THE POPPY PAPER. Archaeology at the Machado Smith Site by Nini Minovi, Archaeologist California State Parks

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1 THE POPPY PAPER Official Monthly Publication of the Boosters of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park A Non-Profit Organization October 2016 Archaeology at the Machado Smith Site by Nini Minovi, Archaeologist California State Parks In the summer of 2016, archaeological investigations were conducted on behalf of Old Town Family Hospitality Corporation and California State Parks, aimed toward finding evidence of two mid-19 th century homes of Maria Guadalupe Machado and Albert Benjamin Smith for potential reconstruction. First, a little history on the buildings and the people that lived in them: María Guadalupe Yldefonsa Machado de Wilder was deeded the land in 1847 as a gift from her father. Three years later she married Albert Benjamin Smith. The family built two homes on the property: a wood-framed structure built in 1855 and an adobe building built circa Guadalupe lived on the property from 1855 until her death in A couple years later, son Albert H. Smith purchased the property from the estate and lived in the renovated wood framed home with his family until Reused adobe bricks creating a flat surface, possibly a patio or walkway Dashed line shows the possible alignment of the rear of the wooden house So, what did the dirt tell us? Archaeologists from ASM Affiliates and California State Parks unearthed two courses of an adobe wall fronting San Diego Avenue, historically called Garden Street, in the area assumed to be the front of the 1855 wood house. Did they use adobe for the foundation of a wood house? Perhaps it was once a garden wall that was reused as part of the foundation for the wood structure. Absence of evidence can be evidence in itself. For instance, archaeologists found a void, possibly an imprint from a foundation pier, which supported the back corner of the wood house. From this void, a linear alignment extended eastward that may denote the rear of the house. In an area just outside the rear of the house, they found reused adobe bricks creating a flat surface. Could these be adobe pavers for a patio or walkway? Near the westerly corner of the wood house, archaeologists uncovered a glimpse of tightly placed cobbles, similar in construction to a foundation for an adobe structure. A void for a possible foundation pier Cobble feature, similar in construction to a foundation for an adobe structure Continued on page 2 pg. 1

2 Archaeology at the Machado Smith Site (cont d from pg. 1) Puzzling is the fact that there is no historical evidence for an adobe in that location and no physical evidence of adobe bricks on or adjacent to the cobbles. The artifacts in this cobble feature are mainly from the mid-19 th century, likely associated with the early Machado-Smith occupation. What was it built for? Was it in preparation for another building and the plans were abandoned? Was it a cobble skirt diverting water away from the house? Pictured (right): Three of the youngest Machado-Smith descendants at the site (left to right: Hayden, McKenzie, and Lexi Passanisi) children of Kayla Smith (Passanisi), August 4 th Dinnerware from the Site As you can see, we are left with more questions and curiosities than determinations. However, the process is still underway. The artifacts will be analyzed and the field notes examined, so that a bigger picture will take shape. This may give us insight into more than just the placement of architecture on the lot. Evidence for the circa 1867 adobe building has yet to be unearthed, and further archeological investigation may reveal not only its location and how it was constructed, but also how the Machado-Smith property was occupied by the ancestors of those three little descendants (pictured above). From the Editor s Desk Each month when I sit down to edit The Poppy Paper, I always organize, format, and edit ALL submissions before I write my editor s piece. Why do I procrastinate why do I wait until the very last possible moments to write, before sending the edition off to the printer?!?! Perhaps the method to my madness is I am always hopeful that the writings of others will inspire me to come up with something new and fresh. Well, I must admit that I am having no fresh ideas, nor inspirational thoughts, primarily because of our unseasonable HOT weather! It s difficult to be convinced of a fall season, especially when much of San Diego County has been experiencing 90 to 100 degree temperatures lately. I thought to myself, Maybe I will be inspired by something I wrote in past years! So, I took a look back: If the reports of an El Nino winter are accurate, predicting lots and lots of rain we all had better get down to Old Town and enjoy the fun and festive activities this fall before the San Diego River washes us away! -October 2015 Although the weather is not much cooler, yet there are still a bunch of cool events happening in Old Town. -October 2014 So, obviously, we didn t wash away in 2015, as the much-needed rains never came. However, there are still many cool things happening in Old Town. So, take a look at the list on Page 7, and mark your calendars to attend some of Old Town s great fall events this year!!! Happy Fall, Happy Halloween, and Happy Reading! Ruth French, Editor, poppypapereditor@gmail.com (Deadline for submissions is the 20 th of each month for inclusion in the following month s issue.) pg. 2

