settler of Atascadero.

After forty years of business activity in the East and Middle West, I came to Atascadero because of its fine climate and natural beauties. I consider that nature here has produced her masterpiece. These beautiful hills and valleys, giant oaks and sycamores, springs and running streams, cannot be duplicated in any other part of the world. With never a hot night in summer or a cold day in winter, three hundred and fifty days of sunshine each year, it is a veritable Paradise, wherein one finds the real joy of living.

It has been my pleasure to experiment with everything that could be produced on a one-acre garden farm that I might assist other settlers coming later. I have conducted a private information bureau and answered countless letters of inquiry. My answers were based upon my own personal experience.

Hundreds visited my place and saw with their own eyes the largest cabbages, cauliflower and other vegetables, raised anywhere. My fruits, berries and grapes would win the most skeptical to the fact that this is the place to build their ideal home.

In the pioneer days Atascadero was greatly handicapped. I had to go fifteen miles by train to buy my groceries and feed. Today one can buy everything in Atascadero, in modern stores.

I had no home market that first year and I shall never forget the thrill I got when I carried my first pail of beautiful white eggs to our new store and traded them for groceries. My cockerels found a ready market among the new residents as I dressed them and delivered them wrapped in parsley from my garden...

Today, with our present market facilities, I consider that Atascadero offers the greatest inducement for home-building and the opportunity to produce food for our California cities. One can obtain the highest cash prices any day in the year for all he can produce. Feed prices and other overhead expenses are less here than in any other part of the State...

Abraham Lincoln once said and it is recorded in stone on our beautiful Civic Center Building, “The most valuable of all arts will be the art of deriving a comfortable subsistence from the smallest area of soil.” Nowhere in this world can this be more easily done than in Atascadero, California. His prophecy is being fulfilled before our very eyes...

I came to Atascadero to end my days. I feel that I have added at least twenty years to my span of life during my fourteen years' residence here...

Enough said; Make your home in Atascadero the Beautiful. A long and happy life awaits you here. Atascadero will welcome you with a glad hand and happy smile.

Great Morro Road

2011-11-23T17:17:00.000-08:00

Today's article is excerpt from the “E. G. Lewis Monthly Letter” and can be found in the November 1916 edition of the Woman's National Magazine. The monthly column written by E. G. provides interesting reading as he described the progress and goals of the growing Colony and included tidbits of local happenings. The magazine was published monthly in Atascadero within our historic Printery Building by the Woman's National Publishing Company of which E. G. Lewis was president, Mabel G. Lewis, Vice President, J. N. Bissell, Editor, R. P. O'Connor, Secretary and G. B. Lewis, Advertising Manager. The magazine went from a weekly publication to a monthly magazine starting with the September 1916 issue selling for 10 cents a copy or $1.00 a year. The previous twelve years of the weekly woman's magazine was published in University City, Missouri.

One of the Busiest and Most Interesting Places in California

Says Morro Beach is Best of All

Two weeks ago Sunday we opened the great Morro road to the seashore and let the automobiles go over it through the mountain passes. A continuous string of them went through. It is one of the most beautiful roads in all California. We have closed it again to the public for this season as we will be working on it all fall and winter, improving the grades and making great rock cuts to give better roadway and by spring we will open it permanently. Meantime, this coming week, our engineers go down to the beach to begin the work of the final surveys for the topographical maps that must precede the laying out of the improvements of the superb beach property. I have just received a letter from a California woman who has visited and bathed at about all of the beach resorts on the coast, in which she writes as follows:

I have been to a great many beaches in California (having lived here fifty-three years) but I never have bathed at any beach as lovely as our Atascadero beach. There is no doubt in my mind that our Atascadero beach and its attractions will be the greatest in California.

It is a peculiar thing that one-fourth of all the thousands of purchasers of orchards and residence lots in Atascadero are Californians. They ought to know.

It scarcely seems possible that this beautiful Colony with its hundreds of beautiful homes, its great buildings, its thousands of acres of orchards, its sea beach, parks, seventy miles of roads and streets have all been created and built up in the few months since we purchased this immense estate, which had scarcely been trod by the foot of man. It just shows what a power several thousand people are when they all join together with a common purpose, no matter what their neighbors say to them. It takes people who know their own minds and can act on their own judgment to accomplish anything worth while. If all those who are interested in Atascadero, and who have helped to make it possible, had acted on the advice of others who knew nothing about it but constituted themselves general guardians on general principles, Atascadero would still be a trackless wilderness today, as it was for thousands of years before we bought it. Darn a man who can not make up his own mind and then act on it, but has to get all his neighbors to tell him what to do. He usually does nothing and then berates Dame Fortune because of his lack of opportunity.

