South County Historical Society

06/02/2026

Branch Street, Arroyo Grande. Look at those amazing cars!

05/25/2026

For Memorial Day: The B-17 pilot who, in 1944, saved the lives of two crewmen from the Central Coast.

05/24/2026

For Memorial Day: How a Union soldier killed in the Shenandoah Valley in May 1862 helped to save our high school more than thirty years later.

05/21/2026

SCHS President Jim Gregory loved the photo of Mat Chapek and the Arroyo Grande Boys' Band posted by Vivian Krug Cotton.

A few years ago, Gregory discovered a connection to Mat Chapek's son, Harry, along with a story to remember when you get past Gaviota Pass on your next trip South.

* * *

Mat Chapek’s son, Harry, was a driver for the Arroyo Grande Trucking Company, which stood at the site of today’s Bank of America–the photo of the site is courtesy of the Martin family.

(That’s the old St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in the left background, built in the 1880s.)

Harry was driving near Elwood, just south of the Gaviota Pass, and less than an hour north of another beautiful California place, Santa Barbara, when a horse threw three little girls and galloped out into the highway directly in front of Chapek’s truck.

The impact killed the horse and the truck veered into a tree, where it caught on fire. Chapek was stuck in the cab, which in turn was buried by vegetable crates.

But that night there was a PTA meeting at the Elwood School, which is still there today, and a parent and a janitor ran out to the truck, dragged Chapek out–he was waving his arm out the cab window–and knocked the fire down with two of the school’s fire extinguishers.

Four years later, a Japanese submarine shelled Ellwood.

Six years later, a German artillery battery, covered by dense fog, fired a barrage that landed on the 81st’s “A” Company; it was probably the devastating explosion of .88 shells that killed Chapek, awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.

Growing up, he was the best friend of our neighor George Shannon, who farmed near us in fields along Huasna and Branch Mill Roads, peppers and string beans and I think Brussels sprouts, among other crops. Mr. Shannon was an admirable man.

Because of George Shannon, I have “adopted” Sgt. Chapek’s grave at the American Cemetery at Henri-Chapelle, Belgium.

05/18/2026

Arroyo Grande Boys Brass Band from the E. F. Mueller Collection date unknown. Perhaps someone recognizes one of these boys and can help date the image.

05/16/2026

The Society will have a table tomorrow, 11-3, at the Camp Arroyo Grande Open House. Membership applications, books for sale and information on the Society will be available to visitors. Behind our table, this video, from SCHS president Jim Gregory, will be playing. It uses images and music to describe sixteen events in South County history.

Click on this link to view the video:

https://youtu.be/qb_hf8_m-2E?t=2

05/16/2026

May 16 in History: The Battle of Champion Hill, Mississippi, 1863, was a turning point in Grant's Vicksburg Campaign.

At least two South County veterans fought there. One of them, an immigrant from Alsace, Francis X. Belot, was a soldier in the 4th Minnesota, a regiment that fought with such distinction that Grant gave them, in July, the honor of being the first regiment to enter the fallen city.

A soldier in Belot's regiment recorded an image from Champion Hill that must have haunted him the rest of his life

05/11/2026

05/05/2026

The Portuguese Celebration is coming soon! Just a little homework before your sopa from SCHS President Jim Gregory.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

04/29/2026

A note in the May 2, 1896, Arroyo Grande "Herald"--130 years ago.

The armored cruiser "Philadelphia" was for many years the flagship of the Pacific Fleet.

Two years after appearing off Avila (Port Harford), the ship arrived at Honolulu to preside over the transfer of Hawaii to American sovereignty.

The last Hawaiian queen, Liliuokalani, was deposed by a cabal of sugar planters, including Sanford Dole. She wrote her autobiography while imprisoned during the 1893 revolt.

She also wrote the poignant song "Aloha Oe." This excerpt is lovely, from St. Mark's Church in Salt Lake City.

https://youtu.be/o3Qjkf_GryY?t=157

She died in 1917. Nine years later, "Philadelphia," decommissioned, was sold at auction, probably for scrap metal.

So it goes.