Entries by Ester West

Professional Storyteller To See!

Randel McGee is a professional storyteller and decorative paper cutter who often visits the Santa Clara branch of the public library. The Santa Clara Historical museum sponsors Mr McGee. The early Swiss settlers of Santa Clara brought the art of decorative paper-cutting with them from the old country. For years there were no stores with […]

Another Fun Santa Clara Fun Fact

Pioneers from Switzerland turned the land on the banks of the Santa Clara river into a small village. Many times the river overran it’s banks. In 2005 a flood washed away houses and put the whole village under water! Since then,  Historical restoration through out the village have included: Historical plaques, street-scape, town hall rebuilt to […]

Fun Santa Clara History Fact

The ancestral Pueblo people residing in the Mesa Verde region and surrounding areas became agricultural societies, likely during the Basketmaker II period (about 500 BC to AD 500) as domesticated corn found its way north from what is now Arizona.  Farming became the main source of food, but Pueblo cultures see farming and their crops […]

Santa Clara Maypole Tradition

The Santa Clara Historical Museum is committed to keeping old world traditions alive. Each year volunteers from the museum teach local school children the maypole braiding dance. This tradition was done in the old world in the early spring to welcome warm weather and the growing season. Community members had to cooperate and work together to braid […]