Monthly news & updates

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dearest Members, Supporters and Friends,

As time passes, you know we all need a little help to look as good as we once did. Heck, there are multibillion dollar industries dedicated to nothing else as we see on television, in magazines and on almighty online platforms. While we here out at Kearney do our very best to keep our old girls (the buildings, I mean) looking good, believe it or not, COVID had a devastating effect on nearly every aspect of the Kearney Mansion and the surrounding structures.

Then, earlier this year, in rode our white knight – the County of Fresno – that was allocating funds for us to apply for to make some of the most pressing repairs. And the Board of Supervisors agreed to earmark a nice sum to make this so.

However, whenever you make even slight repairs to historically designated buildings, there are appropriate hoops to jump through. In our case, we have been able to source the expertise of Karana Hattersley-Drayton, master of all things adobe to say the least. Karana formerly was the City of Fresno’s Preservation Officer for more than a decade, so she is well equipped to help us navigate the murky waters of rules and regulations that protect the integrity of structures such as our Mansion, Carriage House, Servants’ Quarters, Ice House and more. We even found a building that can be restored that we didn’t know we had!

Karana has brought Scott Vincent into the mix as Historical Architect and Project Manager. We are so lucky to have them on our team to ensure that best practices are followed throughout the process.

Before I share a few of the wonderful repairs and additions you will be able to watch happening over the next months when you visit us, let me refresh us all with a brief recap of how Kearney’s dream came to partial fruition...

After thirteen years of colony farm and agribusiness activity in Fresno County (1869-1882) M. Theo Kearney began his greatest challenge and triumph -- the development of the Fruit Vale Estate. The initial plans for Kearney's ambitious land development venture began in late December of 1882. Kearney, an associate L.P. Drexler, and another premier Fresno developer, Thomas Hughes, held a series of meetings and toured an area west of the Central Pacific Railroad line. Three months later, both local newspapers announced Kearney's purchase of 6,800 acres of rich land west and southwest of Fresno that appeared perfectly suited to irrigation.

Over the next four years, Kearney sought investors for his ambitious enterprise through his business connections in New York and Europe. By June 1885, his diary entries show that he was in London, established at the Metropole Hotel. During that summer, two significant names appear in Kearney's correspondence -- Dr. Edward B. Perrin and Captain George C. Cheape. He had met Dr. Perrin during his trip west to California 1869, and the shipboard friendship grew into a profitable business relationship. Dr. Perrin, who studied irrigation methods in Egypt and Spain and bought large tracts of land in the central San Joaquin Valley, had convinced Kearney that the Fresno land, if properly irrigated, would produce bountiful crops.

Through the Perrin connection, Kearney pursued Captain Cheape, a shrewd Scottish capitalist who had invested heavily in a Perrin enterprise, the Fresno Canal and Irrigation Company. An intensive series of cables, telegrams and meetings in December 1886 finalized Captain Cheape's major role in the Fruit Vale enterprise. The first months of 1887 were filled with activity as Kearney returned to Fresno to focus on the estate's initial development. He engaged E.W. Hilgard, head of the University of California Agriculture Department, to prepare a report on the quality of the soil and the types of plants, bushes and trees that would thrive on the land. When Captain Cheape arrived in San Francisco, Kearney wined and dined his major investor. After reviewing the positive results of Hilgard's feasibility study, Cheape gave his final blessing and financial backing to Kearney's plan.

In the first years of the 1890s, Kearney was intensely involved in a high-power promotional effort to entice investors to purchase 10- and 20-acre farms on the estate. He also focused on the development of vineyards and acres of diversified crops that were directly under his ownership. By April 1893, the Fresno Republican published its first large article on the Fruit Vale Estate: "...neat farmhouse and barns dot the landscape, surrounded by large fields of alfalfa and grain glistening in the warm sunshine and rippling before the gentle breeze...Several large vineyards have been developed as a part of the grand scheme including the Ten Broeck Vineyard, the La Favorita Raisin Vineyard Company, the Nestell Vineyard, and the Paragon Vineyard..."  

By the spring of 1903, the Fruit Vale Estate's thousands of acres of raisin vineyards, fruit trees and alfalfa were in full production. Situated at the center of the extensive operations was 240-acre Chateau Fresno Park, the Superintendent's Lodge (present-day Kearney Mansion), and the ranch town.

