| 1876 June 30 Petaluma Weekly Argus, Volume 22, Number 22: | LETTER FROM FREESTONE The people living near Meeker's, Fuller's and Smith's mill want a Post office at the summit of the railroad, four miles north of this place. |
| 1877 February 22 Marin Journal, Volume 16, Number 50: | LETTER FROM HOWARD'S
Ed. Journal: Thinking that a miniature description of the rural little hamlet known as Howard's Station would prove of some interest to your readers, permit me to give a brief description of Howard and its surroundings. Howard is located on the summit of Dutch Bill Canyon, in what is known as the Bodega Redwoods, four miles north of Freestone, four miles from Green Valley, and nine miles from the anticipated terminus of the N. P. C. R. R., a place widely known as Moscow. The town of Howard, or Occidental, as it is sometimes called, is growing very rapidly. I took a position on one of the main streets today and counted as many as nine new buildings under rapid construction.
Noble's Hotel, on the corner of Main and Third streets, is full to overflowing. The climate is very salubrious, and of even temperature; the scenery is grand and beautiful. Some of San Francisco's best artists have visited Howards, and pronounced it the most picturesque place on the coast. Lumber and wood are the principal products, the town being surrounded by many of the largest lumber mills on the coast. There is also near Howard's a fine farming and fruit and grape growing country. Once in a while you see a dairy ranch, producing the finest of butter. We have a post office, A. J. Blainey postmaster; Wells Fargo & Co. have also favored us with one of their live offices, and placed Mr. Eugene Payne at the wheel as their agent. So you see, Mr. Editor, that by means of the rushing iron horse of the Narrow Gauge, the throbbing of the Western Union telegraph, the promptness of express Charley and politeness of Uncle Sam's postmaster, we are not out of the limits of civilization and quick communication with San Francisco. Yours, Elbon. |
| 1877 April 16 Press Democrat. Volume IV, Number 62: |
There seems to be a little confusion about the name of this place, the station is Howard's, and the Post office Occidental.
The town is situated on the divide between the waters of Salmon Creek, which run into O'Farrel Valley, and the waters of Howard's Creek, which fall into Russian River. Mr. Howard was the first settler, and the town site is owned partly by him and partly by Meeker Bros. It is three and a half miles from Freestone, and ten miles from the terminus of the road at Moscow. |
