Memorial Park in Grass Valley California....More Musings on Memorial Day and Our Hansen Family Service Recognized....

 

 Memorial Park

Grass Valley, California 

All Veteran's Memorial and Memorial Grove

City of Grass Valley.com 

  Memorial Day is a national holiday set aside for reflection and remembrance of those who died while serving in the U.S. Military. I have previously posted about the origins of Memorial Day (previously called Decoration Day), what this day has meant to our family and the service of my Hansen and Boothby relatives (see posts from  May 31, 2021 , June 4, 2021) .  You can read about the Hansen Brothers' WWII service in these posts: May 26, 2020, June 10, 2020 and June 15, 2020; you can also click on the WWII link on the right. 

  This Memorial Day I would like to reflect on the service of my Hansen relatives and how it has now been marked for future generations of our family.  Even though these men did not die in service they did serve with honor and came home very different men than when they left their homes in Grass Valley and Reno to serve their country.  I am sure they were very aware of the ultimate sacrifice that countless friends and fellow service members paid.   We are able to enjoy our  privileges and freedoms as citizens of the United States of America because of those sacrifices. 

 These marble plaques were recently installed at the All Veterans Memorial located in Memorial Park, Grass Valley, California (2023).  The first phase of the project began in 2002; the names on the walls honor Nevada County veterans living or deceased who served in all branches of the military.  Margaret Boothby (my mother) requested that four plaques be added this year in honor of John Hartwig Hansen (her Grandfather), Jack Hansen (her Uncle), Robley Hansen (her Uncle) and Harold Hansen (her Father). The plaques are all together on the same wall. 

John Hartwig Hansen (Grass Valley, Ca.)

Jack Klemmet Hansen (Uncle Jack) Grass Valley, Ca. 

Robley Evans "Bob" Hansen (Uncle Bob) born in Grass Valley, Ca. and lived in Reno, Nevada

Harold Lloyd Hansen (Grandpa) Grass Valley, Ca. 

 The four plaques can be found at the top of this section.  

The Memorial section of the park is located across from the pickle ball courts and pool and is located on the Race Street side. 

Taken from the City of Grass Valley website: 

  "The Grass Valley Women's Improvement Club's creation of the modest park, Dow Alexander Park, presaged bigger things.  In their early conversation with William Bourn, the women asked about a 7-acre property along Colfax Avenue, known as Barker Tract, which the Empire had purchased for its underground mineral rights.  Bourn took the matter to his Board of Directors, and a week later offered the land for a park.

  In 1911, the women didn't have the funds to develop a property as large as the Barker Tract.  But later, as a result of organizing successful war bond and Red Cross drives during the Great War of 1914-18, local citizens developed the skills to raise money on a larger scale than they could through parties and variety shows.

  The Memorial Park property was purchased November 11, 1930 from the Empire Star Mines Company for the sum of $1.00.  After the war Empire's property would become Grass Valley's Memorial Park.  The Memorial area was dedicated to Veterans and contains monuments for WWI, WWII and Korean War.  Memorial Day and Veteran's Day services are held annually by local Veteran's groups." 

  The Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce also asked for contributions with the slogan "Give a Shift for the Park". Hundreds of working men and their families gave a day's wages.  The result was a beautiful community park with a stone bridge, an auto camp, gardens, a community building which served as the veteran's hall, tennis courts , a ball field, a swimming pool, and a memorial grove. Cities throughout the state used Memorial Park as a model. (The Union October 29, 2021 Volunteerism Built Grass Valley's Memorial Park)  

 

   Memorial Park just recently under went an extensive remodel and upgrade.  There is a renovated and expanded  pool, new tennis, basketball and pickle ball courts and a beautiful inclusive playground for children of all abilities. The Memorial grove is located in the same quiet spot under large mature trees that provide cool shade in the summer.  A perfect spot to sit and reflect on the service of not only our family members, but of all the remembered service members of Nevada County.  

