Unidentified grocery store on Yosemite Avenue
This unidentified grocery store on Yosemite Avenue provides a clear glimpse into what it was like for early Maderans to go shopping, although the individuals in this image seem to be more interested in taking inventory than in selling merchandise. Local grocers were supplied by nearby farmers as well as brokers who employed traveling salesmen […]
1912 Political Rally
In the days before radio and television, Maderans were heavily involved in politics. Street rallies, campaign parties, and parades were just a few of the avenues of local political activity. In this 1912 photograph, Madera Democrats are holding a rally on D Street just north of Yosemite Avenue. It should be noted that the speaker […]
President Theodore Roosevelt in Madera, 1903
In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt passed through Madera County on his way to visit Yosemite Park and meet with John Muir. Roosevelt is pictured here addressing a crowd at Bowen’s store in Raymond just before boarding a stage for Yosemite. On his return trip, Roosevelt thrilled a huge crowd at Berenda by speaking for more […]
Madera’s First All-Female Jury, 1918
The gender walls came tumbling down in Madera in 1918. The women shown in this photograph comprised the first all-female jury in Madera County. Charles Halstead was accused of grand larceny in Judge Conley’s court. District Attorney Stanley Murray prosecuted the case, and Joseph Barcroft represented the defense. After just three ballots, the women brought […]
The 1915 Madera Union High School Graduation
By 1915, Madera Union High School’s graduating class had grown considerably. During its first eight years, the number of Madera High School graduates seesawed between seven and three, starting in 1897 with seven and ending in 1904 with seven. In 2018, enrollment was over 2,000. (Madera Images-Bill Coate)
First Madera high school
With their new high school complete, Maderans set out to beautify the grounds by planting trees and shrubbery. This building lasted for just 13 years. On August 14, 1917, it caught fire and burned to the ground. The school board took the $7,000 insurance money and began construction again. (Madera Images-Bill Coate)
Brammer’s Shoe Store
Brammer’s shoe store was another pioneer establishment on Yosemite Avenue that adapted to the times and survived. It began as a single-story, frame building on the north side of Yosemite Avenue. In 1913, owner Herman Brammer replaced the wooden structure with a single-story, brick building. About this time, Herman brought his son, William into the […]
Avenging the Blood of Emmett Till
The Emmett Till Project 2021-22 In August 2021, the 8th-grade classes in Eastin-Arcola and La Vina Schools began another Jim Crow project. It was a sequel to the Jim Crow project that had been completed the previous year in the same schools. Piqued by the earlier project, these students wanted to dig a little deeper. […]
Madera’s Journey from Jim Crow to Civil Rights
The Journalistic Record Project 2020-21 Madera was founded and first populated by whites. The first recorded African-American resident of Madera was Dexter Hunt, a 31-year-old porter who worked for Captain Russel Perry Mace in his hotel. He arrived here in 1880. For the next 20 years, Madera continued to grow, from 217 residents in 1880 […]
Twenty-Seven Years a Free Man
The Journal of Gabriel Bibbard Moore Project 2019-2020 “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” – Amendment XV Here was a former slave living in the “free state” […]
