Loomis Library & Community Learning Center

06/23/2026

06/18/2026

LOOMIS BASIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S THROWBACK THURSDAY: John Kaiser, Viticulturalist

Johannes “John” Kaiser was born in Leuzigen, Switzerland in 1820. He immigrated to the United States in 1836, settling in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. In 1843, he married Rebecca Forney, a native of Pennsylvania.

Over the next eight years, John and Rebecca had five sons. In about 1852, they moved to Carroll County, Missouri, and had two more sons and a daughter.

In 1859, the family crossed the plains by ox team to California. They settled at “Ophirville,” where John operated the steam quartz mill at the Bullion mine. He also was associated with the “the old brewery on Union Street” in Auburn, along with his brothers Sam and Frank.

Despite having eight children, sometime in the 1860s John and Rebecca separated. He remained in the local area. Rebecca moved to Nevada, near Carson City.

In about 1872, John moved to land west of Penryn, where Del Mar turns south, planted vineyards and built a winery. He was one of the pioneer grape growers in the area. He made his own casks, did his own blacksmithing and could even make a wagon. His wine was known statewide.

In 1886, John dropped off a case of assorted wines and brandy at the Placer Herald newspaper office. The newspaper reported the following:

“His product has an enviable reputation for its excellence, which is attributed partly, no doubt, to the skill in the manufacture, and partly to the favorable character of the soil and nature of the fruit. . .To men like John Kaiser, and others that might be named, who risked their all to demonstrate their faith in the adaptability of these foothills for the production of vines and deciduous fruits, and thus encourage others to embark in the development of this region, Placer, indeed California, owes a great debt.”

John Kaiser died in 1895. He was remembered as “a big hearted man, fair and just in all his dealings. He was a No. 1 citizen.” At the time of his death, one son lived in Greenwood, two lived in Penryn, and four lived near Ophir at a place called “Kaiserville.”

06/11/2026

LOOMIS BASIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S THROWBACK THURSDAY: Placer County Horticultural Training College

Frank Karslake led a strangely varied career. Born in Birmingham, England, in 1851, he became a London bookseller. In 1886, following an outbreak of rabies, he founded the Society for the Suppression of Hydrophobia and the Amendment of Dog Laws. He lectured and published a book, *Hydrophobia: Its Cause and Prevention,* helping to eradicate the disease.

In 1892, for his health and on a doctor’s advice, he emigrated to California. Profitable fruit farming land in Placer County was heavily advertised in the English press. He represented Charles Stewart and Co., General Land and Estate Agents in Penryn.

In January 1894, Karslake launched a new business venture, the Placer County Horticultural Training College. What qualifications a forty-three-year-old bookseller had for running an agricultural college are unclear, beyond a distressing tendency to believe he knew everything in his books.

A prospectus was issued naming directors P.W. Butler, Robert W. Ford, Frank Karslake, H.E. Parker and Andrew Ryder. The intent was to “provide an institution combining all the advantages of a school of agriculture, in which a systematic horticultural education can be obtained.” The course included practical work, supplemented by lectures and study. Tuition cost $525, payable in advance. Frank Karslake, Esq., the resident director and secretary, returned to England to recruit students.

The College was “industriously engaged in settling up Placer County with young Englishmen desirous of actively engaging in the fascinating and profitable business of fruit growing.” Each year, Karslake went to England, bringing back 12 to 25 students.

West of Penryn, Karslake owned three ranches and built a house with a glorious view. The idyll soon ended. “It was not long before my father realized that there was nothing in the post which he had accepted,” his daughter wrote. In 1896, he returned to England permanently. A new director was appointed, but the College soon closed.

In London, Frank Karslake again became a bookseller and bookbinder. In 1898, he founded the Guild of Women Binders.

06/04/2026

Dear Loomis Residents,

The Town of Loomis is seeking community feedback regarding proposed Safe Routes to School (SRTS) improvements along King Road near Loomis Grammar School.

Please help support your community by taking five (5) minutes to complete our public survey. Your input will help the Town pursue approximately $480,000 in grant funding for pedestrian safety and accessibility improvements in the area.

The proposed project is intended to improve safety for students, families, and pedestrians traveling to and from school while maintaining efficient vehicle movement throughout the corridor. Future improvements are not anticipated to negatively impact traffic flow or roadway safety.

