December 2006 Archives

Keri

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I am intrigued about the concept of a Women's Lounge in a bank. Apparently, from roughly 1915 through the 1940s it was not unusual for a bank to provide a dedicated private space for its female customers.

I came across a brochure in the Archives, issued by Wells Fargo Bank & Union Trust Company (Wells Fargo's formal name from 1924-50), entitled "To Our Women Customers." The pamphlet reads, "The Women's Lounge on the third floor, is a place to rest, relax, and meet your friends. We invite you to use it."

Imagine ... an exclusive, attractively decorated space in a secure building where women can gather to relax, rest, and socialize after they do their banking. No minimum drink purchase required! This concept was not exclusive to Wells Fargo. I found examples of other banks that also provided such amenities for female customers.

On Sunday, May 30, 1915, the Omaha (Neb.) Daily News ran a story on the new United States National Bank building that featured an exclusive ladies room:

It is intended for the use of the patrons of the bank and is furnished luxuriously...This is an innovation in banking methods that has recently come into rather general practice, to provide separate departments for the care of women.

The Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis offered a "Ladies Lounge" in its main banking area and printed checks that featured "Women's Department."

These days, your local Wells Fargo store may not have an exclusive women's lounge. However, it is nice to know that they still have dedicated financial services for women. Just in case any bank executives happen to read this...bring back the Women's Lounge, please! (Perhaps with a martini bar?)

Ladies, are you with me?

Anne

While the holiday season is often referred to as extravagant, with a hyped-up "dispose of the old and upgrade to the new" mentality, I'm enjoying conversations with Wells Fargo History Museum visitors that seem to reflect the contrary. They refer affectionately to cherished toys—no matter how old and tattered—they hope to pull out on occasion for years to come and pass down to future generations. So here are some resources to help you do just that.

• For those "best friends" from your childhood 
• G.I. Joe and Barbie need long-term care, too! 
• To avoid the broken MONOPOLY box syndrome 

Plus, some other general sites:

• An overview 
• The hard work part of genealogy 
• A series of pamphlets about specific items and problems 

Archivist Christy Johnson also recommends the following:

• Keep items clean, whether that be in a nice UV-filtered display case (for limited light exposure) or the original packaging (keep in mind that light damage is cumulative and once the colors on your boxes fade, they will not return). Light damage and dust are probably two of the biggest concerns for toys. I would keep items out of direct sunlight.
• Keep a good list of your items. If something is destroyed or damaged, it is always good to track items and best to have photos of the items' original condition. Also, while storing items , make sure that the toys, whether still in packages or not, are in archival boxes, paper or sleeves.

From the personal side of helping the family clean out the houses of relatives, I can also suggest a few things. Tell people the stories and memories associated with your pieces. Write down and keep your stories stored with the objects. Put them in a special place, set aside from the items of daily activity. I'm not saying to hide things away, not at all. But make sure they won't get jumbled up and discarded during the stress of cleaning out .

There is an incredible amount of information out there, and it can feel a little overwhelming when you just want to care for that stuffed bear from the 1950s. Try not to feel daunted, and just do something. Pull out your beloved items, check out the condition, and think about its storage environment. Better to take just a few small steps now, as opposed to pulling beloved teddy out in five years to show someone, only to find it moldy, faded, or moth-eaten beyond recognition.

Keri

Christmas comes but once a year. It means fun, gifts—and bills! But you can have a bill-free Christmas if you save for it systematically.

This was how Wells Fargo marketed its "Christmas Club" in the early 1960s.

I came across a few examples in the Archives of how Wells Fargo promoted savings accounts to assist with holiday spending. The idea was simple: Make weekly deposits to your Christmas Club Account, and toward the end of the year you receive a check for the amount saved—plus regular interest. You planned ahead for what you could afford and what you would spend.

How sensible! I think this worked rather well until credit cards became prevalent and allowed you to buy now and pay later (for which I am guilty).

I realize that growing up, I benefited from a solid holiday savings plan. My mother, a single parent with two children, regularly contributed to her Wells Fargo Christmas Club Account every month in order to pay for bills and Christmas gifts. Today, she recalled for me how "wonderful" it was to get that check at the end of the year. I'm sure it is how I was able to receive my most memorable Christmas gift—a Barbie Townhouse®.