John Hartwig Hansen Spanish American War 1898

 Harold, John and Bob Hansen WWII

Jack Hansen (from the Bob Hansen Family Album) WWII

  

  

  

52Ancestors52Weeks Week 50 Theme: Lines.....The Story Behind Bob and Skip Hansen's Big Catch on a 4 Pound Test Line

 

Robley (Uncle Bob) Hansen proudly displaying his "Big Catch" as captioned by Alma Hansen around 1951-2.  From the Bob Hansen Family Album.  Reno, Nevada. 

Bob and Skip Hansen holding their German Brown caught in the Truckee River, Reno, Nevada (from the Bob Hansen Family Album). 

 "The Big Catch"

  The theme for this week is Lines.......Family lines? Telephone lines? Railway lines? Fishing lines?.....This story had been floating around in my mind all summer waiting for its turn to be written down.   The theme for this week's writing challenge was the perfect opportunity to finally  get it down on paper.  Or in this case, on the blog... My husband and I had been helping Cousin Skip clean out his garage this last summer.  One of the first things we came across was "The Fish".  I also came across Uncle Bob's family album which Skip shared with me.  In the album were the pictures that were taken by Aunt Alma after the big event.  There were no dates written on the photos, but they were taken after Skip finished Junior High which was either in 1951 or 52.  Skip also pulled out the newspaper article from his wallet, where he has kept it all these years, and shared with me also.   Here is Skip and his Dad's Fish Story!  

The Fish

 Skip wrote....."Many years ago, when I was finishing up my Junior High schooling, Dad and I went to our usual fishing spot up the Truckee (River) a bit.  Dad had a nice bamboo fly rod, 4 lbs test line and 2 lbs test nylon leader.  He hooked a beautiful brown that he didn't want to loose.  Dad kept pressure on the line to hopefully keep the eagle hook from getting tossed off by the fish.  He fought for a little over an hour.  He finally got it close enough and tired enough so that I could net it.  It was too big for the net.  It started to flip back into the river.  Dad leapt down off the higher embankment cranking his Shakespeare reel madly.  We got the fish!  He entered it into the Sportman Contest; it weighed about 10 lbs, I think more, but that's close enough.  Another fisherman weighed in a catch at a lb. more.  Dad's dried out a bit while we continued to fish.  No bites!  I think the struggle scared the rest away.  Dad's would have outweighed the other had we stopped fishing immediately and taken it in to weigh and register. I was rewarded by getting to clean it after we weighed in at Crystal Springs.  Dad did the taxidermy.  It hung on the wall at the Sportman for several years.  When they closed we had a bit of a problem retrieving it.  Good memory!" 

  It now proudly resides in the garage, mounted on a piece of driftwood.  

  Here is the newspaper article from the Reno Gazette Journal (date unknown) that Skip kept in his wallet.  As you can see, some details are a little different, but it is,  after all, a fish story! 

   

  The Sportman store was located at the corner of 4th and Vine for many years and was owned by the Piazzo brothers Chet and Link.  They opened the original store in 1938.  The brothers sold their interest in the store in 2000 and it is no longer in business.  (Reno Gazette Journal April 12, 2000).  I remember shopping there a few times in the 90's; Uncle Bob's prize fish was up on the wall somewhere!

Chet and Link Piazzo, Reno Gazette Journal

 

The beautiful Truckee River in the summer,  courtesy of the Water Education Foundation.

52Ancestors52Weeks Week 45 Theme: Stormy Weather ........Snow , Snow and More Snow! Family Pictures Are Wonderful Documentation of Storms.....

  This week's theme is stormy weather....I have always been struck by how many pictures I have of family members posing in the snow.  Living in Northern California and Northern Nevada always meant winter and spring snow storms.  What better way to remember the fun after the storm than by having your picture taken? 

  These are a few pictures taken from various family albums on both my mother's and father's side of the family.  They document how we all "weathered" the storms in our own  neck of the woods.  Enjoy!

*****

Written on back...."Gertrude Elizabeth, her two sleds and her two playmates and all the snow we've had this winter"  (no date).....probably taken around the early 20's.  Reno, Nevada.  Gertrude Burrows (middle) lived on Thoma Street in Reno with her parents Roy and Lucie Burrows. 

