Betsy J. Green

WAY BACK WHEN – 100 YEARS AGO TODAY – On June 28, 1918, the local paper announced the names of four Carpinteria men who were leaving to work in the spruce division of the American Aviation Corps (now called the Air Force).
Why spruce? Most World War I planes were made of spruce and linen.

WAY BACK WHEN – 100 YEARS AGO TODAY – On June 25, 1918, the local paper reported on speeding problems in Santa Barbara: “‘The [East] Valerio Street hill, which seems to be the place most motorists select to test the speed of their cars,’ was too tempting for one driver. This motorist was nabbed by the SB Speed Officer for zooming down the hill at the illegal speed of 28 miles per hour. (The speed limit for most streets in 1918 was 15 m.p.h.)  Read More 

WAY BACK WHEN – 100 YEARS AGO TODAY – On June 14, 1918, Santa Barbara residents were chuckling over this cartoon in the local paper. Folks here really needed a good laugh after reading numerous depressing stories about the war in Europe.

WAY BACK WHEN – 100 YEARS AGO TODAY – On June 2, 1918, the SB paper announced that the local chapter of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows would hold a meeting to greet the organization’s “Grand Patriarch” who was visiting this area. The meeting was held in the IOOF building at 15 East Anapamu. The group still meets in this building, and the next time you pass by, you can look up and see their logo -- three chain links -- displayed on the second floor of the building.  Read More 

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