Wells Fargo no longer offers a Christmas Club Account per se but does provide alternative savings plans to meet your financial goals, whatever they may be.

As for me, I plan on spending more on bills than presents or savings. Merry Christmas, heating bill!

Charles

This from paradise:

Kilauea is ready to fall into the ocean, scientists fear . Well, not actually—the delta formed by continuous lava flow is about to break off the side of the volcano and return to Davy Jones' Locker .

The good news is that volcanoes are busily forming land masses,  at least over zillions of years. With a little patience, there will be more Hawai'i for more people.

And with more turf comes more life. Lush, tropical life  in paradise.

Anne

Earthquakes come and go—literally, but in this case I’m talking about the 1906 quake centennial exhibit—and now it's "Holiday Cheer by Stagecoach" at the Wells Fargo History Museum in San Francisco. Visitors can see toys and greetings from the past and learn about Wells Fargo's role in providing holiday cheer, whether delivering presents by stagecoach, wagon, or train.

My sister works at UPS , and installing this exhibit each year reminds me how similar her work is now to that of historical employees of Wells Fargo back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There is very little time for breaks during this season they call Peak . A digital montage of express labels and winter illustrations that we added to the exhibit this year presents a fun visual of this notion. I checked it out, and UPS was just getting into the express game when Wells Fargo was getting out.

In the Wells Fargo Museum in San Francisco, we added some interactive elements this year to our annual holiday exhibit, with old-fashioned toys to play with and a card for visitors to write down and share a favorite toy memory. We haven't gotten an overwhelming number of responses so far, but I did enjoy the comment from Liem C., a recent fourth grade visitor, who described her penny collection, which is so "special" that she will "pass it down." Are people just too busy this time of year for a little fun reflection? If you want to share, here’s the prompt! Go ahead and leave a comment:

"Did you have a toy that had a special place in your room, entertained you for hours, or maybe even launched a lifelong passion?"

And if you're in the area, come visit. We're open Monday-Friday, 9-5, and have special holiday concerts and open house events(PDF).

Charles

Before the 20th century, with its many innovations in firefighting and other preparedness, communities were often ravaged by fire and other disasters. Such a disaster in Iowa Hill, Calif., made one of the legends that adds to the fame of Wells Fargo. Here's the story of a dog who remained steadfast in the line of duty.

In gold rush days, Wells Fargo agents sometimes had dogs to help guard Wells Fargo treasure. In Auburn, Calif., agent John Q. Jackson had a 128-pound Mastiff as "friend, counselor and safe guard." Down the road at Iowa Hill, agent T.S. Hotchkiss also had a loyal canine.Wells Fargo's office at Iowa Hill was prospering, with as much as $100,000 in gold passing weekly through the office. (That's about $1.5 million today.) To enhance security, Hotchkiss got a powerful dog named Tiger. "Tig" was trained to lay by the safe and guard it from the hands of all but his master. Tig performed his duty without incident for several years.

In 1857, fire swept Iowa Hill and destroyed most of the buildings in town. The Wells Fargo office was among the structures destroyed; at the time of the fire, Tig was at his post. Agent Hotchkiss rescued him from the office twice, but in the excitement Hotchkiss did not have time to tie the dog securely and keep Tig from harm. Attention centered on the fire, which spread rapidly and enveloped the office completely. It was not safe in the street, and it was not possible to enter the buildings.

The following morning, Agent Hotchkiss found the charred remains of his heroic friend in the ruins.

Such faithfulness led dogs to become a universal symbol of security and service for the express business. A dog on the treasure box graces the cover of Wells Fargo’s Directory of Agents and Offices for 1883 with the legend "alert and faithful." In 1893, a Wells Fargo employee posed his bulldog puppy on top of a Wells Fargo Treasure Box at the Midwinter Fair in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Thereafter, the image of Jack on the treasure box became a favorite of Wells Fargo offices around the country. "Jack" has become a part of Wells Fargo history and remains a favorite of Wells Fargo team members today.