Community feedback is an important part of the grant application process, and every response helps strengthen the Town’s ability to secure funding for this project.

Survey Link: https://forms.office.com/r/zKDj38wfMN

Thank you for taking the time to share your input and
support safer routes for our community.

06/04/2026

LOOMIS BASIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S THROWBACK THURSDAY: Abduction

Joseph Fletcher and Fannie Wixon married in 1878. Joseph was a railroad conductor, running the line between Oakland and Livermore. Fannie’s family owned the Franklin House, east of Loomis.

In September 1883, while her husband was at work, Fannie gathered her two young sons and left their home in Livermore, removing to the Franklin House.

A year later, she sued for divorce on grounds of cruelty, alleging “slanderous allusions and aspersions by Joseph against her character.” He had accused her of infidelity. The court denied her petition, but granted alimony of $50 per month, to continue until further order of the court or until they should reconcile. Joseph made overtures for reconciliation, but Fannie rejected them. The alimony was revoked.

Joseph visited his sons a few times a year, always bringing them presents. On the morning of May 27, 1887, he arrived in Loomis, hired Will Turner’s livery rig to drive him to the Franklin House and asked Will to return for him at 3:00 pm.

Joseph spent the morning with his boys. At about noon, a strange team drove up to the house. Joseph caught his seven-year-old son up in his arms, sprang into the buggy, and the driver plied his whip. The team went off at a furious speed. No one saw which way they went.

It was a sensational affair. Fannie’s family stood well in the community and the boys were well provided for. She had the public’s sympathy.

Fannie took immediate steps to recover her child, swearing out a warrant against Joseph for kidnapping. He was arrested in Oakland on May 30. Kidnapping was a felony, but as custody of the child had not been awarded by the court, Joseph said he had as much right to the boy as she. He was released on a $1,000 bond.

Joseph and Fannie appeared in Placer County Court on June 23, occupying seats on different sides of the room. District Attorney Fred Tuttle represented the prosecution. His brother, C.A. Tuttle represented the defense. The judge dismissed the charges of felonious kidnapping. An Alameda County judge had appointed Joseph guardian of his son three days earlier. The younger boy remained with Fannie.

06/01/2026

Welcome June!
What to plant in June:
Annuals - Direct seed Celosia, Cosmos, Marigold, Sunflower, Zinnia.
Perennials - Cornflower, Coreopsis, Dahlia, Daylily, Rudbeckis, Verbena, Yarrow.
Vegetables - Direct seed corn, summer squash. At higher elevations, plant bean seeds. Direct seed annual herbs.

-Don’t fertilize plants or trees during extreme hot weather. Fertilizers increase the plant’s growth and needs for water and nutrients. This adds to the stress of the plant.
-During the hot summer months, water your trees deeply and infrequently. This will encourage deeply rooted trees that are healthier and less prone to disease.
-Tie up vines; stake tall plants such as lilies, dahlias, and gladioli.
-If growing cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums, or pluots, now is the time for the first summer pruning.
-In hot weather, check soil moisture to be sure you are irrigating sufficiently.
-A moisture meter will help determine water needs for hanging and potted plants.
-In really hot weather, plan to only be in the garden early morning or late evening.
-Dig and divide crowded bulbs when the tops have died down.
-Give your indoor plants a bath.
-Place a 1” board under pots sitting on pavement to insulate them from radiated heat.
-Heighten mower blades to reduce turf stress during the summer. Deep water lawns between midnight and 9 a.m.
-Monitor stink bugs on tomatoes, squash, etc.; hand pick or spray with insecticidal soap if needed.
-Deadhead roses for continuous blooms. Deep water and fertilize as needed.
-Thin grape clusters to promote larger grapes and better-quality fruit.
-To control corn earworms, apply 20 drops of mineral oil to the silks 3-7 days after the silks appear.
-Check compost pile for readiness and keep covered and moist if not ready.
-Feed camellias, azaleas, and other acid-loving plants with acid fertilizers.
-Deep-watering lawns, trees, and shrubs promotes healthier, deeper, more heat-tolerant roots. Depending on soil type or slope conditions, a watering schedule that cycles on and off several times a day may be needed to accomplish deep watering.
-Cut back Shasta daisies after flowering to promote a second bloom in the fall.
-Continue mulching around plants to control weeds and conserve moisture.