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1896 - 97
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1898 - Summer
1893 - December
The first Citrus Fair is held in Cloverdale. In December 1892, local resident Col. J. B. Armstrong suggested holding a citrus fair to display locally grown fruit. At the time, growing citrus fruit and holding citrus fairs were becoming increasingly popular throughout the state. In January 1893, the Cloverdale Citrus Fair Association was formed, and the first Citrus Fair was held in Library Hall on January 27 and 28. Judged a success, a second Fair was held in Library Hall the following year. With the need for more space, the third and fourth Fairs were held in a building at Humbert's Feed Stable (formerly belonging to John Sissengood), which was located about 215 S. Cloverdale Blvd.
1897 - February
Electricity was first delivered to Cloverdale in time to light the Citrus Fair pavilion in February 1897. The electricity was provided by a wood-burning plant at Moulton Hill Vineyard and Winery owned by Ferdinand Albertz located on the current Del Webb property. The venture was plagued by problems including insufficient subscribers to make it profitable, poor quality and unreliable lighting, and a fire in July 1898 that destroyed the plant. Though some level of electric light was again in service by October 1898, two years later it was shut down.
In early 1902, Andrea Sbarboro of the Italian Swiss Colony at Asti and his son Alfred proposed the formation of a stock company called Cloverdale Light & Power Co. to bring electricity to Cloverdale, Asti, and Geyserville. The power source was the water of Sulphur Creek. In August 1902, the company was incorporated. A dam was built on Sulphur Creek to create a reservoir, and a power plant was constructed on the site of the old flour mill. In January 1903, the electric plant at the Moulton Hill Vineyard began providing light to the town again. But completion of the new plant at Sulphur Creek in March 1903 meant the end of the Albertz operation. The new power plant was dedicated on April 4, 1903 with a celebration at the U. S. Hotel.
In August 1908, the Cloverdale Light & Power Co. began receiving electricity from the Snow Mountain Light and Power Company plant on the Eel River. Cloverdale Light & Power continued to manage the power lines and extend its lines over a larger area. In 1913, the Cloverdale Light and Power Co. was acquired by the California Telephone and Light Company of Santa Rosa, which in turn was acquired by P. G. & E. in April 1923.
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1899
McCray's Resort - William Lafayette McCray and his wife Mary start taking guests in their home north of town. They called it the Old Homestead. He was affectionately known as "Pop" and she as "Mother McCray." As business increased, they added a hotel, cabins, and a clubhouse. They ran the resort until 1928, Pop's 80th year of age. It was located in the hollow between the current Hamburger Ranch and Hwy. 128. The resort could accommodate 300 people and was highly popular for its hospitality, accommodations, entertainment, and designated swimming hole in the Russian River. There was a railroad stop nearby. About a month after selling the resort, a fire destroyed most of the structures except the clubhouse. The clubhouse was demolished when the highway was completed through the hill north of town in 1932.
A Citrus Fair Pavilion is completed one parcel south of the southeast corner of First and West Streets. Due to the growing success of the Fairs, the Citrus Fair Association decided to build a pavilion specifically for the Fair. It was dedicated on Christmas Day 1896 with a masquerade ball held afterwards. The pavilion was a wood structure with a balcony around the interior giving the fairgoers a great view of the exhibits and activities. For the first time, a Fair would have electric lights, provided by the electric plant at the Moulton Hill Vineyard and Winery. The Fair was held in this building through 1909, however, it was destroyed by fire in July of that year.
The Schoolhouse is enlarged with a two story addition added to the front of the existing school house, perpendicular to the older structure. A 75 foot tall flag pole was installed and the flag was raised every morning as ordered by the County Superintendent of Schools.