3 Treasurer's Notes by Deanna Turton Thankfully, August was another good month for BOOT because we came out $5, ahead in the checkbook, after all the bills were paid. Just in case you think, WOW, donations are really up! most of that gain was due to the arrival of a check from the County of San Diego. Yes, BOOT earned another $5,000 grant to enhance our July 4th, Stagecoach Days, and Fiestas Patrias events for the season, for which we are very grateful. Many thanks to Bob Wohl for working on this grant. However, that does not mean that the Park Store and donations are lagging behind their normal summer gains. In August, the daily donation average in the boxes was $71.39, and the Store earned more than $7,000! Other sources of income were $64.00 from the basketry raffle, $ in period attire sales, and $55.00 in donations at the silhouette booth. Expenses for the month totaled $9, So, as in all months, money comes in and then goes out again in a steady stream of needs and commitments. Expenses over $ were: $ 3, The Park Store (replacement inventory) $ 1, DAR plaque in the Estudillo (art design and construction)* $ 1, Upholstery of historic chairs in the Estudillo* $ Period Attire (bank and subsidies) $ Craft Supplies and Store Expenses $ Burros (feed and care) *Estudillo projects covered by additional donations. Plus, eleven other spending categories. Recently, I have reflected on how things have changed since the early days, when I began as the BOOT Treasurer back in May of I remember a time when Mary Isbell was tending the store, and total sales for the day were only $8.00! Some of those dollars came out of Mary s own pocket, as she bought herself something so there was something to show for her day of volunteer service!!! Then, there was the day when we hit $100 in sales for the first time and then the first time we hit $300 one day in July some years ago. We thought our store was REALLY doing well back then if we had any days with sales over $100. Now, a $100 day is considered a slow day. The success of the Park Store, formerly the BOOT Store, is due to the dedication of our first store keeper Pat Shook, and now Mary Jones, Bob Jones and JoBeth Hull. The store profits are also due to the busy hands and creative minds of the Craft Committee. Not only do we enjoy each other s company each month, but most of us spend long hours sewing at home to keep up with the demands of the store. Many thanks to everyone for making this phenomenal success possible. The Craft Committee is always looking for more volunteers to add to the creative process. All skill levels are welcome...we will teach you what you might need to learn. But, in all likelihood, you already know how to do the things that we need you to do! pg. 3

4 INTRODUCING DOLLY WILSON by Becky Halliburton Let me introduce you to volunteer, Dolly Wilson. I am sure if you have walked through the Visitors Center on a Saturday you have noticed the pretty blonde with the great smile. That's Dolly! Dolly was born in Socorro, New Mexico, but lived many places during her early years. Her family finally settled in San Diego in 1976 when she was 11. She grew up in the Pacific Beach and Clairemont areas, graduating from Mission Bay High. She comes from a very creative family. Both her mom and sister liked to sew, and so it is not surprising that one of her favorite classes was Home Economics. As a member of our craft guild, she is always coming up with new and fun things for the store. You can see her making Dolly's Dolls in the shop and while she staffs The McCoy House on Sundays. She makes the cutest ghosts and pumpkins. (You see, Halloween is her favorite holiday.) If you have ever been privileged enough to receive one of her handcrafted cards, you've had a treat. Ask her sometime to show you her house decor for Halloween. You will be amazed! She had always visited Old Town, loving the restaurants and shops. She stopped by the Johnson House one day in 2013 to buy a snood (which she likes to wear when house cleaning to protect her hair.) The lady in the shop asked if she was a volunteer. Dolly hates to admit it, but, like many locals, she did not even know it was a California State Park that had volunteers. That very day, she walked into the Visitors Center and filled out a volunteer application. And, the rest is history Her first event day was Cinco de Mayo. It was trial by fire! First, she arrived at 12:00 noon, and soon learned how parking can be a nightmare! Then, that first day in the store was crazy busy, and she made over $500 dollars that day. Thank goodness, it did not scare her off, and she came back. She soon became one of the most reliable and trusted members of the store volunteer staff. In her career, Dollie had always been behind a desk, working in the financial and legal offices for pharmaceutical companies. So, meeting the public was new for her. But, since she loves meeting people from all over the world and making them smile, her transition was a breeze! Dollie, also loves to dress up, so Old Town and period attire fit her perfectly. Since joining us, Dolly has made herself twelve dresses and given away two others to staff members. That's a lot of sewing!!! We are so lucky to have such a creative, warm and friendly person in our park. Stop by some day and say, Hi! MONTHLY MEETINGS BOOT Board Meetings are held the 3 rd Wednesday of every month, 1:00 pm, at Café Coyote. If you wish to attend and/or to be included on the agenda, please contact a Board member (contact information on page 7). The Craft Committee meets on the 2 nd Friday of each month, behind the Robinson-Rose Visitor s Center (weather permitting). Contact Mary Jones in The Park Store if you are interested in participating. pg. 4

