HPF Updates

During the month of October, the HPF was represented at the annual Southern California weekend and here are some pictures of the restored Pebble Beach Parlor hall in Pescadero and of the clean up day at the NSGW Museum in Columbia.  In November, one of the Directors went to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento and saw the Memorial to the Chinese Railroad Workers that the Foundation partially funded.

The HPF at Work

The HPF just received a thank you letter from the Western States Trail Museum for supporting its efforts to preserve the history of the Western States Trail.

HPF In Action!

Members of the HPF board recently attended Pioneer Days in Smartsville and manned a food booth.  The NSGW Information booth was there also, staffed by members of Yuba Parlor #55 and others.  We raised some funds for our historical preservation work, including the Gold Rush era Smartsville Church. We also toured the site of the ghost town of Timbuctoo and viewed the remains of the Wells Fargo building.

Project Updates

Thanks to the assistance of the HPF, the restoration of Pebble Beach Parlor's Hall is continuing and a new informational kiosk was installed next to the sail of the USS Mariano G. Vallejo (SSBN-658) on Mare Island.

Historical Preservation Foundation Update

If there was an appropriate song for the Historical Preservation Foundation it would probably be     ”On the Road Again”. The last few months have been quite hectic traveling around the beautiful state of California. Visiting Parlors north and south. Sharing the goals and objectives of the Historical Preservation Foundation. Travels have included Los Banos Parlor, Observatory Parlor, Sonoma Parlor, Guadalupe Parlor, Amador Parlor, Dolores-California Parlor, Redwood Parlor, Pebble Beach Parlor and Piedmont Parlor. 

During some of these trips it was a great pleasure to be able to thank the Parlor and the members for their generous support to assist the Historical Preservation Foundation to continue to promote the aims and goals of the Native Sons of the Golden West, Education and Preservation of the history of California.

In the coming few months look for announcements from various Historical Preservation Foundation Directors, like Vice Chairman Robert Bruno and his development team regarding a PowerPoint Presentation to share with potential donors, or Director/Grand Trustee Brice Walker and his creation of “Historical Preservation Foundation Awareness Month “. Or, the Board of Directors rolling out various awards for varying levels of donations. These will include special buttons, pins, patches and challenge coins. Be on the lookout for how you can get your own HPF award. 

These are just a few of the projects that the Historical Preservation Foundation Board of Directors are working on to improve our effectiveness at supporting the Native Sons of the Golden West. The Historical Preservation Foundation looks forward to discussing ideas for fundraising and worthy projects to showcase what Native Sons of the Golden West are all about. Please feel free to reach out to your local Director of the HPF, as listed below, if you have new ideas for fundraisers, or if you have a recommendation of a corporate or individual donor that you feel we should approach, or information about a project that you feel should be investigated and supported that will enhance California Historical Preservation and Education. 

We look forward to working hard for each and every Native Son for the coming year. We appreciate the opportunity to assist the Native Sons of the Golden West to prosper and grow. Please look at the Historical Preservation Foundations roster and find your local Director to discuss how the HPF can help your Parlor with a future project. We always look forward to talking, and working with the Brothers of the Native Sons of the Golden West.

Board of Directors 2024-2025

Greater San Francisco Area Directors

Marcia Skelton Redwood66ms@yahoo.com 650-787-8779

Robert Bruno Bigbobbruno@gmail.com 650-678-7641

Dennis Valerio dennis.valerio@comcast.net 510-499-7961

Mike O'Brien theirishjoke@sbcglobal.net 650-743-9894

Kris Nelson krisnelson183@gmail.com 707-332-2376

Doug Love Doug1066@gmail.com 707-328-6177

Dan Ryan. Dano1888@yahoo.com 510-331-3355

Brice Walker Valk_man@yahoo.com 408-623-1014

Sean Padgett-Liason spadgett3015@yahoo.com 707-227-2367

Gold Country Area Director

Steve McLean stevensgw31@gmail.com 209-304-0094

Jedidiah Watson I.Haas.food@gmail.com 816-352-5410

Greater Northern California Area Directors

Carl von Bargen Orovillegolf@gmail.com 530-828-2039

Project Update

In June, the HPF awarded a grant to the Fiddletown Preservation Society to help with the preservation of the Fiddletown Schoolhouse.  On September 25, we received the following note from Elaine Zorbas, Director of the Fiddletown Preservation Society:

We wanted to share with you the results of the grant that we received this year from the NSGW HPF to improve the safety and appearance of Fiddletown’s one-room schoolhouse. As of August, the Schoolhouse now sports a structurally safe new walkway, rebuilt steps and new skirting boards beneath our front porch.  Your support was instrumental in helping us achieve the most critical elements of this project.

