Richard Rexrode’s all-original 1909 REO rolled proudly through the Paul Bunyan Days parade—just one of many delightful moments and quirky highlights you might’ve missed
O'Neal and McLaughlin are two of the three candidates for chief.
Check out these cool photos from Bob and Frank!
This was my favorite photo set of the day. Has all the elements of a great photo, cute dog, statuesque dog owner, fire truck, kid, North Coast Brew and all with a Tall Guy hat! Patrick owes me a fresh brew for sure now! The fire dog is really amazed at the all stupid human tricks in the parade! That dog does a LOT of thinking!
A guy named Bob took absolutely superb shots of the Paul Bunyan Days parade, better than I could have done, except maybe for those first two.
“He even photographed me in the parade—camera in hand! I had to jump straight into work Monday afternoon after the parade, so this post is a bit delayed. Also, a dear friend took a tumble during the festivities and suffered minor injuries. She was having an absolute blast (and truly is one of the sharpest people you’ll ever meet), though she was a bit embarrassed. She’s doing fine, for those who’ve asked. I’m sharing a few fun shots—some overlap with Bob’s, but once you’ve seen his, come take a look at mine too!”
The undisputed showstopper of the parade was the fully restored 1909 REO, brought by Richard and Jill Rexrode. As a former antique car dealer, I can say without hesitation—this is one of the most extraordinary restorations I’ve ever seen, coast to coast. Jay Leno would be green with envy, especially knowing they drove it through the parade.
REO Motors, founded by Ransom Eli Olds (yes, that Olds), was the birthplace of the REO Speedwagon—later immortalized by the band that took its name. After launching Olds Motors and creating the first commercially successful American car, Olds was barred from using his name in any competing venture. So he used his initials: R.E.O.
This particular REO has deep roots in Fort Bragg, with ties to the Weller family. Back in 1909, REO produced 6,000 of these beauties—a remarkable number for the time. The company was a true innovator, eventually manufacturing ten times that volume when the Speedwagon came along. REO thrived until just before World War II, leaving behind a legacy of bold engineering and American grit.
Richard Rexrode spent years restoring this stunning 1909 REO—a marque that began in 1905 and met its end during the Great Depression in 1936. This is truly one of the most remarkable original restorations you’ll ever see. Full story coming later this year—stay tuned!Check out the real license plate—no antique registration here. He could’ve gone that route, but this plate proves how well the REO runs. It’s road-ready and fully street legal, meaning Richard can drive it anywhere he pleases..
By contrast, the next oldest car in the parade was a 1923 Model T, driven by the Shriners. That year alone, Ford produced 2.1 million Model Ts—nearly 1.7 million more than REO built in its entire lifespan. While REOs were rare gems of American innovation, the Model T was the bedrock of industrial dominance. At one point, more than half of all cars sold worldwide were Model Ts—a staggering testament to its impact.
The REO was a true upscale vehicle—elegant, rare, and definitely more expensive. The Model T, on the other hand, was built for the masses: affordable, durable, and practically immortal. A 1923 T isn’t even rare today. Before the parade, it looked like they were about to tow it with a rope, and I thought, Seriously? Don’t tell me that T won’t run!
Turns out they’d tried to pull-start it and failed. I asked, Did anyone try cranking it? Sure enough, when I came back as the parade kicked off, it was humming along just fine. I even made a video so you can hear and see a Model T in action.
Let’s be honest—Henry Ford would haunt anyone who tried to drag a 1923 Model T through a parade that a 1909 REO drove through. The Model T was eventually replaced by the Model A, and Ford surged ahead of GM for a time. But that moment in the parade? It was pure vintage drama.
What a magnificent restoration! I’m planning a full feature on it for a major magazine this winter. Bob captured a great shot of the Rexrodes in his slideshow, and I’ve got a few here too.