5 Summer has left us, and fall is here this is San Diego, so it s hard to tell. The park has entered its quiet time of the year. We have a few park events left for the year. The Fall Festival will be in just a few short weeks, and soon after that we will be setting up our Day of the Dead altars. Even though the park has slowed down, it s this slow time that gives us time to bring on new volunteers and to resume our VIP meetings. During the September VIP meeting, Old Town Volunteer and BOOT board member, Susan Hector, gave a presentation on the Kumeyaay. It was a very informative talk, during which we all learned a lot of great historical information. Our next VIP meeting will be our Fall Campfire and Potluck! This will be held in the Seeley Yard on October 15th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The night will be all about friends, family and stories! Look for RSVP s coming soon! We are happy to announce that we have brought on seven new volunteers: David, Rachel, Leslie, Julia, Evan, Patrick and Thomas. And, we are happy to welcome back two people as volunteers, Ellen and Francis! That s nine new volunteers who have joined our volunteer family here in Old Town! So if you see new faces, introduce yourself and welcome them! The Park s Fall Festival is coming up on October 8th. There will be children s games and fun crafts, so make sure you come on out and join in the family fun! We will be sending out requests for volunteer help soon. Thank you again to all our volunteers. Every one of you is amazing, and it s you who really make the Parks events come to life! Tim Downing and Michelle Magnusson Volunteer Coordinators For more information, please visit: pg. 5

6 Old Town San Diego celebrated Fiestas Patrias, also known as Mexican Independence Day, on Saturday, the 17th of September. The festivities opened with ringing of the bell above La Casa de Estudillo 16 times, in honor of the actual date of the Grito de Dolores (Sept. 16, 1810). This was followed by activities in the Plaza, such as making paper flowers and cascarones, and demonstrations by our Californios, representing the activites of the early residents of Old Town San Diego. In the Estudillo museum, there was one of our fiber artists, spinning wool on a Spanish Colonial spinning wheel that was constructed for the park. In addition, there was a display on pulquerías, a group performing Californio dances, and people doing colcha embroidery. In Seeley Yard, there was a female equestrian drill team, the Escaramuza Las Golondrinas, who performed two times to large crowds. In total, between 750 to 1,000 people enjoyed the day at the park, celebrating this important day in history. Submitted by Superintendent Richard Dennison pg. 6

7 UPCOMING FALL EVENTS Fall Festival - October 8, 12:00-4:00 p.m. (See page 8 for more details.) Join us at Old Town San Diego for a day of autumn activities throughout the park. Crafts, games, and pumpkin carving in the plaza. Park museums and businesses will be decorated to celebrate the season. Casa de Las Calaveras - October 22-November 6, 12:00-7:00 p.m. daily Special Event by Fiesta de Reyes, at the former El Fandango site. Day of the Dead display with a theme. Cost will be around $7-10. Halloween - October 31, 4:00-6:30 p.m. Trick-or-Treating for children at various locations throughout the park. Dia de los Muertos - November 1 & 2 Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) commemorates departed family and friends in traditional 19th century style. Historic style and contemporary alters will be set up at various museums and businesses throughout Old Town. Guided walking tours and self-guided maps will be available. For more information, contact the Visitors Center at (619) or visit the park website at pg. 7

