Three generations of the La Porte family (seated) Sheri Hemphill, Mr. and Mrs. W. La Porte, Shirley Turrentine, (standing) Craig Hemphill, Bill Turrentine and Dan Turrentine, and Laurie the Great Pyrenees. Bill and Peggy La Porte after 50 years of wedded life say it was one filled with delightful experiences, one of versatility and one that encompassed many experiences. He started business in the La Porte-Greenwald Real Estate Company (a family corporation that still exists) in Pacific Grove. His big break came when he sold the home of an Englishman by the name of Hunt. "It was filled with Oriental rugs, paintings, rare English antiques and the usual furnishings. That's when I suggested an auction. ., When do you want to do it?' he said without hesitation. "We moved everything into a vacant building that was formerly a mortuary. The auction went on and that was the end of the real estate endeavor and the beginning of the present thriving business. "The only one objecting to the auction ideas was a furniture store man. He started a petition against me while I was up in San Francisco. It stated, 1 remember well, 'To stop house to house peddlers and curbstone brokers! by charging them $100 a day. Bill picked up one of the petitions, took it to the city hall, then applied for a business license, one that has lasted 50 years. Mr. La Porte was born on August 17, 1898 in Lowell, Massachusetts and lived there until he came West to attend the University of California in 1921, and where he spenttwo years studying business administration. "In those days Berkeley was a wonderful place,verymuch like Carmel,and nothing like it is today." Flavie La Porte (nee Groulx), Bill's mother, was one of 15 children born to Quebec farmers. "Most of them left Canada around the early 1900's forthe West settling in both the Sacramento and Salinas Valleys. She was little and cute and lived until she was 97 years old. "I spent many a summer with my uncles on their ranches. Came out alone several times on the train which took five days - the first time was when I was about 12." Bill described his adventure - the basket lunch, the berth, and the apples and candy he bought from the porter. He has fond memories of ranch days - once he took the double barrelled shotgun from the bunkhouse, fired atthe first rabbit that sat on a mound. "1 pulled the trigger and found myself flat on my backside. The jolt almost knocked my shoulder off - it was black and blue for weeks." Being a "brave" city kid he continued his hunt and when he pulled the trigger at the second rabbit he saw, nothing happened. No wonder, he had pulled both triggers the first time. Once when riding with the men alonga sloughhesaid,"1 tried to emulate their cowboy expertise so when I saw a small animal I got off myhorseandtriedthe feat of snaringit with the blacksnake whip. It turned out be a skunk and I got the full treatment. They buried my clothes and for a week the onlyone that would tolerateme wasthe Chinesecook." He told of ranch Sunday lunches when as many as 42 people would attend and the marvelous food that was always so tasty. "1'11 never forget the big rounds of homemade bread - I'd take a slice and run it overthethick cream that rose to the top in the large flat pans." There were only about 8,500 people living on the Peninsula at the time La Porte moved here - about 3,000 in Pacific Grove. "The old Monterey-Pacific Grove streetcar was running still and once my fatherhadacollision with itin his automobile. He received a bill a few days later for $8.00 for damages he'd done to the streetcar." For the first five years La Porte did business in the old Wright building on the corner of Lighthouse and 17th - later he bought the land and built the present landmark in downtown Pacific Grove. "We were on Fremont Street in Monterey across from Marsh's Oriental Shop fora whilebut after the war we bought the property in New Monterey and have been holding our auctions there ever since." Bill and Peggy, who helps with management of the business, were joined in its operation 25 years ago by their daughter Shirley and her husband, Dan Turrentine, a Texan who was stationed at the Postgraduate School in the pre- flight training division, here in Monterey. Shirley who has a teacher's degree in art learned the business through her father from the time she was in high school. "I used to take her on house calls-sometimesloto 15 in aday. Now, mygrandson Bill goes with meand weboth enjoy our occasional flying trips down to Los Angeles." Mr. La Porte has been very much involved in civic life, too, (turn to page 49) t fu '47'r. . »4 13 , OCR Text: Three generations of the La Porte family (seated) Sheri Hemphill, Mr. and Mrs. W. La Porte, Shirley