Meanwhile, the City Council somehow slipped past most folks—crammed into Lindy Peters’ gleaming Mopar beauty, no less! Mayor Jason was strolling outside, and two local attorneys (dressed for comfort, not court) had me laughing as the Fort Bragg Lions Club kicked things off.
Brown Act violation? I tried to get them to sue the council on the spot, but they brushed me off—so I sent in the Keystone Kops. I’m sure it was resolved with dramatic arrests and plenty of paperwork.
The lady in the middle is wondering if she made the right choices in parade companionsA small-town parade, told not in words but in expressions.One of the most overlooked gems: the Food Bank crew dressed as the cast of A League of Their Own, Madonna’s ode to early women’s baseball. Amanda and team absolutely hit it out of the park. It may have been too subtle for some—but for those who caught it, it was a clear home run. Stay tuned for our upcoming story on Fort Bragg’s own women’s baseball team, including a surviving player from the legendary Loggers!
I’m sure I’ve earned a few hours in Republican purgatory for this, but I finally did it—I made fun of the Shriners. It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid. I even brought up Ray Stevens’ classic hit, Shriner’s Convention, half-expecting the Illuminati to descend. But instead? They laughed. Turns out they like the song. Go figure.
What would a parade be without the Shriners? The San Diego Padres, that’s what. If you don’t get it, ask me.The 1923 Model T driver and I had a blast swapping stories about cars and NorCal history. He’d never heard of Ray Stevens—let alone his parody hit Shriner’s Convention. “I don’t listen to country,” he said. I told him Ray was basically the Weird Al of country music. “You’re getting warmer,” he laughed. “I love rock and roll.” Keep in mind, this was all happening while the Model T was nearly pulled through the parade by a rope!
Now listen to it run! This is the heartbeat of American industrial power—the roar that helped save the world not once, but twice.
Fun shot of Fire Chief Steve Orsi and Kathy.The two mighty Steves of Fort Bragg Fire and their better halves.This photo was too good to resistParades are always a good time for firefighters—but little did they know, their day was just beginning. Labor Day turned out to be a busy one for rescue workers and volunteers, with multiple serious car crashes across the region. I’m not sure if this crew was involved, but it reminded me of last year’s Christmas parade, when the entire department suddenly left mid-event to assist with a difficult extraction in heavy rain. I was there, camera in hand, and captured the moment. It was a powerful reminder of how quickly celebration can turn into service.Dr. John Hewitt—renowned watercolorist and plein air devotee—never misses a chance to sketch. Whether it’s a fleeting moment or a timeless vista, his brush is always ready to capture the soul of the scene.Pal Rapheala!By this point, the Shriners had mastered the art of ignoring me—and my relentless stream of dad jokes. I’ve been training for this moment since childhood.Greg and his gangSome of the coolest parade moments leave me completely baffled—and that’s half the fun.Still not sure what’s going on. Pretty sure that’s the point.Mayor Jason eschewed the camaraderie of council carpooling, opting instead for solo glory—or perhaps quiet rebellion—in Lindy’s grand 1969 Plymouth Mopar sedan. It was a choice that raised eyebrows and, for me, a few regrets. Had I known he was a Cardinals fan, I might’ve softened the tone of those prying news stories over the years. Loyalty runs deep, after all. I still carry the entire 1979 lineup in my head like a rosary, even if last week’s grocery list is lost to timeThree councilmembers packed into one car. Brown Act violation? Absolutely. The Keystone Kops were dispatched immediately. There was a time—oh, there was a time—when these three were the coolest cats in town. There was A Time !For sheer wackiness, nothing topped Mr. Gomes himself – Winning Belle of the Redwoods—declaring, with great authority, that the only rule was selling the most tickets. And guess who sold the most? That’s right. Everybody seemed to be having a grand old time with the nonsense, so who am I to judge? I’m ME, that’s who.!When the dust settled and the glitter faded, one man stood alone—crowned by his own hand, backed by his own ticket stubs. In a town