Tidbits of Anaheim History

ANAHEIM GAZETTE- NEWSPAPER


In September of 1870, G.W. Barter of the firm Hamilton & Barter, which were publishing the "Daily Star", retired from his post there and started his own paper, the "Anaheim Gazette." He bought the old press from the "Star" which had originally came from the "Wilmington Journal" as well....this press was ancient but worked and got the paper going. Sadly, in 1877, the original building for the "Gazette" burned down and with it went it's old press. 



ANAHEIM HIGH SCHOOL

 The first Anaheim High School, Circa 1901. Quoted from the Anaheim Public Library archives, it states: "Anaheim High School, built in 1901, the first high school built in Anaheim district and third in Orange County; located at 608 W. Center Street (later Lincoln Ave.); sold to the elementary school district in 1911; demolished 1937 and became site of Fremont Junior High School, which closed in 1979 and was demolished in 1980."

 

 CLASS OF 1902- ANAHEIM HIGH

Here is a historic photo of the graduating class of Anaheim High School, 1902! (top row from left to right: Arthur G. Baker, Carl Zeus; Bottom left to right: Olga Boege and Ruth Enearl.)--

 


THE COMMERCIAL HOTEL

The Commercial Hotel, located at 182 West Center Street (now Lincoln Avenue) at the corner of Lemon Street. It was originally known as the Anaheim Hotel, built by Henry Kroeger (2nd Mayor of Anaheim). When Max Nebelung purchased the hotel in the late 1890s, he changed the name to the Commercial Hotel. (Photo Circa 1915; APL Archives)


(Copyright 2014- J'aime Rubio)

All photos came from Anaheim Public Library Archives. 

History Of The Woelke-Stoffel House

c/o Anaheim Historical Society

If you have ever driven past this house on West Street in Anaheim, I am sure it has caught your eye. You may have even wondered about who might have lived in this house such a long time ago. You may have even recalled the time when people referred to it as the "Red Cross House," however this home is actually called the "Woelke-Stoffel House." Named after two of it's owners, John Gottlieb Woelke and Peter Stoffel, this home is one of the most beautiful Queen Anne designs in architecture that Anaheim has ever seen.

Woelke Family

Born in Germany around 1838, John Gottlieb Woelke immigrated to the United States with his wife and family in 1878.  He became a naturalized citizen on August 23, 1888 in Chicago, Illinois. While in Chicago, he became a successful restauranteur. By 1894, John had moved to Anaheim, bringing with him his wife Anna Wilhelmina Hopp Woelke, his mother Caroline Woelke and his children. When he came to Anaheim, he purchased the property on the southwest corner of what was West Center Street and Palm (which would be Lincoln and Harbor streets today).

John Woelke (APL Archive)

The home was designed by architect, George Franklin Barber, and the building of it was overseen by contractor, Armstrong Davis Porter in 1896. It was stated that during the building of the home, the family lived in a barn that was constructed on the property. The Woelke family lived in the home at 524 W. Center Street, for several years before moving to Los Angeles in 1899. 

Hotel Argyle

After selling the home, John purchased the Hotel Argyle in Los Angeles, which was located on Bunker Hill on the corner of Olive and 2nd streets. Sadly, by June of 1906 a terrible fire swept through the Hotel Argyle and because of insufficient fire escapes in the building, (which John had been cited for prior to the fire), he was held accountable and was fined. His insurance did pay for the repairs which was estimated at $1,500.00 in damages. By December of 1906, only a few months later, John Woelke died of a sudden hemorrhage. He was instructing his painters at the current site of his new home on 3rd Avenue, when he fell down and began having a seizure. He died within a few minutes, which was later determined to be a brain hemorrhage. He was 68 years old.

The Lyons Family & Other Owners

Lyons Hardware- APL Archives

In 1899, when John had left Anaheim, he sold the home to Isaac Lyons, the proprietor of Lyons Hardware Store that was located in the Metz Building on the corner of Los Angeles St (Anaheim Blvd) and Center St (Lincoln). Lyons was a native of England who came to California in 1862. Lyons lived in the home with his family from 1899 to 1904 when he sold the house to another family, the Michod's. They lived there from 1904 to 1907 and then sold the home to another family, Olmstead's. This family would only live there for less than a year before Peter Stoffel and his family would buy it, and make this house their home in 1907.


The Stoffel Family

Stoffel Family outside home (APL Archives)

Peter Stoffel was born in 1865, in Luxenbourg and he immigrated to the United States in 1890. He moved to Kansas and married his wife Mary-Elizabeth and settled there for several years, raising a family. He later moved to Anaheim, purchased the home on Center street and became a very successful citrus farmer and lived there the rest of his life. It wasn't until Peter's wife died, that the family estate sold the property to John Dwyer when the city had planned to demolish it. 
  
The Dwyer Family

copyright: J'aime Rubio

John Dwyer's first wife, Marie Horstmann was from Anaheim's first families that settled there. It is said that she was the first baby born in Anaheim from the colonists families. She set aside some of her family land located on West Street in order to secure a spot for Anaheim's history to be preserved.  In the late 1920s when the Hansen House (or "Mother Colony House") was going to be demolished, Marie Horstmann Dwyer was the one to make sure it would be moved to her family property on West Street. After Marie died, and when the Woelke-Stoffel house faced the same possible demolition in 1949, John Dwyer bought the home and moved it right next to the Hansen House on their property.  By 1953, the home was then donated to the Red Cross to be used, where they kept the property until the home was officially sold to the City of Anaheim in 2006. It was re-dedicated in 2008 and part of what is now known as "Founder's Park."