A list of the estate’s operations in 1903 included:
general store reading & family refreshment rooms
carriage house & stables
meat market & cold storage plant
warehouse raisin packing-house w/ large capacity raisin dryer
four hay barns
dairy
servants' quarters w/ ranch kitchen
employee cottages & 100-seat ranch dining room
blacksmith & wheelwright shop
livestock barns
100-room workers' quarters
poultry department w/ 3,000 chick brooder
bell tower
tea house w/ palm-frond roof
lumber yard
post office w/ long distance pay telephone
Southern Pacific RR spur
skimming station of San Joaquin Ice Co. Creamery
coal-powered electric generator
tank house 

In the first years of the 20th century, Kearney published a remarkable record of his achievements in a volume titled Fresno California and the Evolution of the Fruit Vale Estate, Illustrated. This 180-page landscape photograph book presented the development of the estate through a series of dramatic images. Many were “before and after” shots, showing the same view in the early 1890s and again in the early 1900s.  

While, sadly, most of these buildings are lost forever, we are setting out to continue to protect what we still have.

With our ARPA funds from the county, firstly, and truly most importantly, we will be able to repair the roof of the original Carriage House. During COVID, the darling little swallows that live here burrowed through the wood and created the most destructive and incredible nests you have ever seen – just ask our staff who once got locked inside by mistake!

We will be able to accomplish everything necessary to make the Carriage House wholly useable again for our student visitors, as the building serves as our Field Trip Classroom.

Additionally, we will paint the Mansion, fix all the steps, provide proper air conditioning for archive rooms so they stop flooding, create a mini kitchen for events in the basement of the Servants’ Quarters and so much more. All improvements will be for the benefit of the visitors, particularly our youth who come on Living History adventures throughout the year.

While you may need to “PARDON OUR DUST,” now and then for the next year, smile when you think about how beautiful and fresh our charges will look for many years to come.

Of course, if you would like to help, you can contribute directly to the Kearney Restoration Fund – there is ALWAYS more that needs attention.

TIME TRAVELERS' COUNTRY FAIR COMING THIS OCTOBER
By: Nancy Faria, Event Manager

Can you imagine the excitement of a ten-year-old when they discover “gold” in their sluice pan while panning for gold? Or tasting the first bite of a biscuit they cooked themselves over a campfire? Or maybe the satisfaction they feel after learning a few steps from colorful Folklorico dancers? All these things and more will be possible at our Time Travelers’ event at beautiful Kearney Park this October.

The Buffalo Soldiers will be on hand to talk about their stewardship of Yosemite National Park after the Civil War; the American Mountain Men will welcome students into their camp; the Fresno Folklore Society will entertain with traditional songs and uncover the mysteries of the stories behind them. Over 30 different historic activities and reenactors will help to create an experience you will not soon forget.

Schools are invited to register for field trips during the Time Travelers' Education Days from October 18th to 20th online here>>>

And if your little Time Traveler is disappointed that they didn’t get to see everything during the week, join us for the Time Travelers’ Country Fair on Saturday, October 21st from 11:00 to 5:00.

The Country Fair will include all of the fascinating educational stations of Time Travelers’ Education Days and so much more. From the delicious offerings of Fresno Street Eats food trucks, local craft vendors, classic carnival games and a free Kids Zone entertaining the younger crowd, to lunch on the veranda provided by Chef Paul with a special mystery guest and a wine garden hosted by the Central Valley Wine Growers Association for a quieter experience, everyone is guaranteed to enjoy themselves. The Horseless Carriage Club will be showcasing antique automobiles, the Fresno Fire Department will be on hand with free fire safety demos, a parade around Kearney Mansion will include Taiko drummers, Chinese Lion dancers, Mariachis and Folklorico dancers and free musical entertainment will be provided by Uncle Ephus.

Have a tasty recipe that’s been handed down through generations? We invite you to enter our vintage recipe contest. Contestants will receive a book of the submitted recipes. Additional copies will be available for purchase. Please see our website for advance purchase of admission and to secure the limited tickets to our special lunch on the veranda.

Tickets and Information