that thrives on whimsy and reinvention, who better to wear the sash than the man who rewrote the rules mid-parade? Long may he reign.Tom, once the badge-wearer of law and lore, now looks more like a Willits roustabout moonlighting as a Realtor. The hat’s gone, the swagger’s shifted, and the badge? Possibly decorative. How does that happen? Time, parades, and a few too many Chamber mixers. But Joseph—Joseph is eternal. There can only ever be Joseph. The man, the myth, the fixed point in a spinning town.One of the coolest things I learned in elementary school was how tree rings tell stories—each one a quiet archive of rain, drought, smoke, fire, and woodpecker mischief from centuries past. You could read history in the grain, if you knew how to look. This year’s parade brought three big logging trucks rumbling down Main Street. The logs were bigger than they were ten years ago, but not quite the whoppers we saw in the last two. Still, they rolled by like chapters torn from the forest’s diary—loud, proud, and layered with meaning.Modern redwood grows fast—tall, straight, and ready for the mill. It’s good wood. Strong. Useful. But it’s not the same. Old-growth redwood was slow to rise and slow to fall. Its rings are tight as secrets, its grain rich with centuries of rain, fire, and silence. We still build with redwood. But we no longer build from the forest’s memoryCindy from the Lions Club goes batty for baseball while slyly pitching this year’s Haunted House—hosted by the Lions and themed ‘Haunted Toy Store.’ Don’t miss the fright-filled fun!Paul from the Lions dares you to enter the Haunted House this Halloween—just don’t be surprised if you leave with a scream! Spine-tingling fun, courtesy of the Lions ClubThe Lions Club’s mobile skeleton rolls in with a bone-chilling invitation: Come to the Haunted House—if you dare! This year promises thrills, chills, and twisted toys galore.”Sharon tried to escape the camera. And how DARE that man take my photo!!Some of us do march to our drummer or DJBetsy went to the parade to be away from people. LOLThe grand marshals. Read their story in the AdvocateShe wasnt disappointed to get beaten out by Mr. Gomes for Belle. WE all know who is the most glam!Need somebody to do everything for free and get er done? Call 1-800- JudyAt Ease! FirePower!!Can anybody tell me what Green Memorial was all about?All redheads were required to sit out front of the Spunky SkunkCaught at last! This batty parade-goer eluded my lens all afternoon, but Mary Rose snagged the evidence. Why wasn’t he with the redheads as required? Anyone know this mysterious mischief-maker?I swear the applause was for me—even if I was technically off-script. Parade rebels, unite! Who’s got the backstory?“You know it’s a good day when the clown laughs at you. Honored, humbled, and slightly haunted.
When Bing Crosby sang it, the Olds and the melody were already ghosts from the golden age.
Frank Hartzell has spent his lifetime as a curious anthropologist in a reporter's fedora. His first news job was chasing news on the streets of Houston with high school buddy and photographer James Mason, back in 1986. Then Frank graduated from Humboldt State and went to Great Gridley as a reporter, where he bonded with 1000 people and told about 3000 of their stories. In Marysville at the Appeal Democrat, the sheltered Frank got to see both the chilling depths and amazing heights of humanity. From there, he worked at the Sacramento Bee covering Yuba-Sutter and then owned the Business Journal in Yuba City, which sold 5000 subscriptions to a free newspaper. Frank then got a prestigious Kiplinger Investigative Reporting fellowship and was city editor of the Newark Ohio, Advocate and then came back to California for 4 years as managing editor of the Napa Valley Register before working as a Dominican University professor, then coming to Fort Bragg to be with his aging mom, Betty Lou Hartzell, and working for the Fort Bragg Advocate News. Frank paid the bills during that decade + with a successful book business. He has worked for over 50 publications as a freelance writer, including the Mendocino Voice and Anderson Valley Advertiser, along with construction and engineering publications. He has had the thrill of learning every day while writing. Frank is now living his dream running MendocinoCoast.News with wife, Linda Hartzell, and web developer, Marty McGee, reporting from Fort Bragg, California.
