This post is companion to post number 148 published on this
blog on March 18, 2014. The two posts share the features of:
-- presenting aspects of two wide-format
photographs housed in UCD Special Collections folder AR-013 that were
-- created
with high-resolution cameras from a high southern point on “The Farm” campus,
and that are
-- examined
here for a purpose not the main focus of the photographs.
The difference is that the photo focused on in this post was
taken a few years later than the previous one. While the first is likely 1920 (and
I say “early ‘20s”), this one is likely 1927 (but let us say “later ‘20s” to be
on the safe side).
Like the other photo, I have enlarged and segmented that
sliver in the background above the Farm buildings. There are six panels that
show the Davis skyline from east to west.
In order to show how these six relate to one another, I
present a screenshot composite of them arrayed as a panorama.
Below, I list a few of the features I think are visible in
these panels. (I repeat text used to describe features also appearing in the
early 1920s panorama)
Panel 1
• Looking
to the northwest: The area where Anderson Road will be is open land except
for the “West End” or “Jake’s Addition,” which consists of the four homes now
numbered 521, 501, 445, 433 Russell Boulevard and that are still there. If you
look closely between the upper branches of the trees, you can glimpse three of
the four spread across the panel.
The four homes are depicted in Davis History Today Post #107, which is
here:
Panel 2
• Vertically across the upper middle of the
panel marked with white posts: The road called variously “The Highway,”
Route 40, The Lincoln Highway (for six months in 1927), and Russell Boulevard.
• To
the left behind the first tree next to “the Highway:” The tank house of 433
Russell is just behind the left side of that tree.
• In
between the Tank House and the next house: Unidentified but what appears to
be a barn.
• Two
Story Home in the middle right facing and on the Highway: 327 Russell Boulevard,
still standing.
• Cluster
of three College Park homes to the right of 325 Russell:
66 College Park,
reported built in 1926;
64 College Park,
reported built in 1925;
60 College Park
reported built in 1927.
Panel 3
• Home in the distance to the right of the flagpole: Likely 53 College Park, reported built in 1927
• Just
above the right end of North Hall: 225 Russell, home of the Professor
Joseph Rosa family and now a sorority house.
This home is profiled in Davis History Today #110 at: http://www.davishistorytoday.org/2013/03/new-information-on-rosa-home-at-225.html
• Two
Homes to the right of a tree separating them from 225 Russell:
18 College Park, reported built
1926
20 College Park, reported built 1926
• To the right of 18 and 20 College Park and
farther in the distance: Cluster of structures near to the three trees is
just north of what will become 216 West 8th Street. The building now at 216
West 8th Street--built in 1935--was apparently constructed as part of that
cluster.
• Horizontally
across the upper right distance: The line of trees marks the approximate
route of the future West 8th Street.
• Two two
story retangular buildings on the extreme right: The building on the left--
slightly closer to us than the one on the right--was moved here from the Davis
High site in order to make way for the school. Both house the Zeta Xi
fraternity.
Panel 4
• Farther in the distance to the right of
the Zeta Xi buildings: Complex of farm structures apparently belonging to
world-renowned sheep expert Professor Robert Miller, whose home is seen on the
right and is 749 B Street (which is
still there). For a time, Professor Miller was
shepherd to a flock of sheep kept on his land in that area.
• Just
below Professor’s Millers House to the right: 440 A Street, corner of
Russell and A streets, still standing and currently a sorority house.
• House to the right of 440 A Street: 422 A
Street, still standing.
• Block
long building above 422 A: The Davis Joint Union High School built 1927.
• Large
building with few windows to the high school’s immediate right: The
original gymnasium building, which burnt down early on and was replaced by the gymnasium
there now.
• To the
right and above the campus building smoke stack: 642 C Street, the shed
used by A. R. Pedder in organizing construction materials for about a dozen
Davis homes he built in the 1910-20s (demolished).
• Extreme
Right Edge: City of Davis water tower at 616 D Street (taken down).
Panel 6
• Right
edge: 255 3rd Street (northwest corner of 3rd & B): the University
Hotel, demolished and since the site of a succession of family style
restaurants.
• Lower Middle of the Panel: Northeast
corner of lst and A Streets, 203 1st Street, still standing and currently a
fraternity house.
• To the right of 201 lst Street: 305 1st Street, the Plant House (still
standing)
* * *
Looking at these views closely, I am struck by the number
of what appear to be plumes of smoke rising from various points in the town.
Because many of the trees have no leaves, we can infer the temperature was on
the chilly side the day this photograph was made. It is therefore plausible to infer that we are observing the
presence of a considerable amount of wood burning to provide home heating and
cooking.