But for Wells Fargo, it means more than just fierce protection of customers' assets. Jack the Dog also remembers Iowa Hill’s Tig, a Wells Fargo legend for making the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

Immeasurable thanks to Marianne Babal, Wells Fargo Historian, whose core research and texts comprise this entry.

Charles

The Hurricane Season of 2006—in the U.S., that is—was a dud. That is, if you like hurricanes, evacuations, insurance claims ...

The latest  from both government agency  and academic research  sources suggests that 2006 was a no-hurricane year thanks to El Niño. The change in oceans directly affects hurricanes, which are brewed in the air over the oceans. Naturally, next year promises to be a doozy.

The news report added: "No hurricanes hit the U.S. Atlantic coast in 2006—only the 11th time that has occurred since 1945."

Lull before the storm?

Charles

Today is the 65th anniversary  of the attack on Pearl Harbor . That event is the general historical moment the U.S. entered the Second World War. That conflict created the recent, modern world with the U.S. in the driver's seat, a situation(with many, many caveats, of course) that has been altering for years. But the general historical moment when the world entered a new era will probably be the attack of September 11, 2001.

What have we got in those 60 years between historic events? Well, the U.S. went from World War to Cold War right away. The threat of complete destruction (by scientists arming soldiers) prompted the exploration of new territories—including outer space (soldiers driving new science). The expansion of technology got us to space and now we behold Mars , finally ready and willing to ="host our exploration">host our exploration.

Chuck Norris declares  the lesson of December 7, 1941—we are under constant attack and have to behave as such. That's a reasonable interpretation (with many, many caveats, of course) from a martial artist, where anticipation is the basis of response. But for all the weapons, there are many other kinds of explosions that affect ordinary people. Like the Milwaukee plant that abruptly blew up , or a freak tornado in London , of all places. With anticipation the basis of quick response, we are ready for explosions, attack or otherwise.

We individually can make our homes and our selves as tools against the big kablooey. Minnesotans were recently found the healthiest Americans , challenging the snobs who declare everyone between the coasts is grossly out of shape. Those least healthy? Louisianans, whose geography was recently, uh, totaled by natural disaster and hapless response. Collectively, we can monitor our use of the geography and try to find ways to achieve balance. The movie "Chinatown"  showed a corrupt elite in Los Angeles using public resources for private gain. Recently, L.A. is working to give back some of the water  they "stole" back when.

Treat yourself right as a way to keep your own health, of course—but also as a way to create a better social organism. A healthy, interconnected world. It might not usher in the epoch of peace and brotherhood, but it can sure postpone Armageddon .

Of course, there will be mistakes. You might have good intentions that fall a little short. But it's OK. We love ya for who you are, not what you ate for lunch! 

Charles

This from the AP: A high school senior from Eugene, Ore. won $100,000 at the nation's top high school science competition . Dmitry Vaintrob, from South Eugene High School , submitted his project in a new area of mathematics called string topology . This mathematical field  applies to electricity, magnetism and gravity.

Also winning a $100,000 scholarship was a team of students from Oakridge High School  in Oakridge, Tenn.—Scott Molony, Steven Arcangeli and Scott Horton. Their project is concerned with engineering biofuel from plants .

The march of science can never be halted, as long as curiosity beats in the human heart. And as long as $100,000 is available in an era of soaring college costs. Good work, scholars!

Charles

Winter storms have hit the Heartland . Guided By History is on it.

For starters, you're going to need a little knowledge. Begin your winter storm prep here(PDF)  for the basic overview, then expand your know-how and survival kit with this  from Springfield, Ill., and this info  from Stearns County, Minn. Winters are long and cold there, so these are people who know snow.

New England also knows snow—and how to tame it. New England Motorsports has this forum on tires . Connect with these guys if you need more info. These fellas here  can get you started down the cleared road to do-it-yourself environmental alteration. If they don't know gear, it can't be known. Keep in mind you need to get going before dawn—that's when plowing's done, cowboy. Or you can leave it to the giants of plowage .

Now you're getting ready, but you need one last thing—something to laugh at us bluebloods from out West. Here it is . Just know we have an answer  for you.

Most of us came out here to the crowds and the smog precisely because of everything I've just written about.