8 Native Plant Landscape No Work Party in October! Next party on Saturday, November 12, 9:30-Noon. The CA Native Plant Landscape will not need a work party in October. So, save up your energy and come help at the BIG annual planting party next month. Park in the lot next to the Landscape by Taylor Street. Enter from Calhoun Street. Bring a shovel and gloves, if you can. We will have purified water to hydrate and muffins to fuel all you diggers. Questions? Contact Kay at kaytaff@sbcglobal.net Garden Update By Deanna Turton In mid September, the garden crew completed weeding the large pod behind the Robinson- Rose Visitor Center. That pod had irrigation issues, with the ground hard to work and weed, so volunteer Sergia Castellanos put out a plea for assistance. We all got together (minus JP Gendron, who is traveling in Spain) and helped Sergia and Nelda Harris get that pod back in shape. Deanna plans to go shopping for more plants to add to that space, so it will once again be a showplace for park visitors. Like the Craft Committee, the garden crew works as a team...each helping the other when the need arises. Many thanks to everyone for all of your hard work! (photo courtesy of Gary Turton) FALL ACTIVITIES KICK OFF WITH ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL IN OLD TOWN October 8, :00-4:00 pm Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is kicking off the fall season with its annual Fall Festival. The museums and merchants in the state park will be richly decorated and will host family friendly games, activities and entertainment, reminiscent of an old-fashioned harvest celebration. Pumpkin-carving demonstrations will take place from 12:00-4:00 p.m. under a large shade tree in the center of the town plaza. Musical entertainment and face painting will also take place in the central plaza. Free craft activities will include pumpkin painting, corn shucking, environmentally friendly bird feeders, and corn husk dolls in a specially decorated Harvest Home. Participating merchants in the state park will also have craft activities inside their stores. Fall Festival is a great tradition that celebrates the turning of the seasons and the bounty of the harvest, said Antionette Fischer of Rust General Store and Bistro, who is heading up the event this year. We want people to come experience an old-fashioned, family-oriented fall celebration in the fantastic historic setting of the state park. Free parking is available throughout Old Town with extra parking available across Taylor Street in the CalTrans parking lot. Fall Festival in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is sponsored by the merchants in the park. For information call (619) or visit Submitted by Mike Simms, michael@sandiegopr.pro pg. 8

9 THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS! BOOT BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Jeanne Ferrell (619) Vice President: Gary Turton (619) Secretary: Linda Jacobo (619) Treasurer: Deanna Turton (619) BOOT Store: Mary Jones Historian/Grants: Bob Wohl Restoration Spec: Chuck Ferrell Web Master: Bob Jones Membership: Susan Hector Board Members: Cindy Furlong Becky Halliburton Tom Young Poppy Paper Ruth French Editor: BOOT Website: Park Website: Additional Supporters: Old Town Market, El Centro Artesano, Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) pg. 9

10 BOOSTERS OF OLD TOWN San Diego State Historic Park 4002 Wallace Street San Diego, CA ***************************************************************************************************************************************** Membership Application or Renewal $20.00 Senior (62 yrs. or older)/single Student $25.00 Single Supporting Member $30.00 Senior Couple (62 yrs. or older) $40.00 Family (2 or more individuals) $ Life Member (62 yrs. or older) $55.00 Corporate Basic Membership* (includes window decal and 1 month business card sized ad in The Poppy Paper) $ Corporate Enhanced Membership* (includes window decal and 1 year business card sized ad in The Poppy Paper) Donation Enclosed (Or Gift in Honor of: ) *Corporate applicants only: Please enclose a business card or logo for inclusion in The Poppy Paper. NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP PHONE # TO USE A CHARGE CARD: VISA MasterCard Card Number: Exp Date: Signature: Send to: BOOT Membership Committee, 4002 Wallace Street, San Diego, CA Month Year M M Y Y Y Y pg. 10