Dorothy Ross Hayes  in the snow with her dog.  Auntie Dot was born May 17, 1910, and this picture looks like it may have been taken around 1915/16-ish.  Grass Valley, California. 

Dorothy Hayes (Arthur) fourth in from the left and Betty Hayes (Hansen) on far right, bending over.  Auntie Dot was born in 1910, and Grandma (Betty) was born in 1917, so this was probably taken around the early 30's.  It looks like a girls' day out in the snow, somewhere in northern California, complete with skis and a sled.  

Robley Hansen (Bob) with giant fur mittens.  Taken around the late 20's, early 30's.  Uncle Bob was living in Reno at this time.  From the Bob Hansen Family Album. 

Claire and Margaret Hansen (Mom) wearing their wool snowsuits after a Grass Valley snowstorm around  1946-47? This is one of the pictures that survived the 1950 house fire.  This is one of my favorite pictures!

 Lavinia Claire Hansen in her wool snowsuit.  Taken the same date as the above picture. 

 Millicent Gay Hansen on a toboggan on her way down a street in Reno, Nevada.  Gay was born March 9, 1934 so this picture may have been taken around 1936.  Her parents were Robley (Bob) and Alma Hansen.  From the Bob Hansen Family Album. 

Skip Hansen and Greta in front of the new house on Arlington in Reno Nevada, 1948.  Skip's parents were Robley (Bob) and Alma Hansen.  From the Bob Hansen Family Album. 

  Alma and Bob Hansen after the snowstorm in 1948.  I love the perspective in this picture!   From the Bob Hansen Family Album.  

*****

And, yes, I have pictures of houses and neighborhoods to go with pictures of people in the snow! 

Francis (Hayes)  and Joe Holman's house in Grass Valley after a 1946 snowstorm.  Auntie Fran and Uncle Joe lived across the street from Nana (Emma King Hayes Van Duzer) and the Harold Hansen family on South Auburn street for awhile.  This is another picture that survived the fire at the Hansen house in 1950.  I believe this is the same storm that my Mom and Auntie Claire are pictured in above. 

1012 S. Arlington, Reno, Nevada.  "First Winter in Home That Bob Built 1948".  Taken from the Bob Hansen Family Album. 

Unknown young man shoveling snow in front of Grass Valley Drug mid to late 40's.  Sterl Boothby was owner and head pharmacist in the late 40's and then the 50's. 

Frank and Dena Brondolo.  Picture taken in 1952, on Mainhart Drive,  Grass Valley, California.  They lived in San Francisco, but loved coming to Grass Valley and then up to Reno for some casino fun.  Frank was Terry Brondolo Boothby's (Nino's) older brother.  From the Brondolo Album.

 Mainhart Drive in a snowstorm, sometime in the 50's.  Grass Valley, California.  This is the house that my Dad, Dale Boothby, grew up in!

Late 1960's snowstorm on Banner Mountain, Nevada City, California. That is Dad's (Dale's) jeep buried in the snow.  This is the house that I grew up in!

The Alden home after a January 2021 snowstorm, Reno, Nevada.  

Still documenting!  (My Grandson ).....Reno, Nevada. 

*****

52Ancestors52Weeks Week 44 Voting.......Roy Burrows Was Elected To City Council in 1915 As Women Exercised the Suffrage For the First Time in Reno

 

Roy Alexander Burrows b. January 23 1881 Grass Valley, California d. October 23 1943 Reno, Nevada.  Picture taken at the Riverside Studio in Reno 1920. 

  The theme for this week is voting...do you have any politicians in the family tree? Anyone involved in the women's suffrage movement?  I learned that My Great Grand-Uncle Roy Burrows served for several years on the Reno City Council.  In fact, he won another term in 1915 after women in Nevada were given the right to vote in local races.   His wife Lucie would also participate in another local election as a clerk in 1918. 

        It would still be another 5 years before women could vote in national elections. 

