McHenry Museum

Due to unforeseen circumstances our cemetery Tour at Turlock Memorial Park on Sunday 10/4 has been cancelled, we apologize for any inconvenience!!!

A July story in October? Why not? This month, the McHenry Museum & Historical Society shares some amazing firsthand photographs taken by Modesto postal clerk Lee Darling (1890–1970). Lee’s grandson, Kirk, contacted us to share photos Lee took in the early 1910s, including images of the Panama-Pacific Road Race from Los Angeles to Sacramento on July 4, 1913. The race came right through Modesto! The race featured famed driver Barney Oldfield (1878–1946). Enjoy these priceless images!
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This month, the McHenry Museum & Historical Society concludes its three-part series on the history of Stanislaus Food Products with a story about the company’s current stewards, the Cortopassi family. Please enjoy this look into the life of Dean “Dino” Cortopassi, the son of Italian Immigrant parents who grew up in poverty in Italy only to find success in the United States:

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The McHenry Museum & Historical Society mourns the passing of John Nash who died August 11th at age 96! Our organization is a merger of the McHenry Museum Society and the Stanislaus County Historical Society. John Nash, a Professor of History at Modesto Junior College, was the founding President of the Stanislaus County Historical Society in 1966. Under his direction, artifacts for the museum were procured from historic Downtown Modesto buildings set for demolition in 1966. An avid historian, he documented his work in the book “In a Goodly Land,” a history of the LDS population in Stanislaus County. In 2023, he told us his memories of being present at the beginning of the historical journey which culminated in Heidi Warner’s founding of the McHenry Museum in 1972. John, thank you to all you have done for us.

Did you know Modesto had its own Tillie Lewis? As part of the McHenry Museum & Historical Society’s ongoing series on Stanislaus Food Products, we highlight the story of Edna Quartaroli Piciullo, who not only co-founded the company in 1942 but also served as its leader from 1962 to 1978. This is the story of Suzy-Bel’s mother:
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It is with great sadness that we share with the Riverbank Historical Society the passing of Judie Hardie! Judie was a fervent volunteer at the McHenry Museum and a supporter of the historical society. She was our expert on all things Riverbank. Her knowledge of Stanislaus County history was vast, she will be deeply missed.

Tomato season is upon us, and in Stanislaus County, Stanislaus Food Products continues a tradition as a long-standing producer of tomato products. First in our series is the story of the company’s founders, the Quartaroli Family. Founded by Peter, Ralph, and Edna Quartaroli in 1942, their most famous label, “Suzy-Bel,” was named for Ralph and Edna’s daughter, Susan. It is the story of an immigrant family who realized their American Dream in the heart of Modesto.

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In observance of Juneteenth, the McHenry Museum will be closed tomorrow, June 19th. The Museum will open Saturday, June 20th at its normal business hours of 12:00pm - 4:00pm.

How many chances arise to celebrate a centennial birthday? How many more chances are there to learn the story of a World War II veteran? This month the McHenry Museum & Historical Society sat down with William “Bill” Rose Jr. to document his life. Bill donated the Pharmacy display to the McHenry Museum and served Modesto as the pharmacist at Central Drugs on the corner of Tenth and “I” for almost 40 years! Please enjoy the story of the Century of the Central Druggist:

https://www.mchenrymuseum.org/newsletter