Join us for “A Capital Affair”
October 4-6 2018, in Benicia

Mark your Calendars and make your Hotel Room Reservations before September 1, 2018.

Please join the Estudillo, Forty-Niners and Todos Santos Chapters in Historic Benicia, overlooking the Carquinez Straits, for the 2018 Fall Council Meeting of the California Questers. Enjoy the views, while touring the many historic sites this area has to offer. And don’t forget shopping!

Benicia was the third Capital of the State of California, where the Legislature convened for its 1853-54 session, before moving permanently to Sacramento. Just prior to the Civil War, the Benicia Arsenal was established and many stone buildings from the period still exist.

Stone Camel Barns date from the mid-1850s and now house a historical museum. Tours of the restored Capitol Building, as well as the Fischer-Hanlon House, next door, have been organized. In nearby Vallejo, we have arranged tours of the Mare Island Museum and St. Peter’s Chapel, with its 29 beautiful stained-glass windows, many made by Tiffany Studios. Be sure to sign up for these tours in advance.

Housing will be at two Hotels: Best Western Plus Heritage Inn and Holiday Inn Express. Both offer complimentary breakfast, internet and parking. Meeting Registration will be at the Best Western Plus Heritage Inn. The State meeting and all dinners will be at the Benicia Yacht Harbor, overlooking the Marina, with a view of Mt. Diablo in the background.

Many shops (including antiques and art glass) and small restaurants line First Street (the historic main street in Benicia) or take a jaunt across the Benicia-Martinez bridge (in 1962, it replaced the ferry that ran for 115 years) to Martinez for even more shopping.

We look forward to seeing you and

We know you will have a wonderful time!

The 2018 Spring Council Meeting of the California Questers was held in the charming fairytale like town of Solvang. Solvang is nestled in in the rolling hills of the Santa Ynez Valley.
The Questers toured the Elverhoj Museum and art gallery where the history of the early Danish settlers is on display.

Fine food in Solvang’s many restaurants was available. Several members indulged in an aebleskiver - a Danish ball of pancake served with berry jam .

The centerpieces were a veery big hit with everyone.Porcelain Garden Flowers and Fairy Succulent Bowls graced the tables for both of the banquets.

As a different and unique opportunity, meeting planners devised a car ralley to make the drive fun and interesting. Rain prevented some members from participating, but most planned to do it on the return home.

We were honored to welcome our International President Lorraine Jeffus, who joined us.

For over 200 years Monterey has been a trading and fishing port, a military garrison, a religious center, a land grant business center, a political and regional capital, and home to many peoples. And from the beginning of the Spanish settlements, everyone took part in building and occupying these wonderful dwellings called ADOBES. The mud bricks are made of clay, some straw, molded, dried, placed, plastered and whitewashed to a fine brilliance. As far as we know, there are no professional adobe brick makers in our state. Volunteers make repairs now!

As Questers and guests of Monterey, we stayed at the site of one of the first residences built outside the walls of the old Presidio garrison in 1824. The Casa Munras was home to Don Esteban Munras, an owner of a very large and productive land grant, and a social and political leader in Monterey. converted into lodging and guest rooms.

For our first adobe tour, we visited the Royal Presidio Chapel, San Carlos Cathedral. It is the oldest building on the Monterey Peninsula and the oldest church in continuous use in California.

Quester Patty Barret and member of the Historic Garden League led an exterior tour of the Monterey State Historic Park.

Other sites to visit on your own included: Casa Soberanes, Larkin House, Stevenson House, Colton Hall and jail (California’s first Capitol), Presidio Historic Military Park, Fisherman’s Wharf, Cannery Row, and the Aquarium.

The Spring Council meeting was held in historic Sonoma in the storied Valley of the Moon, 45 miles north of San Francisco. The meet­ing’s host chapters are Don Castro, Valley Har­vesters, and Valley of the Moon.

The highlight of our Council meeting was the private Questers’ tour of Jack London State Park, including the House of Happy Walls museum and the London Cottage.

RECAP: Spring 2015 in Walnut Creek/Concord: In the Shadow of Mount Diablo

Members were able to visit the John Muir home in Martinez. The town of Martinez had an abundance of antique stores and the Contra Costa County History Museum. Members were also able to visit the National Historic Site of Eugene O’Neill’s Tao house or the elegant Blackhawk Museum in Danville.

RECAP: Fall 2014 in Union City: The Train and the Tramp

On Friday, members had the opportunity to visit the Shinn Historic Park and tour the 1876 Victorian farmhouse with Bavarian accents.

The McConaghy Estate, in San Lorenzo,was another tour option. Niles was the Saturday destination.

The Hilton Hotel in Pasadena was the venue for the 2014 Spring Council Meeting in March, Hidden in Plain Sight - Pasadena Treasures.

For those Questers arriving early, Friday was taken up browsing the local antique shops or the Bustamante Antiques Show, taking a tour of the Tournament of Roses House or visiting the USC Pacific Asia Museum.

The Friday night reception and dinner was at the Pacific Asia Museum.

On Saturday afternoon members could choose a tour of the Fenyes Mansion or Gene Autry Museum.

For those Questers with energy - and money - left, the following day was the monthly Sunday Rose Bowl Flea Market, a real opportunity to shop.

The Live Oak, Sleeping Indian, and Rancho Monserate chapters planned an assortment of events. They toured two local homes: one with rare antique spool cabinets, vintage mini-sewing machines, and doll collection; the other is the home of a recognized authority on Terri Lee dolls.Each evening,showcased collections from members,They also visited the Rancho Guajome Adobe (below), which all three of our chapters were active in furnishing.

Live Oak chapter respectfully dedicated this Fall Council to the memory of Gloria Rowe.  Her contributions to our chapter were many and her friendship irreplaceable. We miss her.

We toured the Gamble House, an outstanding example of American Arts and Crafts, built in 1908.
Also available was a visit to the Huntington Library

Council attendees visited the Santa Clara Mission and the the Harris-Lass House.

“Think Pink!” On Friday evening, all gathered in the Garden Room of the Madonna Inn.

Two historic house tours were on the agenda for Friday afternoon.The Hays-Latimer-Leichter Adobe and the The Avila House.
Saturday afternoon featured a tour of the Dallidet Adobe and gardens.

A visit with “Abraham Lincoln,” a tour of the Forestiere Underground Gardens, and wine tasting at California’s premier producer of Portuguese-style port wine highlighted the activities for the Fall Council Meeting in Fresno.