Odds and Ends (Hansen)

Jack Klemmet Hansen 9 months old  (July 1907)

  Before I move on to the Burrows and Hurd Families, I wanted to share some odds and ends that didn't quite make it into the other stories of the Hansen family in Grass Valley.  I think these tid bits  add more to the story of what gives my family a unique place in the history of Grass Valley, California. 

Jack Klemmet Hansen 12 months old  (October 1907)

Antique child's rocking chair (1906?) used by the three Hansen Boys.  Referred to as "Uncle Jack's rocker" (still in the family).

The Nevada County Laundry owned by John Hartwig Hansen early 1900's.  He may be standing next to the horse and wagon.  It was possibly located on Bennett Street where the freeway currently crosses. 

Harold Hansen talked about moving to the ranch near the  Idaho Maryland Mine in  March of 1916 during a "blinding snowstorm".  He described how the family climbed aboard the express wagon with side blinds drawn to escape the blizzard conditions.  He said the draft horses had a hard time making their way out E. Main street to Idaho Maryland road.  I found this picture in the book Nevada County Narrow Gauge by Gerald M. Best (1965).  It sounds like the winter of 1916 was a tough one!

Harold Lloyd Hansen (before 1928?) 

Friday, May 29, 1942 the Del Oro Movie Theater  opened in Grass Valley.  The dedication was given by Mayor John Hansen of the City of Grass Valley.  Musical selections were  sung by the California Cornish Gold Mining Singers. 

The Gold Miners Chorus  (Jack Hansen third from left) 

This group was a subset of the Cornish Choir, and was a select group who performed professionally  throughout Northern California.  The group toured regularly, especially on weekends.  The sledgehammer and rock with a drill bit were used in one of the songs as a rhythmic accompaniment. They also used an anvil to strike with hammers.  Excerpt from When Miners Sang by Gage McKinney (2001) and information provided by Margaret Hansen Boothby. 

The Cornish Choir  (Jack Hansen first on left, second row from top, Harold Hansen far right, and Jim Holman bottom row, fifth from left)  1946

Squaw Valley Winter Olympics February 1960 Program Cover

These pictures were in Uncle Jack's things.  I am assuming that he was there and took these pictures.....

Upon further discussion with Mom (Margaret Hansen Boothby), these pictures may have been taken by my Auntie Claire (her sister) who did go to the Olympics with the High School Choir.  They were asked to sing at the opening.  The kids had to sit or stand on hay bales because the bleachers they were supposed to use were not finished.  A lady in Auburn wrote a song about the event and having heard Harold Hansen (their father) sing with the Carol Choir, she called and asked him to record it.  He went to Auburn to the new little radio station there and recorded the song which played over and over during the time leading up to the Olympics.  Margaret recalls that she didn't remember any of the words to the song except for "at Squaw Valleeeeee" at the end of each verse and sung with his (Harold's) usual theatrical flair!  That's a great memory. 

"Feb. 18th 1960. Song "Let's Meet at Squaw Valley".  Words and music composed and written by Effie Lois Humphrey.  Soloist-Harold Hansen. Organist-Dorothy Simmons.  All of Grass Valley, California."

An action shot of ski jumping at the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics February 1960

I thought I would end with this one...of Jack Hansen as a little guy in the summer of 1907.   He wrote on the back..."Isn't this one naughty. I think the one who took this picture ought to be arrested."  I chuckle every time I read the caption!