Ojai Valley Museum Artifacts in Residence implements page

Artifacts in Residence

Ojai has always been an agricultural community.

Here are shown some of the tools used by valley pioneers.

Seen through the perspective of time, our own daily lives are filled with ease, plenty and convenience.

Ojai Orange Association Report, 1909
Gift of the Ojai-Tapo Citrus Association, 1995
The report lists the names of the ranches that were the major citrus producers in the valley in the early 1900’s.

This machine was used to sort oranges by size. They were dumped into the chute at left, and the large metal handle was hand-cranked. This moved a conveyor belt, which propelled the fruit along the top. Oranges dropped into the increasingly larger compartments facing the camera.

This typewriter was owned by the Presbyterian clergyman James Ritchie, who used it for many years to prepare sermons.

Gift of Juanita Callender, 1986

Hallet, Davis & Co. Square Grand Piano, 1870
This piano belonged to the Soule family. They donated the land now used as Soule Park.
Gift of Dorothy Mueller, 1989.

Friends Family Piano, imported from Ireland.

Here are shown two of the sad irons used to smooth out shirts and dresses before a Saturday night dance or other occasion.

These are heated by internal combustion.

Others on display have cast iron slugs which were heated in a fireplace and then inserted into a handled shell. Some were solid cast iron, and were warmed atop a wood-fired stove. One (front, center) weighs fifty pounds!

This sewing machine belonged to Ella Bakeman Clark, wife of County Supervisor Tom Clark.

You've Got Mail!

In the early 1900's, hard-copy personal correspondence was hand-delivered to your home by an agent of the U.S. Government.

(Spam had not yet been invented.)

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