      Taken from the Nevada State Journal May 5 1915:  

ALL RECORDS FOR VOTING SMASHED BY ELECTORS OF RENO

"Reno smashed all records for voting yesterday....The large vote was due to the fact that women exercised the suffrage for the first time in the city of Reno and few of them neglected the opportunity to participate in an election that held a large interest for the community....

  In the Sixth ward there was real excitement; Roy A. Burrows and Joseph E. Johnson running neck and neck as the count progressed. On account of the large number of candidates for councilman the vote progressed slowly in the sixth, and that added zest to the contest, for there was the element of suspended interest to thrill those interested. Burrows won finally by 54 votes.....

  First Women Voters...There was rivalry among the women voters to see which would be the first to cast the ballot. Lucy M. Van Deventer claimed the honor in the first ward. Miss Minnie Flanagan was the first in the booth in the second ward.  And Mrs. Josie Lancaster was the first to cast her ballot in the third ward. 

  Women took the time to go to the polls, while many men neglected to perform their civic duty. For instance, in the second ward 162 men who were eligible to vote failed to put in an appearance, while only 8 women did not vote. 

  One new face will appear at the city hall, that of Roy Burrows, elected to the council from the sixth ward. Burrows will fill the vacancy that has existed for about a year. "

  The article continues on...

  "Early in the day women, voting for the first time in Nevada, outnumbered the men as voters. They did not have the slightest difficulty and it was evident that they had studied their sample ballots well and had made up their minds for whom they intended voting, and they did it without confusion.

  The afternoon found the streets thronged, every store in town having closed at 1 o'clock to permit their employees to vote and work for their favorites....there wasn't the least bit of disturbance in any section during the day in any part of the city. In this respect this election was one of the quietest held in Reno.  Although Chief of Police Hillhouse had taken the precaution to station extra officers at the polling places there was nothing for them to do". 

Nevada was a "black hole" in the west when it came to suffrage in 1914. 

  Women were not granted the right to vote on Nevada's entrance into the Union in 1864.  A bill was introduced in 1869 to allow women the vote by Curtis J. Hillyer, who argued that "women possessed at least as much intelligence as men, followed the same laws, paid the same taxes, and most importantly would introduce a new standard of public morality to the public process".  Both houses of the Nevada legislature passed the amendment that year, but it failed the mandated second vote two years later. It would be forty years more before suffrage became an issue again in the state, and on November 3, 1914, women were given the right to vote.  They voted for the first time in local races in 1915, in statewide races in 1916, and gained the right to vote nationally with the 19th Amendment ratified in 1920.  

https://nvsctlawlib.libguides.com/c.php?g=1078723&p=7870328

  A big question on the ballot in the election of 1915 was the saloon ordinance.  The initiative would have cut down the number of saloons in town to forty. The above article read..."A strenuous campaign was waged both for and against the measure, and the final count shows that the proposed ordinance was defeated by a majority of 1,411".  It would be interesting to see how many women voted for the ordinance as opposed to men! Was the prognostication of  Curtis J. Hillyer correct? 

  Roy Burrows was not new to politics in Reno.  He had previously been on the Central Trades Council in 1907, and had appeared before the Reno City Council (Nevada State Journal Aug. 31, 1907) to get a permit amended so that laborers could hold athletic events on North Virginia Street and Commercial Row on Labor Day of that year.  Maybe he got the bug to run for a bigger office at that time, or just saw the need to provide leadership in a growing community. 

   Roy was a prominent  contractor and builder in Reno, and was instrumental in constructing many beautiful neighborhood homes in the older part of the city.  For a time, he worked with Robley/Bob Hansen (his nephew), as Roy Burrows and Hansen Contractors until Uncle Bob started his own construction business in town.  In 1936 Roy took out a building permit for a brick home at 524 Ridge Street in Reno, to build  a home for F. P. Strassburg (a stock broker).  The architect was the prolific F. J. De Longchamps.  (Reno Evening Gazette April 2, 1936).  De Longchamps was a local architect and  is best known for his design of the Washoe County Courthouse, the Riverside Hotel, the Reno Post Office, and several buildings on the University of Nevada, Reno campus to name a few!  He also designed stately brick homes for prominent Reno residents, as well as smaller English Tudor cottages, that still remain a charming part of old Reno. 

