THE POPPY PAPER. Official Monthly Publication of the Boosters of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park A Non-Profit Organization

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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 STAGECOACH DAYS: CELEBRATING THE WILD WEST IN SAN DIEGO Free Events Every Saturday in July and August in Old Town June 2015 Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is celebrating travel and transportation in the era of real horsepower during Stagecoach Days, kicking off on July 11. Come join in the old-fashioned fun from the mid-1800s from noon to 4 p.m. on seven Saturdays in July and August. Sponsored by Fiesta de Reyes and Boosters of Old Town, the free event features a different theme each Saturday such as Days of the Vaqueros, Women of the West, Soldiers and Citizens, TwainFest and Taste of the Past. Attendees will enjoy afternoons filled with activities that reflect life in early San Diego and celebrate the West on the move. Through living history activities and demonstrations, stories and songs, visitors will gain an appreciation for early modes of transportation and daily life. All activities are geared toward children and adults of all ages. This year s Stagecoach Days will be the best in our park s history, stated Event Coordinator Gregg Giacopuzzi. We have added many more family-friendly activities to the event this year so visitors will get a true taste of what Old Town was like in the 1800s. July 4 -- An 1800s Fourth of July -- (11:30 am 4:00 pm). A parade, music, dancing, crafts and activities of early San Diego recreate an American Independence Day as it was celebrated on the frontier. STAGECOACH DAYS - Saturdays from July 11 Aug 22 (12:00 4:00 pm) July Taste of the Past -- What we eat, how we acquire it, who prepares it, how it is prepared are part of our cultural make up. This day will explore what was part of the dining experiences for people in early San Diego. While you learn about the foods of the past you will be able to sample modern tastes that evoke that time provided by the food purveyors in the park. There is a small fee to partake in the food tastings throughout the park this day. July Women of the West -- Women played an important part in the development of the West. Some of their daily activities will be demonstrated on this Saturday. One of the highlights of the day will be a quilt walk that features quilts celebrating the 150th anniversary of California State Parks. July Days of the Vaquero Vaqueros were the first cowboys in California. Highly skilled horsemen and cattle herders, they were an integral part of the early cattle trade in California. The day will celebrate their natural horsemanship techniques and other aspects of Californio culture. August 1 -- Trades That Shaped Westward Expansion -- As towns developed in the West so did the need for specialized trades and artisans. Old Town San Diego will present pivotal 19th century trades that helped shape the community of San Diego. Continued on page 2 pg. 1

2 Stagecoach Days (continued from page 1) August 8 -- Soldiers and Citizens -- The military has been part of San Diego since its inception. Following the Mexican American War, dragoons, the Mormon Battalion and the Boundary Commission all had an impact on life in San Diego. August TwainFest This wildly popular festival celebrates literacy and the literary works of Mark Twain and other 19th-century authors. Excerpts from famous works will be presented by costumed San Diego actors at a variety of park venues throughout the day. August West on the Move -- The California Gold Rush brought thousands of people to San Diego. Some stayed, many more passed through, seeking their fortunes up north. California State Parks will present demonstrations and activities that were part of the lives of these people on the move. Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, with the support of Boosters of Old Town and Fiesta de Reyes, is proud to offer these free activities for adults and children of all ages. The park is located on San Diego Avenue and Twiggs Street in San Diego, and is conveniently located next to the Old Town Transit Center, with Coaster, Trolley, and MTS bus service. Free parking is available at the CalTrans headquarters, just two blocks from the park at 4050 Taylor St. For more information, go to Submitted by Julia Simms, julia@sandiegopr.pro Membership Join BOOT Today!!! BOOT is so grateful for our long-time supporters who consistently renew their memberships on an annual basis. We are also grateful to those who have been able to commit to a lifetime membership. But sadly, BOOT Membership has been dwindling over the past decade. We ve lost many of our long time supporters over the years. Some have passed away some have moved away. And, quite frankly, WE HAVE NOT done a very good job encouraging new members to join us. So, as an incentive to our current annual members who would like to see BOOT thrive into the future, we are offering a free one year s membership to you when you recruit a new member. No matter when your membership expires, we will extend it for an entire year! Please remember every dollar that BOOT raises stays right HERE in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park to support all the work projects, special events, and interpretive activities throughout the year! If you are not already a member, please take a few moments to complete the application form on the back page of this issue and JOIN US!!! OUR MEMBERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!! What to do for the summer of 2015? As schools and universities wind down for the summer months, and the weather warms up, you might be asking yourself, What am I going to do this summer? Well, you don t have to worry, because staff and volunteers at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park have been busy this winter preparing events for the summer. The park kicks off its Stage Coach Days events with a 4 th of July celebration. Then, special events will occur every Saturday in July and August! Please stop by the Robinson Rose Visitor Center and pick up a program, so you can plan to attend all of these great activities. If you have any questions, call the Visitor Center at Hope to see you there. C.A. Lozano S1272 State Park Peace Officer - Supervisor San Diego Coast South Sector pg. 2

