Way Back When: Happy Anniversary to Me!

This month, I’m celebrating the 10th anniversary of my Edhat columns, so I thought I’d repost some items from my very first Way Back When column in October 2013:

“What was it like living here 100 years ago? What did people wear, what did they eat, what did they do in their spare time? The following glimpses of daily life are based on items in our city’s “Morning Press” and “Daily News” in October 1913.

History Question of the Month — an article titled, “Work on Post Office will be Resumed Soon,” discussed the difficulties of obtaining granite for the building which was under construction. This building is still here, but is no longer a post office. What is it now? (Answer appears at end of this column.)

Food fight! World War I would break out in Europe nine months later, but we know that it all started right here in Santa Barbara. Yes! The inflammatory headline written in all caps “WAR — POTATO — WAR” was the battle cry of the Santa Barbara Fruit & Produce Company on State Street. The store fired the opening salvo with a healthy helping of righteous indignation: “When we opened this business, we promised to bring the High Cost of Living down in the lines we carry. This has caused a Potato War. Certain dealers have been boycotting us, knocking us, also fighting us. We are not wanted here, because we sell at a living profit.”

>>>>>Perhaps the potato gun (a.k.a. spud gun or spudzooka) was also inspired by our very own State Street potato war!

Here’s an ad in the local paper with a rather graphic description: “When the bowels are uncomfortable, constipated and feverish, and you miss that fine, exhilarating feeling which always follows a copious morning operation of the bowels, you should take a dose of Herbine – It is a Splendid Bowel Tonic and Laxative.”

History Answer of the Month – The Santa Barbara Museum of Art has occupied the old post office building since 1941. The post office building was completed in 1914.”