Thank you so much!

Cordially,

Elaine Zorbas

Director, Fiddletown Preservation Society

Project Update

On August 5, 2023, Pebble Beach Parlor hosted a calamari steak dinner as a fundraiser for the ongoing restoration of their building, a historic Methodist Church in Pescadero.  Several Grand Officers and and Grand President George Adams were in attendance.

Summer Updates

Beyond the grants to relocate the Centerville Cross in Ferndale and to the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation for interpretive signage, the HPF has also approved grants to:

• The Willow Springs Schoolhouse Preservation Committee for their work on preserving the Willow Springs Schoolhouse, and

• The Fiddletown Preservation Committee for their work on preserving the Fiddletown Schoolhouse.

Currently, the Board of Directors has talen the month of July off and out next meeting is scheduled for August.  After that, check here for updates!

Check Presentations

The work of the HPF continues.  Grand Trustee and HPF Director Richard Cortez presented a $6000 check to Ferndale Parlor #93 to help fund the relocation of the Centerville Cross and Grand Trustee and HPF Treasurer Douglas Love presented a $5000 check to the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation for interpretive signage for the USS Mariano G. Vallejo Memorial. Pictured with Richard Cortez are the Brothers of Ferndale Parlor.  Pictured with Douglas Love are Brother Mike Kollar and his wife Dorothy, Brother Mike Steinberger and his wife Geraldine, of Vallejo Parlor #77, NSGW, MIHP Foundation Directors Bruce Christensen, Lynn Anderson, Dennis Kelly, and President Kent Fortner.

Thank You!

On behalf of the directors of the HPF, I wish to thank all of the Brothers who participated in the Special Fundraiser this year.  Your generosity resulted in a net of $3905.91 for the HPF and I can assure you that those funds will be put to use helping to preserve California's History for future generations.

Thank You, my Brothers!

Douglas Love

Grand Trustee

Treasurer- HPF

Napa Parlor #62

Project Update!

June 14, 2023

Last year, the Historical Preservation Foundation helped fund a Gold Rush Exhibit at the Benicia Historical Museum.  The exhibit is open and features a replica Miner's Tent, rockers, sluice boxes and artifacts from the 1840's and 1850's along with interpretive signage.    The museum may be asking for further funding in the near future.  Thanks to Executive Director Jen Roger, from Placerville #9, for some of the pictures and to her staff for such a fine exhibit!  You can visit the museum's website at: https://beniciahistoricalmuseum.org/

Legacy Day at Donner Memorial Park

On June 10, 2023 Members of the HPF were invited to take part in "Legacy Day" at the Donner Memorial State Park.  Chairman Carl von Bargen, Grand 3rd Vice President Kris Nelson, Vice-Chairman Robert Bruno, and Treasurer Douglas Love attended the event and manned the NSGW booth.  We were able to see, first hand the restoration of the monument and the further plans for landscaping and beautifying the area.  The Native Sons were the original owners of the park, the builders of the monument and the original concessionaire organization.  We are proud of our continuing relationship with the Sierra State Parks Foundation and look forward to the final completion of the Donner project.  To find out more about the Sierra State Parks Foundation, please visit:

https://sierrastateparks.org/

146th Grand Parlor

During the week of May 14th through May 19th, the Foundation had a hospitality room open in South Lake Tahoe.  Chairman Carl von Bargen and the Board of Directors wish to thank the volunteers who staffed the room, especially Sean and Lisa Roden, Karen von Bargen, and Bree Aichele.  Finally, we wish to thank all of the donors for their generosity and support, without all of you, we could not continue to fulfill our mission of preserving California's rich history for future generations.

Thank you.

Pioneer Day in Smartsville

Members of the HPF barbequed tri-tip on April 29 as a fundraiser for the restoration of Church of the Immaculate Conception in Smartsville during the Pioneer Day Celebration.  Thank you Director Brice Walker and Grand Trustee Richard Cortez for the photos.

Spring is here!! (Sort of...)

Pebble Beach Update

Work continues on Pebble Beach Parlor's meeting hall.  The photos below are courtesy of Frank Vento.

Project Update

Pebble Beach Parlor continues it's restoration of it's hall which is the historic 1890 Methodist-Episcopalian Church in Pescadero.  New windows are being installed and new siding is going on to make sure the building is preserved for future generations.  Photo Credit: Frank Vento, Pebble Beach Parlor #230