Madera CA Little Town
by Phyllis Kaltenbach
Title
Madera CA Little Town
Artist
Phyllis Kaltenbach
Medium
Photograph - Photo /mokuhanga
Description
My grandmother, May Hilton Davis, of Fresno, California wrote this poem over 100 years ago. We have a copy of a book of her poems and this is one of them. Whoever made the sweet tile, named Madera, CA did not know who wrote the poem. I grew up in Madera and I knew of "Nana's" poems as a child. I was pleasantly surprised, many years later, when I discovered her poem on this tile in a restaurant gift shop in Madera. She had actually written the poem after a visit to Madera, 20 miles away from Fresno where she lived. Her father (my great-Grand father) was a blacksmith and built some of the finest wagons in California. People came to Fresno from all over California to buy his wagons. He, also, at one time was the Blacksmith in Bodi, CA, now a pretty little "ghost town".
Nana had 9 children, my father being the oldest of the Davis children. It was wonderful growing up in the small town of Madera and having so many Aunts, Uncles and cousins. My sister still lives in Madera. Most of the Davis' stayed in CA. Only a few of us had to wander further afield.
Madera sits in the San Joaquin Valley in Central CA. I grew a up a rather shy "Valley Girl" and married a big boistrous, humorous, fun, Iowa lad whom I met in college in Missouri! We have lived in several of the United States and now have only a mountain pass and a couple of hundred miles between us and Madera!
The story as I know it.
Uploaded
August 1st, 2014
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Viewed 277 Times - Last Visitor from Ann Arbor, MI on 03/28/2024 at 10:30 PM
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Comments (4)
Phyllis Kaltenbach
Thank you so very much, to the Buyer of my Grandmothers poem, Madera CA. , or "Little town". My Grandmother, my Great Grand Mother and my Black Smith Great Grand Father and other Family members lived in Fresno all of those years ago and I grew up in Madrea. I am so happy that you found my Grandmother's poem!
Miroslava Jurcik
Wow, beautiful poem from your grandma !! l/f
Phyllis Kaltenbach replied:
Thank you, so very much, Miroslava. I am 82 now and our children all appreciate Grandma's (we called her Nana) poems!
Tessa Fairey
Such a beautiful poem written by your Nana Phyllis and a pleasant surprise for sure! I have really enjoyed reading your description. L/f