I can’t speak for the “real” Mr. William H. Pepper (he died on March 14, 1906), but as the 21st Century “WHP,” I think that it was too bad that the community decided to tear down both our 1886 City Hall building in 1955, and the original Pepper Kindergarten 1894) on the SW corner of Liberty & Washington Streets in 1960. If my memory chip is still functioning, I believe the “preservation movement” didn’t kick in until later in the ’60s. Both these historic buildings would have made great annexes to the main museum. The kindergarten could have become a center for the history of schools in Petaluma and City Hall, the Police Department and Fire Department Museum.
Attached below are “Then & Now” photos. Scroll down and check them out.
(#2) The Woman’s Club – 1913 … and … (#3) The Woman’s Club – 2006
(#4) Main Street looking north from B Street. Notice the Cosmopolitan Hotel and the original clock tower.
(#5) Center Park, today. The clock tower is different. No wagons, just automobiles.Where did those trees come from? Where’s the Cosmopolitan? Street lights? Signs? What’s happening to my town?
On the Radar Screen: Some type of Petaluma History class is on the”drawing board.” It will be a revival of earlier classes offered several years ago. Stay tuned for details.