Former San Bernardino city engineer C.E. “Ed” Johnson in 1985. (Courtesy of Nick Cataldo)
One of the greatest resources for history buffs exploring the old days is simply interviewing older people who have witnessed history. I would suggest for those non-history buffs feeling bogged down with facts and dates, which can seem “aaah, boring,” orally interviewing someone is a wonderful way of making the past “come alive.”
Here are excerpts from a few of my favorite interviews:
Former San Bernardino city engineer C.E. “Ed” Johnson told me in 1985 that during his tenure with the city, spanning three local administrations from 1917 to 1927, he laid the ground work for paving D and E streets, Arrowhead and Highland avenues, and Base Line. The master engineer also assisted with installing lights along both E and Arrowhead, while also installing bridges on Third, Arrowhead, and Mt. Vernon Avenue.
In preparation for an article on the Devil Canyon Toll Road back in 1986, which started in the foothills north of Cal State San Bernardino and extended to the mountain crest, Mary (Doyle) McNally told me it was her father, James Doyle, and his friend, John Flannigan, who ran the franchise during the 1880s. They charged a $1 fee for driving a four-oxen wagon team and $1.50 for a six-oxen team. Obviously, the price couldn’t have been too steep as traffic maintained a steady flow. In fact, an average of 10 teams daily ambled over the rugged dirt road.
In 1989, Grace (Welsh) Spolidoro helped me tremendously with finding out who the real Wyatt Earp was. Grace, who was 88 at the time of our interview, was well acquainted with the legendary Old West lawman during the 1910s and ’20s. Her father, Charles Courtney “Charlie” Welsh, was a good friend of Wyatt while both men lived in and around Needles. Wyatt frequently visited with the Welshes and was treated like a member of the family.
She described Wyatt as tall, erect, with steely blue eyes that “could stare right through you.” The Welsh family described him as a gentleman who never acted disrespectful, admired Wyatt. However, he was also remembered as a man who would not tolerate anyone showing disrespect, especially in front of women.
Janet Miles seemingly saw it all in San Bernardino. We had a formal interview in 1994 when she was 93. From the age of six months until moving into her niece’s home in Santa Barbara, she lived in the same house near the corner of F and Eighth streets. Several years later, Janet wrote her memoirs of life in San Bernardino. Her niece Ada Beth told me Janet wanted to know the latest news in San Bernardino right up to her passing in 2008.
Jack Roesch gave me some valuable information on the Cajon Pass in 2000. His parents, Jake and Melissa Roesch, moved to Cozy Dell. a well-known rest stop in the Pass, in 1919. An educator by profession, Melissa immediately started putting together a well-distinguished 30-plus year teaching career in the Cajon Pass and San Bernardino area. Meanwhile, her husband began driving the scattered farm kids to school — the prelude to what became the Roesch Transportation Company. Jack Roesch eventually took over the bus line business.
Ninety-three-year-old Espanola Larkin helped me in 2002 to find out the history of “Valley Truck Farms”–a community of 50 to 60 predominantly Black families located in what is now the southeastern portion of San Bernardino. The downtown was near the intersection of Central and Waterman avenues. Along with several other women, “Mama” Larkin, a resident of the area since 1929, formed the Excel-All Club. In 1957, they established the first Black parade in San Bernardino.
In 2002, Evelyn Pinckert Brier recalled when she and her husband, Joe, bought the Tri-City Airport in 1939. “Pinky” as most people called her, was the first female flight instructor in the country. Pinky was such a popular aviator and flew so many clients that she was mentioned in one of Earle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason mysteries.
I had known Dorothy Inghram for many years prior to us having a formal interview in 2007. This remarkable woman, who passed away in 2012 at age 106, became the first Black teacher in San Bernardino County and the first Black administrator in the state of California. Dorothy started teaching at Mill School in 1942, became a teaching principal in 1945, a full-time principal in 1951, and was appointed district superintendent of Mill School District in 1953.
Other great interviews include:
• Alma (Meyer) Heap and Alberta (Meyer) Zett told me about their family’s legacy in the Verdemont section of San Bernardino that began in 1883.
• Eddie Anderson worked for the iconic one-stop shopping experience known as Sages Markets from 1937 until 1972.
• Masako Hirata grew up in the early Japanese community in San Bernardino and became the first Japanese American teacher in the city of San Bernardino.
• Charlotte (Traina) Giudice grew up in the Verdemont section of San Bernardino and married a World War II Italian POW from nearby Camp Ono.
• Eleanor, Ormand Jr., and Richard Seccombe gave wonderful information in separate interviews pertaining to their family, which settled in San Bernardino in 1883.
• Goldie Walker and Virginia Johnson proudly talked about their great-grandfather, Serrano Indian Chief Antonio Saver.
• Janet (Ralphs) Pope shared information about the Ralphs family, who arrived in San Bernardino in 1852. John Ralphs was San Bernardino County sheriff from 1902 until 1915 and George Ralphs started Ralphs Grocery Markets.
• Louise Gavuzzi Torta’s grandmother ran a popular Italian eatery during the 1930s known as “Mother Massetti’s Inn.”
There were many more people who made history come alive for me and even more waiting to make history come alive for you.
You can contact Nick Cataldo at Yankeenut15@gmail.com and read more of his local history articles at Facebook.com/BackRoadsPress.