Turrentine, (standing) Craig Hemphill, Bill Turrentine and Dan Turrentine, and Laurie the Great Pyrenees. Bill and Peggy La Porte after 50 years of wedded life say it was one filled with delightful experiences, one of versatility and one that encompassed many experiences. He started business in the La Porte-Greenwald Real Estate Company (a family corporation that still exists) in Pacific Grove. His big break came when he sold the home of an Englishman by the name of Hunt. "It was filled with Oriental rugs, paintings, rare English antiques and the usual furnishings. That's when I suggested an auction. ., When do you want to do it?' he said without hesitation. "We moved everything into a vacant building that was formerly a mortuary. The auction went on and that was the end of the real estate endeavor and the beginning of the present thriving business. "The only one objecting to the auction ideas was a furniture store man. He started a petition against me while I was up in San Francisco. It stated, 1 remember well, 'To stop house to house peddlers and curbstone brokers! by charging them $100 a day. Bill picked up one of the petitions, took it to the city hall, then applied for a business license, one that has lasted 50 years. Mr. La Porte was born on August 17, 1898 in Lowell, Massachusetts and lived there until he came West to attend the University of California in 1921, and where he spenttwo years studying business administration. "In those days Berkeley was a wonderful place,verymuch like Carmel,and nothing like it is today." Flavie La Porte (nee Groulx), Bill's mother, was one of 15 children born to Quebec farmers. "Most of them left Canada around the early 1900's forthe West settling in both the Sacramento and Salinas Valleys. She was little and cute and lived until she was 97 years old. "I spent many a summer with my uncles on their ranches. Came out alone several times on the train which took five days - the first time was when I was about 12." Bill described his adventure - the basket lunch, the berth, and the apples and candy he bought from the porter. He has fond memories of ranch days - once he took the double barrelled shotgun from the bunkhouse, fired atthe first rabbit that sat on a mound. "1 pulled the trigger and found myself flat on my backside. The jolt almost knocked my shoulder off - it was black and blue for weeks." Being a "brave" city kid he continued his hunt and when he pulled the trigger at the second rabbit he saw, nothing happened. No wonder, he had pulled both triggers the first time. Once when riding with the men alonga sloughhesaid,"1 tried to emulate their cowboy expertise so when I saw a small animal I got off myhorseandtriedthe feat of snaringit with the blacksnake whip. It turned out be a skunk and I got the full treatment. They buried my clothes and for a week the onlyone that would tolerateme wasthe Chinesecook." He told of ranch Sunday lunches when as many as 42 people would attend and the marvelous food that was always so tasty. "1'11 never forget the big rounds of homemade bread - I'd take a slice and run it overthethick cream that rose to the top in the large flat pans." There were only about 8,500 people living on the Peninsula at the time La Porte moved here - about 3,000 in Pacific Grove. "The old Monterey-Pacific Grove streetcar was running still and once my fatherhadacollision with itin his automobile. He received a bill a few days later for $8.00 for damages he'd done to the streetcar." For the first five years La Porte did business in the old Wright building on the corner of Lighthouse and 17th - later he bought the land and built the present landmark in downtown Pacific Grove. "We were on Fremont Street in Monterey across from Marsh's Oriental Shop fora whilebut after the war we bought the property in New Monterey and have been holding our auctions there ever since." Bill and Peggy, who helps with management of the business, were joined in its operation 25 years ago by their daughter Shirley and her husband, Dan Turrentine, a Texan who was stationed at the Postgraduate School in the pre- flight training division, here in Monterey. Shirley who has a teacher's degree in art learned the business through her father from the time she was in high school. "I used to take her on house calls-sometimesloto 15 in aday. Now, mygrandson Bill goes with meand weboth enjoy our occasional flying trips down to Los Angeles." Mr. La Porte has been very much involved in civic life, too, (turn to page 49) t fu '47'r. . »4 13 , Heritage Society of Pacific Grove,Historical Collections,Buildings by alpha folder,Lighthouse,1030 Lighthouse laPorte Mansion,1030 Lighthouse,LAPORTE_009 (2).pdf Page 1, LAPORTE_009 (2).pdf Page 1