The English Dynamo

2011-11-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

In 1919 E. G. Lewis and the Colony gained a new neighbor on Eagle Ranch by the name of Frederick Peabody, owner of the company that made Arrow Collars for men’s shirts. I will just touch the surface of the accomplishments that Frederick and his wife, Kathleen achieved independently and together.

Frederick met Kathleen Burke when she traveled to the United States, on a funds raising mission during World War I, as a representative for the Red Cross. They were married in April 1920 and spent some of their honeymoon at Eagle Ranch. Their marriage ended after seven years when Frederick died in 1927. Kathleen married John Reginald McLean, a World War I acquaintance, a couple of years later and while returning to Santa Barbara from their honeymoon in San Francisco, the couple were involved in an automobile accident near Santa Maria, that killed her new husband.

While recuperating in France, Kathleen met up with another war-time friend, Girard van Barkaloo Hale, and rekindled their friendship. Kathleen's final marriage was to Girard in December 1930. The Hales traveled around Europe and were gone for a long period of time before returning to Eagle Ranch. My grandfather, Meridith Gates, heard from Harry Hewitt, owner of Hewitt's Hardware in Templeton, the owners of Eagle Ranch were looking for a superintendent for their ranch. He submitted the appropriate paperwork and was hired by Kathleen Hale. It was a couple of years before he actually met his employers, Mr. and Mrs. Hale.

The following caption was printed beneath the autographed photo of Kathleen Peabody given to E. G. Lewis and included in the June 1920 Illustrated Review:

A new Atascaderan, Kathleen Burke Peabody, the most decorated war worker in the world, recently married an Atascaderan, Mr. F. F. Peabody, the millionaire manufacturer. Miss Burke is from London and has been decorated by all the great nations of Europe for her heroic services at the battle fronts, and is the youngest of the 116 commanders of the British Empire created by King George. The Peabody estate is in the Western mountains of Atascadero, and Mrs. Peabody adds another noted personage to the Atascadero community. She is a most charming and beautiful woman.

1950 Aerial View of E. G. Lewis Civic Center

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Found this photo in the August 17, 1950 Atascadero Advertiser a shopper guide to the local businesses published by the Atascadero News in cooperation with the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce. This aerial picture of Atascadero shows the school facilities of 1950 Atascadero. This general view in the picture is from east to west. I added the descriptive text on the picture to help readily identify the various locations within the E. G. Lewis Civic Center at the time the photo was made. This is how the mall and gardens looked before the highway cut through on the west side of El Camino Real and the Junior High was built on the east side.

E. G.'s 1916 Visit to Mr. Tognazzini

2011-11-05T09:34:00.001-07:00

Mr. Lewis wrote about the Colony's beach property (currently a Morro Bay housing development known as the Cloisters) in the following excerpt copied from one of his monthly letters to his many readers. The Colony Holding Company built a beach hotel and restaurant for persons taking a holiday at the beach but also sold small beach lots to Colony residents to build their own cottage or bungalow for regular visits. The article in its entirety may be found in the December, 1916 edition of Woman's National Magazine..

The Monthly Letter From Atascadero

By E. G. Lewis

ATASCADERO, California, Nov. 6, 1916.

Today I drove by auto down to Morro beach to visit Mr. Peter Tognazzini, the Supervisor of that district, who lives a few miles above the beach in one of the canyons running in from the seashore. In his yard were oranges, lemons, grapefruit, limes and other tropical fruits ripening on the trees in great abundance. Mr. Tognazzini has lived there for forty years and told me that geraniums blossom the year round. In discussing the matter with him, he saw no reason why we should not plant the streets of Morro, particularly the seed farms back of the beach, with lemons, grapefruit and lime trees with great success. This is something worth thinking about in the subdivision of our Morro beach property.

