Betsy J. Green

WAY BACK WHEN, 100 years ago today in Santa Barbara, on May 26, 1918, 1,000 people came out to watch the annual motorcycle race up Eucalyptus Hill. The fastest time was 14-1/5 seconds. Not sure where the start and finish lines were. (Above) A top-of-the-line motorbike from 1918.

WAY BACK WHEN, 100 years ago today in Santa Barbara -- on May 18, 1918, famed Swedish-American painter Carl Oscar Borg began building his house on Loma Alta on the Mesa. Borg was known for his paintings of Native Americans of the Southwest.

WAY BACK WHEN, 100 years ago today in Santa Barbara, on May 7, 1918, a traveling circus came to Santa Barbara and marched up and down State Street. “Everyone was a child during the circus parade at noon today. It was truly the children’s hour. And what a parade it was! The streets were filled with old and young. Laughter sounded even above the rumble of the street cars.”  Read More 

WAY BACK WHEN, 100 years ago today in Santa Barbara, on May 1, 1918, a young Santa Barbara woman named Mildred Moody learned that an Army recruitment poster that she had designed had won a contest, and a $25 prize. [Spoiler alert — Moody and her equally talented sisters later went on to design a number of picturesque cottages in the Santa Barbara area.]  Read More 

WAY BACK WHEN: 100 YEARS AGO TODAY IN SANTA BARBARA: Everybody who had any space was planting vegetables in their liberty garden (aka victory garden), and the paper printed one gardener’s frustration: “I do love to work out in my war garden, though I do get dirty as a pig. I work until I am tired as a dog, and feel weak as a cat. I am happy as a clam while I am about it, but do wish I was strong as an ox so I could accomplish more.” -- Santa Barbara Morning Press, April 28, 1918.  Read More 

WAY BACK WHEN: 100 YEARS AGO TODAY IN SANTA BARBARA: On April 17, 1918, the local paper ran an article about the “old glove campaign.” The U.S. Government did not have enough warm jackets for pilots who flew in the open cockpits of war planes. There was now in Santa Barbara, a group of women collecting used leather gloves. “Gloves, thus collected, will be properly trimmed, sewed together, and used as interlinings for windproof jackets for aviators.” (I hope they cut the fingers off the gloves first.)  Read More 

A dance was held in the Elks’ Hall on April 13, 1918 by one of the newest associations in the city -- the Girl Telephone Operators Association. There were 40, mostly young, women in this group who worked the telephone switchboards. This was probably the most technical job available for women a century ago. These women often stayed at their posts during emergencies such as floods, fires, and earthquakes. Read More 

WAY BACK WHEN - 100 YEARS AGO TODAY IN SANTA BARBARA: On April 3, 1918, the local paper ran a photo of Col. Douglas MacArthur, and mentioned that he had had been awarded the Croix de Guerre for unusual gallantry in action. His mother was in Santa Barbara at this time, visiting her daughter-in-law Mrs. Arthur MacArthur who lived at 180 E. Arrellaga. Image: Wikimedia Read More 

WAY BACK WHEN - March 31, 1918 -- 100 years ago today, daylight-saving time began in Santa Barbara for the very first time. Although there were some complaints — “When it is noon, it is noon, no matter what the clock says” — there were no major problems.

Way Back When - March 26, 1918 -- 100 years ago today, a thief at the prestigious Potter Hotel, made off with “an emerald ring, two clocks, gold neck chain, silver souvenir spoon, and one sapphire, and an emerald ring,” according to the SB Daily News & Independent.