Ripon, California (Sanger, Arroyo Grande, Oakdale: how much, elementary school, living in)

[Bulldogdad]

As I was standing in dowtown Ripon Saturday morning waiting for a spot to open up at the indoor shooting range at Barnwood Arms, I got to looking around at the quaint old buildings and looked up to see an obvious turn of the century 1900 era building that had I.O.O.F. in big iron letters on the side.

It had been a while since I had seen an Oddfellows Lodge and had never given much though to the organization. You can look it up for yourself.

Back to Ripon- Standing there listening to the rush of the cars go by on the elevated part of hwy99 that passes just east of downtown, I had a wave of nostalgia pass through me about how things were in old timey California.

White, very white, I know but still you can't help but understand how much these little cores of humanity from the 19th and 20th centuries were part of this State's cradle of modern civilization.

Anyway, I digress enough of this waxing poetic. If you are ever passing through it would be worth your time to take a few minutes and divert to this peaceful four-five block 19th century build through back for a quick walk and a meal in one of the Jewels of the Valley.

History of Ripon

Home

At the very end of this driving tour is where I was having my episode of nostolgia.


Ripon CA ~ driving thru Main St (a mini Ripon tour) - YouTube

[Curmudgeon]

Interesting the the Odd Fellows Hall became Ripon High School in 1910.

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by Bulldogdad

White, very white

That's an understatement! I went to school in nearby Oakdale from age 7-14 during the late 60s and early 70s. In an elementary school of 300 kids I could literally count on one hand the Mexican or Asian kids. The only black resident in the entire town was an elderly man who shined shoes at the Greyhound Depot. Might as well have been living in a small town in the Midwest.

[Fontucky]

This brought back a memory of a building I've passed a thousand times on 180 between Sanger and Minkler in the little wide spot in the road known as Centerville.



EDIT: Until this post by El Bullodoggo, I assumed it stood for Independent Order Of Foresters.

[Bulldogdad]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

This brought back a memory of a building I've passed a thousand times on 180 between Sanger and Minkler in the little wide spot in the road known as Centerville.



EDIT: Until this post by El Bullodoggo, I assumed it stood for Independent Order Of Foresters.

Passed by there many times when driving the blossom trail back in the late 1990's. Also has a great fruit stand.

Buddy I was shooting with that morning thought it was the foresters as well until I pulled it up for him on the internets.

[Curmudgeon]

Foresters go by IOF.

[.highnlite]

1902 IOOF Hall in Arroyo Grande, seems most older towns had an IOOF club.

[Bulldogdad]

Prolific little odd fellows.

[jeffredo]

I can smell the cow pies from here.