About Us

Tracy Historical Museum
1141 Adam St.
Tracy, CA 95376

(209) 832-7278
E-mail:tracymuseum@sbcglobal.net

2011-2012

SPA Board of Directors

President – David Lee

First Vice President - Leona Willis

Second Vice

President

eleste Garamendi

Recording Secretary
Sheila Kendall

Corresponding Secretary
Jean Shipman

Treasurer – Joyce Willis

Museum Chairperson
Onalee Koster

Historic Lammersville School
Chairperson – Rhonda Kooy

Historic Landmark Committee
Chairperson – Betty Galli

Immediate Past President
Onalee Koster

Elected Board Members :
Judith Ann Lee
Virginia Mynatt
Ruth Sanford

Landmark Committee Members:
Bill Carter
Larry Gamino
Richard Kendall
David Middleton

Richard Kendall

Board meets the first

Monday of every month at

2:00 pm in the Tracy

Museum Library

A Brief History Of The West Side Pioneer Association

Our Beginnings

On November 20, 1921 ten men met at the home of Tracy Attorney Frank

Housken

for

the purpose of creating an organization interested in preserving the

history of the

pioneers of the West Side of San Joaquin County. They chose to

call themselves

The

Pioneers of the West Side of the San Joaquin.

Why The Unusual Name?

These pioneers settled in Tulare Township, which included all the area in San

Joaquin

County on the west side of the San Joaquin River.

Early Membership Requirements

Initially the group decided that all members had to be residents of the West Side

for

the

past 30 years and had to be at least 52 years old. The rules were

changed at

their third

meeting to require that a member must be male, a

resident of the West

Side at the time

of their membership application, a

resident for 30 years prior to

membership, and must

be elected to membership

with no more than three

dissenting votes. There was a $1.00

membership

initiation fee and annual dues of

$2.00.

Monthly meetings were held.

Aging Membership Brings Changes

Because of aging members and stiff membership requirements, it was decided

change the bylaws, allowing women and younger people to join. At the same

time,

the

Tracy Historical Society, which had been formed by the Chamber of

Commerce,

merged

with the West Side Pioneers. This new group,

incorporated February 26,

1975, decided

to call themselves the

West Side

Pioneer Association of Tracy.

The

Board of Directors

at that time was: Melvin

Routt, Don Ridolfi, Fannie Castro,

Florence Stevens, and Goldie

Ridolfi.

The Quest to Create a Museum

Members of the new organization had a vision of creating a historical museum

Tracy

as a memorial to our past, to those who lived to make Tracy the place it

today. They

believed the history of the Tracy area must come primarily from

the

mouths of our elders

through their stories and from the collection of artifacts.

Their

dreams of a museum

came to fruition on May 22, 1993 when the first

Tracy Historical

Museum was opened at

2302 Bessie Avenue.

How Can You Become Part Of Our History?

		The West Side Pioneer Association welcomes donations of historical artifacts,
		photographs, and stories to add to the museum collection. We also accept monetary donations in the form of memorials or honorariums to help with the preservation of the museum’s collection. Follow link for more information.

		Volunteers are always needed to help catalog items, do clerical work, serve as
		a docent, assist with the third grade education programs, help with fundraisers, and numerous small tasks to keep the museum functioning. (Museum Email)

		Join us to learn about and help preserve our history. (Membership)

Top Row: Von Soston, Herman
Walker, Frank Huck, E. Paulson,
John Kalke, Fen Jackson, F.
Herzog, Ernest Schanbel, Henry
Frerich, Victor Lee

2nd Row: Ben Canale, John
Thoming, Walter Peterman, Ed
Gerlach, A. Anderson