Mangelos Pens New Book on Ripon's Past and Present

Ripon’s John P. Mangelos has penned a new book: ‘Ripon’s Past and Present.’

Mangelos checking out his new book.

Mangelos has become the city’s historian and has long served as the president of the Ripon Historical Society with quite a collection of old photographs dating back more that 100 years with many of those gracing his latest history on Ripon -- showing the past and the present views of streets, churches and buildings throughout the community.

The book is addictive with the reader drawn to its nearly100 pages that include descriptions of the photos being shown from the old Odd Fellows building on the east end of Main Street to the early church buildings and homes that dotted the landscape. The Ripon Road House now occupies that building that once had a horse hitching post out front.

Stores with hitching posts were replaced by an asphalt roadway where there was once only dirt. An ice cream shop and black smith shop told of the times and challenges of the late 19th century and the first of the 20th century picturing the transformation of today.

In his first chapter, Mangelos writes: ‘LET’S GO DOWN TOWN.’

Ripon was the leader in retail in the early years. In the 1920’s and 1930’s Ripon had five grocery stores, eight gas stations, a car dealership, two barbershops, a cleaners, men’s and women’s clothing stores, hardware store, appliance store, two hotels, three bars, and four restaurants.

In 1921 a brick building was constructed on the north side of Main Street, just east of Stockton Avenue that would first house the Ripon Hardware Company, followed by a duckpin bowling alley in the early 1940s. It became the home of the Rio Movie Theater in 1944 near the end of World War II. Today that location houses the Las Casuelas Mexican Restaurant. A picture of the Rio can be found on page 12 of the historical book.

On page 16 is a photo of a house drawn cart with a young family standing in front of a “Fruits and Vegetable” store on West Main Street located next to a bakery. The year was 1912. A grocery store was on the side of the building. It also housed a commercial bakery and the Van der Beek Shoe Hospital in 1930 until 1936 when N&S Home Appliance which closed in recent years.

The book is definitely an addictive read. Enjoy.