3 Treasurer's Notes by Deanna Turton April was a good month for BOOT because we came out $ ahead in the checkbook, after all the bills were paid. This was likely due to the fact that the BOOT Store continues to do well, and the average in the donation boxes FINALLY went up to $ a day. We surely hope that continues throughout the summer to make up for the lower averages in the winter months. Many thanks to the ladies in the craft committee who keep the BOOT store stocked with handcrafted items, because sales from crafts have averaged well over a $1000 a month for many months now. On the other side of the ledger, I wrote checks for nineteen spending categories. Five were over $300.00: Board of Directors Insurance - $ Sales Taxes (first quarter) - $ BOOT Store Inventory - $ Craft Committee Supplies - $ Period Attire Bank (supplies and subsidies) Fortunately, I had all the tax forms and the annual report for the Department of Parks and Recreation in Sacramento done early this year...because on May 6th, I fell at Old Town, while walking to our truck. Ironically, while I was carefully watching where I was walking over uneven and somewhat hilly ground, I neglected to observe a sturdy low hanging tree limb, which hit my head and threw me backwards. Unfortunately, that caused a compression fracture in my back, which sent me to the hospital for four days. Thankfully, the fracture was stable and no surgery was required. So, now I am home, trying to not complain about the very uncomfortable back brace and activity restrictions - no bending, no twisting, and no lifting! When I asked the physical therapist when I could get back to gardening, I thought he was going to faint, for he said, "Just erase that from your mind, for this season at least!" So, many thanks go to volunteer gardener JP Gendron for taking over the lead for the gardens, and to volunteer JoBeth Hull for helping me keep the Craft Committee on track. And, last but not least, to my husband Gary, who is my arms and legs, taking things back and forth to Old Town and for taking such good care of me! From the Editor s Desk June is here Memorial Day weekend ushered in the unofficial beginning of summer, while the official beginning of summer is only a few weeks away! This is the time of year that folks from all over the world flock to our beautiful city for vacation adventures. We San Diegans are so fortunate that we don t have to travel anywhere for adventure we have it ALL right here! We have beautiful beaches and bays, recreational parks and theme parks, a world famous zoo, nearby mountains, natural preserves, fabulous restaurants, great shopping, and much, much more! So, as you are planning your activities for the upcoming summer months, what better place to spend a day (or more) than in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. As noted in this issue of The Poppy Paper, July and August are jam-packed with weekend activities, but you don t have to wait that long. There is always something exciting happening in Old Town and June might be a little quieter and less crowded. Come on down to see what s happening! Happy Flag Day, Happy Father s Day, Happy Summer, and Happy Reading! Ruth French poppypapereditor@gmail.com (Deadline for submissions is the 20 th of each month for inclusion in the following month s issue.) pg. 3

4 BAKED GOODS NEEDED!!! The 4th of July cake walk is almost here and it is time to bring out your best recipes (or favorite purchased cake). If you are interested in showcasing your cakes at our annual cake walk please let me know how many you are bringing to this fantastic event. I look forward to hearing from all you wonderful bakers (cake buyers)! I can't wait to see the wonderful yummy creations. Thank you for all your hard work in making this event a success. Susan Salinas Ramos Volunteer Coordinator (619) And The Winner Is Congratulations to Maggie Hess, the winner of the Guide Book sales contest for April. Out of total of 58 books sold, Maggie sold 17! We appreciate all the hard work that the Park Aides do for BOOT, tending to the BOOT Store and helping to sell our products. Since the BOOT Board authorized a gift certificate of $20 each month for the park aide or volunteer who sells the most tour guide books in a month (ten book minimum), the guide books are flying off the shelves! Thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers and park aides who are helping to make this a successful incentive program! Moving On By Gregg Giacopuzzi, State Park Interpreter I Becky Green came to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park with a desire to introduce historic soap making to the park s living history activities. After helping to establish the soap making guild, Becky was hired as a park aide. She continued to support the living history program by helping to establish the very popular and successful Historic Dance Society. Following the retirement of Volunteer Coordinator Joe Vasquez, Becky became more active in being a lead for the volunteer program. As the coordination of the volunteers evolved, Becky supported the staff and volunteers with ongoing energy and enthusiasm. She helped provide oversight and guidance to the historic guilds and special interest groups, created an newsletter to improve communication with the volunteers, and helped coordinate and organize volunteers for special events. Our current Volunteer Coordinator, Susan Salinas-Ramos, will continue in her role, and help with much of Becky s previous tasks. We will miss Becky s smile and gracious demeanor. Good luck, Becky, on your future endeavors! We hope your travels don t take you too far from Old Town. pg. 4