This home has seen many faces, has been a home to many families and also one of historical significance. It has been a museum and a wonderful place that thousands of children have visited on field trips for decades to learn about our town's earlier days. This home is a piece of Anaheim history, and one so well loved by Anaheim's citizens. This is a place that I hope remains open for future generations to learn about this town's wonderful history and all the people who made Anaheim a literal "home by the river." --

UPDATE: Since I had published this story back in 2014, I noticed a website known as "Backpackerverse" posted their own completely fabricated story about this historical treasure. Let me make this clear, the house is not haunted and there is definitely no evil spirits in the home. I have been in contact with Cynthia Ward who has been a longstanding volunteer at the house as well as one of Anaheim's best historians. If she says its not haunted, please take her word for it. Thanks

(Copyright 2014- J'aime Rubio)

Photos:

Anaheim Historical Society
Anaheim Public Library Archives
University of California Digital Archives
Los Angeles Public Library Archives

Theodore Rimpau- One of Anaheim's Earlier Pioneers

Anaheim Public Library Archives

The patriarch of the Rimpau family of Anaheim, was none other than Theodore Rimpau. A Native of Germany, Theodore was born on September 28, 1826 to Matilda and John Christian Rimpau. Born into a very prosperous family, Theodore was schooled by only the best and was said to have spoken more than six different languages. His father, involved in exporting grain in Germany, was well connected with all the titled families of Europe and had many business affiliations with other countries in Northern Europe as well as Great Britain. Being so involved in the business, Theodore watched his father and learned well by him.


When he was still a teenager, Theodore traveled to Cuba to start one of the first sugar factories there. Sadly, the yellow fever epidemic was rampant and spreading while they were there, and Theodore's cousin, who had traveled with him to embark on this new business venture, grew ill and passed away. Theodore then left Cuba and headed for the states, via New York. By the time that word spread throughout the country of the discovery of gold in California, Theodore decided to try his hand at making a life for himself there instead. He claimed that he secured passage on the very first sailing vessel to travel from New York to California, via the passage of Cape Horn. The trip was dangerous and took months. The sea around Cape Horn was, and still is, one of the most treacherous passages in the ocean. Thankfully, Theodore made his way to present day San Francisco when the vessel arrived on February 28, 1848.

He hadn't been off the boat for long before he started making business dealings again, purchasing many vessels and starting his own trading company that would serve up and down the coast of California from San Francisco to San Diego. On one of his travels south, he stopped in Los Angeles  and opened a mercantile store there. It was there in Southern California that Theodore met who would soon be his young bride, and the mother of his children, Francisca Avila. Sadly, during the first year of Theodore's trading company and mercantile business, he suffered a major set back. A terrible storm swept through and sank all his boats, and a sudden fire burned down his store. You would think that might have discouraged Theodore, right? Wrong! He came back stronger than ever.

APL Archives

He became very good friends with the Alcade of Los Angeles, Don Francisco Avila, who was also one of the richest ranchers in Los Angeles. A native of Sinaloa, Mexico, Don Francisco owned the Rancho Las Cienegas and the the Avila Adobe on Olvera Street (which is the oldest standing house in Los Angeles). A little fun fact is that not only did the Avila family reside in this home until 1868, but for a short time during the Mexican-American War, Commodore Robert F. Stockton took up residence in the home as well.

After asking Don Francisco for permission to marry his daughter, Theodore Rimpau and Francisca Avila were married December 23, 1850 at the Church known as La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles.  After the marriage, Don Francisco put Theodore in charge of many responsibilities in the family, including supervising the family estate while living in Los Angeles. By the mid 1860s, the Rimpau's moved from Los Angeles to Anaheim settling there and establishing roots that would last generations.

Plaza Church- L.A. Library Archives

During his lifetime, Theodore Rimpau and his wife had 15 children: Adolf, Albert, Fred, Edward, Frank, Claudina, Matilda, Robert, Theodore jr., Sophia, John, Benjamin, James, Maria and a young son who died around 3 years of age which I cannot identify his name.

Anaheim Public Library Archives

Mr. Rimpau had a very successful life in Anaheim. Not only did he start another mercantile business, but his was the most prosperous in town for over 20 years. He also was a very successful sheep farmer, where he raised his sheep in land which would be present day Fullerton. He served 25 years on the Board of Education and also two terms as City Councilman. The Rimpau family became one of the main families in Anaheim, socially active and involved in community affairs. They lived in a very beautiful, and upscale home located at 209 South Palm Street (present day Harbor Blvd). 
  
Theodore lived to be 87 years old, passing away at his home on October 3, 1913. He was preceded in death by his wife, Francisca who had passed away at the age of 71, on February 7, 1903 while visiting her son in Los Angeles. They are both interred in the Rimpau Mausoleum at the Anaheim Cemetery located at 1400 East Sycamore Street.

(Copyright 2014- J'aime Rubio)

Some related sources: "California and Californians"- Lewis Publishing, 1932
Photos: Anaheim Public Library Archives, Digital Library Collection,
Los Angeles Public Library Collection (Public Domain).