When it comes to history, the community of Folsom has a whole lot of it. While most of us know how the community and city came about, from Theodore Judah’s vision that rose the community out of the ground during the booming Gold Rush, to the arrival of the railroad, Johnny Cash’s famous visit and more.
While the history books have documented all of those significant moments in time, there is a there is a hoopla of unique “happenings” that took place throughout the decades that you may not find in those ordinary text books but rather in local periodicals
If you look back through the years, you may be amazed of what was considered “headline news” back in the day. Folsom Times continues to partner with the staff of Folsom History to bring our community a backwards glance of yesteryear here in the community thanks to the work of Shelby Sorensen and Jovia Low.
These two local history talents have spent time digging into the past to bring you History Headlines, an ongoing collection of some of the memorable moments that were the “talk of the town,” back in the day and found in news articles, journals and more. Here’s a look back at some unique moments that took place in October through the years.
Photo courtesy of Folsom History Archives.
October 1, 1915: Folsom’s library has become “so popular,” arrangements are made to keep the library and reading room open on more days and hours.
October 1, 1915: Supervisors pass a resolution appropriating $2,000 for the construction of a canal bridge leading out of Folsom to Orangevale.
October 3, 1913: An important announcement has just been made at a meeting of the French Radium Society in Paris to the effect that hypertrophy of the prostate gland is curable by radium.
October 3, 1931: Robert McPherson is circulating a petition requesting the removal of two trees in front of the old Kohlbaker place on Greenback Lane.
October 5, 1867: The people of Folsom were “astonished” to hear a church bell ring; some thought it was an alarm of fire. Instead, it was an excellent sermon and beautiful singing described as a “rarity,” bringing out a large congregation.
October 5, 1867: One man in Folsom is reportedly so poor, his nine dogs would start barking at the tax man four blocks away by sight.
October 7, 1921: At the last meeting of the legislature a bill was passed by which new boundary lines are to be established for the township districts of this county, and by which the number of townships will be reduced from 15 to 7.
Photo courtesy of Folsom History Archives.
October 10, 1891: A boy working in the “boom camp” was working with machinery and lost his thumb when his hand was caught in the saws.
October 10, 1891: Three “convict conspirators” are transferred from San Quentin Prison to Folsom Prison, working in the quarries. They are reported to be behaving well.
October 11, 1940: Last Friday evening Joe Murer was host to about twelve at a delicious venison dinner.
October 13, 1906: Constable Doherty came up from Sacramento last Saturday afternoon and served warrants on all the Folsom saloonkeepers, who are charged with violating the law prohibiting the same of liquor within two miles of a state penal institution.
October 13, 1922: The Board of Supervisors recently decided that the branch county libraries at Folsom, Galt, Elk Grove, North Sacramento and Fair Oaks shall be open every week-day afternoon except one.
October 18, 1903: A five year old boy fell down an abandoned shaft. The young boy was found within a couple hours and, despite the high fall, was only bruised.
October 19, 1917: Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Waites have received word from their son Artell Waites, of the aviation cops, that he is now in England where he expects to remain for about eight weeks after which he will be sent to France.
October 20, 1950: The World Crusade for Freedom will be the subject when Lou Waytek of the Sacramento Junior Chamber of Commerce speaks at the Folsom Union High School next Tuesday at 1:45pm.
October 23, 1952: California hunters will find more ducks than usual when the state’s 70-day waterfowl hunting season opens tomorrow, according to a report from the department of fish and game.
October 24, 1885: In Sacramento, a prisoner proves his innocence. Convicted of the murder of his parents, William Kay proves he had been working in another area when his parents were killed.
October 24, 1885: A Chinese man was buried by dirt and rocks that caved in while he was working in the mines. Allegedly, he was dug out unhurt, but was sadly killed in a second collapse shortly after.
October 31, 1908: A worker in Folsom’s famous dredge No. 6 tragically met his death when he drowned in the dredge pond.