  Roy's wife Lucie (Mrs. Roy Burrows in the Fifth Precinct) was listed as an election official for the September primary election  in 1918.  The first three names listed were those of inspectors, the last were clerks.  She served as clerk for the Fifth Precinct that year.  Nevada State Journal August 8, 1918.  I can imagine how excited she was to vote for the first time in the 1915 election!

  Roy  was first elected to the city council in 1912 and served through 1916.  He ran again in 1920 according to this ad in the Reno Evening Gazette September 4, 1920. 

Reno State Journal 1931.  He was still running for City Council.  This was a year after his daughter Gertrude died of appendicitis at the age of 13 (see the post from October 12, 2020 on Roy Burrows and his family for more history). 

Roy Burrow's obituary from The Union (Grass Valley) October 26, 1943.  He passed away on October 23, 1943 in Reno, Nevada.   He was remembered as a contractor and builder, but it should be remembered that he also participated in the growth and development of his community by serving his constituents as a councilman from the Sixth ward for many years. 

   Roy's wife Lucie participated in the election process as well after the 1914 vote to allow women suffrage in Nevada elections.  Many women were instrumental in the fight for women's suffrage in Nevada (indeed, they were not "given" the right, but had to fight for it).   I could not find any sources to give me insight into Lucie's part in the change in state law, or what she thought about women's rights to vote,  but I do know she thought her right to cast a vote as a full citizen was important enough to get involved in the local  primary election of 1918.  

**********

  The Burrows/Hansen side of the family was always staunchly Republican.  Mom (Margaret Hansen Boothby) remembers being allowed to walk into town each day to watch the proceedings of the Republican Convention to elect Eisenhower on Grandma Hansen's (Vere Burrows Hansen) brand new TV.  She thought it was "beyond exciting to watch all the wrangling and parading and voting" while Grandma Hansen explained what was going on. She remembers that it was the beginning of her interest in politics.  And of course, remember that  Grandma Hansen did shake the hand of Teddy Roosevelt in 1903!  (see the post of 1/14/21 "Her Patriotism Unbounded").

  There were also many political arguments in Mom's house when they lived with Nana (Emma King Hayes Van Duzer) as Nana was an FDR Democrat and Mom's dad (Harold Hansen) was a Republican.  "They could really get into it!"  I can imagine!  Mom always took great pride in voting, and passed it down to my sister and I.  

 Other Burrows/Hansen family members who were elected to public office:  

John Hartwig Hansen (Mayor of Grass Valley) (see the post of 5/3/20 "John Hartwig Hansen")

William Lockyer (California Attorney General (6 years) and California State Legislator 25 years  (see the post of 10/16/20 "Alfred Lord Tennyson and Arnold Schwarzenegger; Their Connections to the Burrows Family in Grass Valley").

 

  My Dad, Dale Boothby, also served on the Nevada County School Board for 20 years, which was an elected position.   Mom took me to the firehouse (our polling place) to see his name on the ballot!  My family has a wonderful history of serving their communities for which I am thankful. 

Relationship Reference:  Me->Margaret Hansen Boothby->Harold Hansen->Vere Burrows Hansen (sister to Roy Burrows).  

  

52Ancestors52Weeks Weeks 41 and 42 Themes: Change and Sports.....Robley Hansen's Early Skiing Days And Some Surprising Connections

     This is a picture taken from my Uncle Bob's (Robley Hansen) family album.  This is an early snapshot taken of Uncle Bob (bottom left, on one knee) and the Zero Ski Club sometime around  1929/1930.  I was not able to find any information on what the Zero referred to, but this group may have been the Auburn Ski Club or the precursor to the Reno Ski Club founded in 1930.  What I found interesting was that in the album the very young man third from the left, bottom, was identified as Wayne Poulsen.  I'll get back to Wayne Poulsen later in the story.