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6 TWAINFEST EXPANDS IN OLD TOWN SAN DIEGO STATE PARK Saturday, August 15, 2015 TwainFest is a free and family-friendly festival celebrating the writing of Mark Twain and his contemporaries. TwainFest bursts into action on Saturday, August 15, 2015, in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. This will be TwainFest s sixth annual celebration of mid- 19 th century American arts and culture. The fun starts at 11 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m. Admission is free and open to all. TwainFest will present stories, music, professional actors and musicians, puppets, poems, inventive games, and delightful performances. Performances and activities will be offered in venues all over the state park s grassy plaza, as well as in its historic structures. TwainFest offers various activities for the entire family such as: The Arcade Many imaginative games and activities ranging from Fish for Words, which is geared to children as young as three, to the Spelling Bee, which features commonplace words from the 1850s, and the Never-Ending Story, where everyone adds their own chapter to an ongoing story. Or try your hand at the Wheel of Fiction, where you compete with others to complete literary quotes. Frog Launch TwainFest tips its hat to Twain s first widely read story, The Celebrating Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Frog Launch is a catapult that propels bean-bag frogs into the air. Compete to make the longest launch. Liar s Contest Tell your story (as long as it s a tall one) and compete for the TwainFest Liar s Crown on the TwainFest Main Stage. Open to all. Twain for Kids Professional actors read stories by and about Mark Twain (one of them even written by his daughter, Suzy) in the historic Seeley Stable in the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Performances There are performances throughout the day, from roving storytellers to puppet players, Shakespearean actors, and Walt Whitman talking about his stories. Mark Twain, Emily Dickinson, and Edgar Allen Poe Meet our giant puppets. Have your photo taken with a larger-than-life version of literary greats. TWAINFEST is produced by Write Out Loud, in partnership with Fiesta de Reyes and the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. For more information, call Write Out Loud at or the State Park Information Center at Learn more about TWAINFEST: TwainFest on Facebook: Pictured: A young Mark Twain (portrayed by Eric Minella, Interpretive and Education Manager, Fiesta de Reyes) pg. 6

7 THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS! SEE YOUR AD HERE!!! Join these businesses in their support of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park: Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) Toby s Candle and Soap Shop Write Out Loud Please refer to the back cover page for more details. 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 Board Members: Tom Young Cindy Furlong Poppy Paper Editor: Ruth French poppypapereditor@gmail.com BOOT Website: Park Website: pg. 7

8 BOOSTERS OF OLD TOWN San Diego State Historic Park 4002 Wallace Street San Diego, CA NOTICE: If you have a friend who would like to learn more about San Diego History, enjoys meeting people, and likes to have a good time, give him/her this application form to fill out and send in. **Current BOOT Members will receive a free year of membership!** Please make sure the BOOT Member s name appears here in order for us to give credit for his/her referral. Referred by: MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION $ Single Supporting Member $ Corporate Membership* $ Family (2 or more individuals) (includes business card sized ad in the Poppy Paper $ Senior (62+ years)/student Single and on our website for one month) $ Senior Couple (62+ years) $ Enhanced Corporate Membership* $ Life Member (62+ years) (includes business card sized ad in the Poppy Paper and on our website for 12 months) *Corporate Applications Only: Please enclose a business card or corporate logo with your payment. NAME(S) ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP PHONE Make your check out to BOOT and mail to: BOOT Membership Committee, 4002 Wallace Street, San Diego, CA pg. 8