Sarah Mooney hosts 'Victorian Christmas' and local authors at Nov. 27 event

 Local historians Bill Black and Steve Emanuels will likely be at the Museum for a book signing during the Victorian Christmas event. Proceeds from their upcoming book, A Lonesome Place to Live, will go to the Mooney Museum. 

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Their book shares the stories of 50 families who settled and developed the Lower Kings River Township 18 and 19 from 1856 to 1878. Their stories came from a variety of local and state sources, including family letters, California State Archives, the National Archives, and the Bureau of Land Management.

Other sources include the State Lands Commission as well as County Recorder offices in Visalia and Hanford and libraries in Kings and Tulare counties. They also found information in the Fresno County Library as well as state libraries and local newspapers, including the Lemoore Advance and Lemoore Leader.

Emanuels stated that in the process of doing the research, they discovered some of the long-published legends and stories in and around Lemoore that did not measure up to scrutiny.  The authors hope that readers enjoy discovering the newly uncovered facts not found anywhere else in the historical record.

The books will initially be available for purchase and author signing at the Sarah Mooney Museum at 542 West D Street in Lemoore during the “Victorian Christmas” event on Sunday, November 27 noon to 4 p.m.  Following that event, the books will be available for purchase at the Museum and the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce. 

The Victorian Christmas at the Mooney Museum will also feature Santa photos, food, entertainment, hayrides, Museum tours, kids’ crafts, hayrides, cake walk, and a sale of Museum items for Christmas decorating and gift-giving. 

For more information, call 559-381-3844