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Tag: Sperry Knighton

  • October 9th in Seal Beach History

    On this date on the 1936, Chief Sperry Knighton and the Seal Beach fire department used the city’s hook and ladder truck to rescue a cat from a palm tree in front of 124 11th Street.

    124 11th Street – Over 80 years after the emergency. The address remains, but the perilous palm tree is long gone.

    The reason why this event was significant enough to warrant a story in the Santa Ana Register is that, after 15 months without a fire call within the city, this emergency call from residents concerned by the mewling of the trapped cat finally broke the department’s dry spell of no emergencies. 

    Not the actual rescued cat (or even a cat that actually needs rescuing.) Also, not an actual palm tree. The only thing actual here is our pandering to the internet by posting a cute cat pic.

    This is exactly the sort of thing a cat leash law would prevent. 

    – Michael Dobkins

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  • May 28th in Seal Beach History

    On this date in 1950, a teeny, tiny ad appeared in the Gift Shops section of Long Beach Independent for the Friendly Nook at 137 ½ Main Street offering 24 hour service on hemstitching.May_28_1950_Friendly_Nook_adI received an e-mail from Michelle (Ward) Williamson in 2017 with a little more information about the owner of the Friendly Nook:

    “My grandmother Grace Marie (Ward) Knighten was a longtime resident of Seal Beach until her death in 1986. Her first marriage was to Kenneth Lenton Ward. Her second marriage was to Sperry Knighton, who eventually became the Fire Chief for Seal Beach. She told me once that she had a store called “The Friendly Nook” it was probably open around 1940 to 1949.”

    Ms. Williamson also believes it’s possible the store may “have been a craft store centered around Native American beading, rugs and such.”

    I can confirm that the Friendly Nook was around from at least 1950 (when these ads ran to 1954 (when a news story about three juvenile burglars on a minor crime spree broke into Vogler’s Market at 1510 Pacific Coast Highway, Joe’s Market at 216 Main Street, and the Friendly Nook.)

    Here are two Main Street photographs that include the Friendly Nook from the same era as the one included in this May 15 post.

    – Michael Dobkins

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    If so, please consider making a small donation of a dollar or more to help defray the online subscriptions and other research costs that make this blog possible.

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  • January 3rd In Seal Beach History

    On this date in 1945, The Long Beach Independent reports that a thirteen-year old Surfside resident, Rodney Middleworth, fell off the old 101 Highway bridge into the water. When Seal Beach Fire Chief Sperry Knighton and Seal Beach police officers arrived with lifesaving equipment, they discovered that he had already been rescued by Lester Buchalz of Santa Paula and an unidentified fourteen-year old boy who had already left the scene. The two had heard Rodney’s cries for help and saved him.

    – Michael Dobkins

    Have you enjoyed this and other This Date in Seal Beach History posts?

    If so, please consider making a small donation of a dollar or more to help defray the online subscriptions and other research costs that make this blog possible.

    Donations can be made securely with most major credit cards directly through PayPal. Just click on paypal.me/MichaelDobkins to go to PayPal. Thank you.

    This Date in Seal Beach History also has an online store hosted at Cafepress where you can order shirts, tote bags, stationery, and other gift items imprinted with vintage Seal Beach images. Visit the online store by clicking here.