Here at Atascadero, although it is the 6^th of November, we still have the roses in full bloom, every kind of vegetable and berry in the garden while a new crop of radishes, the ninth this year, is just getting large enough to be enjoyed. Coming home tonight by moonlight, along the road that skirts the beach for miles, with the moon shining over the sea waves and breakers, and old Morro Rock looming up out at sea. I could see this same scene a few short years from now with hundreds of pretty seaside cottages, of Atascadero's people, the great pavilion and pier lighted brilliantly, and the soft balmy air stirring the leaves of the palms, lemon, lime and grapefruit trees along the streets of Atascadero's seaside resort.

Back over the mountains a few miles, but a thousand feet above the beach, the Colony itself will nestle in its beautiful valleys, while Morro road will connect its every part with the seashore. The Automobile Club of Southern California has already placed a steel post and sign pointing from the beach road up the Morro road which we have built, with the single word on it “Atascadero” and an arrow pointing the way.

Paderewski “future ruler of Poland”

2011-11-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

This month, during the Paderewski Festival, the Paso Robles Historical Society and The Pioneer Museum showcase displays celebrating Ignace J. Paderewski. The Pioneer Museum has borrowed one of our Illustrated Review magazines showing photos and articles written by Paderewski. Over the last couple years while researching, I have noticed quite a few articles, photos and references to Paderewski and his friendship with E. G. and Mabel Lewis. The following article mentions M. and Mme. Paderewski were frequent visitors to the historic Printery Building (located at Olmeda and West Mall in Atascadero). I find it intriguing the Premier of Poland spent many pleasurable hours in Atascadero. The editor's (E. G. Lewis) following comments may be found in the December, 1919 edition of The Illustrated Review.

Coming events cast their shadows before, and sometimes these shadows are but the inadvertent disclosing of high state secrets concerning which the die has been cast by those in high places long before the actual event comes as a startling surprise to the masses. More than a year and a half before M. Ignace Paderewski became Premier of Poland, the Editor of The Illustrated Review was his guest at a birthday party in the Paso Robles Hot Springs Hotel, eight miles north of Atascadero. At this banquet several prominent Eastern men were also present. A toast was offered M. Paderewski as the “future ruler of Poland”, which would seem to indicate that his selection to head the new State of Poland had been determined upon by the powers, secretly, and long in advance. M Paderewski lived on his ranch close by Atascadero and both he and Mme. Paderewski were tireless in their efforts to help Poland, his native land. M. and Mme. Paderewski were frequent visitors to the plant of The Illustrated Review and warm friends of the Editor. His career in Europe is therefore of more than usual interest to The Illustrated Review. ~ EDITOR

Preserving Atascadero's Living Museums One House at a Time

2011-08-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have noticed the old Colony house out by Home Depot that was moved down closer to El Camino Real a few years back. There were 17 homes left unfinished that sat for the last few years before the homes were purchased and finished this year. The Colony house has been sitting awaiting the proper attention and finally General Pacific Properties hired a local contractor, Reynolds Construction, to restore the home.

The Atascadero Historical Society was contacted by Eric Kimmell, employed by General Pacific Properties, seeking information regarding the history of the Colony home they were in the early stages of renovating. Our team searched our available files and sought out information but to no avail (keep in mind that some of our files were quickly packed away following the San Simeon Earthquake and have yet to be processed). Fortunately, Leighton Cook, descendant of Eulah P. Cook who bought the house in 1940, phoned Eric. He has been watching the construction on his former family home as it progressed. The home originally sat on an approximately 11.5 acre parcel and had one or more large chicken houses. Leighton's family were the owners of the Glen Oaks grocery store in Eaglet. Leighton recollects the store location was previously opened by Martha Dandridge Cook as an auto camp in the Tent City period named Camp Buena Vista. You may currently shop at Glen Oaks Plaza on El Camino Real although the auto camp and grocery store are only memories. Meanwhile, the Chain of Title and copies of all the Grant Deeds with the Chain were received by General Pacific Properties. It indicates the parcel first sold October 31, 1919 to William J. O' Donnell.

Atascadero Historical Society is partnering with General Pacific Properties to help preserve one of Atascadero's living museums one house at a time. Eric Kimmell, real estate agent representing the Regio Place homes for sale, and his wife Carrie are hosting an open house Saturday, August 20, 2011 from 12 pm to 4 pm at the historic home located at 5466 Regio Place. Historical Society president, Jim Wilkins, vice-president, Tom Lewis and Leighton Cook will be assisting General Pacific Properties with the ribbon cutting ceremony at 1 pm.