     My Uncle Bob became an avid skier after he moved from Grass Valley, California to Reno, Nevada right after his high school graduation in 1926.  He took up a winter sport that fit right in with his Norwegian heritage!  His father, John Hartwig Hansen, was also an avid skier, skater and swimmer who  espoused a healthy lifestyle by way of vigorous exercise.  I suppose Uncle Bob took it a step further by adding his canned spinach! 

I found the article above saved in Uncle Bob's early family photo album.  There is no date on it, but on the reverse is an advertisement for the movie Queen Christina starring Greta Garbo.  That movie opened in theaters on December 26, 1933, so this article was written either at the end of December 1933 or in January or February of 1934.  Uncle Bob was the Club president.  He also wrote newspaper articles for the Club....

  This article was probably written around the same time as the first article.  Mount Rose Highway is still the center of Reno's winter playground today. 

Aunt Alma identified this as "The Reno Ski Club" with Uncle Bob 4th from the left.  Cecil Crawford is to his left, and James Crawford is third from the right.  Taken around 1933/34. 

Bob Hansen posing for the camera...

   Aunt Alma was a skier too....taken in 1933 in front of the house on 270 Thoma street, Reno. She began appearing in the album pictures in 1930. She and Bob married in October of 1931. 

Bob Hansen date unknown

  Uncle Bob and Cecil Crawford skiing together.  Date unknown. This looks more like spring skiing...still a popular past time in the area! 

  Spring skiing at its finest.....


  

    Bob and Alma skiing with friends....probably taken around the early 30's. 

  And now we come back to Wayne Poulsen.  Wayne grew up in an era (along with Uncle Bob) marked by an explosion of winter sports and leisure activities.  As a young boy Wayne and his friends would ski on Reno streets when ever there was snow. They'd grab onto a truck bumper and get a tow up to the top of the road.  He became fascinated by Norwegian skiers and ski jumpers, taught himself to ski, and ultimately became an accomplished skier.   

   Wayne eventually became a pioneer in the ski industry and was instrumental in bringing the sport of skiing to the greater Lake Tahoe/Reno area.  He is best known as the founder of the Squaw Valley ski community, which became an internationally celebrated ski resort and would host the 1960 Winter Olympics.  

  Aside from Wayne's accomplishments in the world of skiing, I was more interested in his relationship with Dr. James Church.   In 1932, during his senior year in high school, Wayne trekked into the unexplored back country of the Sierra Nevada with James E. Church as his aide.  Dr. Church, a professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, pioneered snow survey methodology that is still in use today.  Dr. Church needed an accomplished  skier to accompany him to the back country to collect data and conduct research. They initiated snow pack surveys to accurately predict the spring run off that was vital to the agricultural industry in California.  Poulsen worked with Dr. Church for the next six years, exploring and charting the mountains surrounding the Lake Tahoe Basin.  Poulsen would carry a 35 pound camera , tripod and a 12 foot tube while they made their circuit to different areas of Lake Tahoe.  Dr. Church had a cadre of volunteers that helped him with his surveys in the 30's, Poulsen being the youngest.  Wouldn't you know, Uncle Bob was a volunteer working for Dr. Church.   I believe he got started  in helping Dr. Church conduct snow surveys due to his connection with Wayne.  That is a very unique and special  connection! 

If you want more information on Wayne Poulsen, please see the website

                                      https://waynepoulsen.wordpress.com/

 for more information.  He led a very interesting and colorful life which included a distinguished career as a WWII military pilot. 

     Change:  Change always seems to go hand in hand with the passage of time....  Poulsen died in 1995, and on July 2, 2005 Poulsen Peak in Squaw Valley was commemorated in Wayne's honor and in remembrance of his accomplishments and contributions to the sport of skiing and the region. 

     On September 13th 2021, the name Squaw Valley was officially changed to Palisades Tahoe after the resort owners acknowledged the controversial term of "squaw" as being a derogatory and offensive ethnic and sexist slur.  Sometimes change is good! 

Relationship Reference:  Bob (Robley Hansen)->John Hartwig Hansen m. Vere Burrows Hansen

  

  The three Hansen brothers were Jack, Robley, and Harold (my grandfather).