The Tulare City Historical Society and Tulare Historical Museum will present its latest ‘Sundays @ 2’ program on October 15. Tulare’s own Pat Hillman will offer a fascinating presentation close to her heart, The Donner Party: A Family Legacy. Hillman is the great, great granddaughter of George Donner, the party Captain.
Hillman loves the community of Tulare where she was born nearly 90 years ago. A graduate of Tulare schools and Fresno State University, she served on the Tulare City School Board for 26 years and has been a member of the Tulare County Board of Education for the past 17 years.
She has diverse interests – she is a teacher by profession and was a founding member for the Tulare County Symphony (now known as the Sequoia Symphony), the Tulare City Historical Society, and she helped establish the International Visitors Committee at the Farm Show (World Ag Expo). She also serves on the board of the family business, J.D. Heiskell and Co, founded in Tulare in 1886 by her grandfather Jefferson Davis Heiskell. She and her late husband, Dale, have four grown children.
Join the museum for a riveting program brought to life by one of the actual descendants of the Donner Party. History buffs won’t want to miss this rare opportunity! The program will be held at 2pm in the Heritage Art Gallery at the Tulare Historical Museum. The program is open to the public and is free of charge. Admission to the Museum is also free on this day during its hours of operation, 12:30-4pm.
What a great lady. I was pleased to work for her family business for 25 years.
Please record this program do that we may see it at the museum if we are unable to attend.
I worked for JD Heiskell and Dale Hillman in the early 70s. Although different they both instilled honesty and and integrity to both employees and customers. Over the years they were my employers, after leaving became loyal customers but most of all friends! Wonderful family