Artifact of the Month: 5th Annual Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo Souvenir Program

2007.3.17 Gift of the Peterson Family

KT Basham, Exhibit Technician

Redding in the 1950s experienced a cultural boom, emerging as a bustling town and community. The timber industry was thriving and more people were visiting and moving to the area, bringing with them a desire for community-centered activities and social infrastructure. During this decade we see tremendous growth through a wealth of social milestones; Shasta College was established as the region’s first community college, Shasta Dam was dedicated, Redding got its first local TV station, and Mercy Medical’s state-of-the-art hospital opened its doors. Citizens engaged with each other in community spaces, establishing traditions that molded Redding into the city we know and love today. During this time, the Shasta County Rodeo reigned as a beloved annual tradition accessible to everyone regardless of background.

July’s Artifact of the Month is a souvenir program from the Fifth Annual Shasta County Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo in 1953. This sublime relic can teach us so much about what life was like back then. Nearly a decade prior to the rodeo’s rise to glory, longtime Sheriff John Balma  established  the Sheriff’s Posse in response to an executive order from President Roosevelt. By design, the Sherriff’s Posse was a volunteer team designated to help with local emergencies, but Sheriff Balma saw the potential of his team to make a community-wide impact. Once the Sheriff’s Posse got the roots of the rodeo movement growing, they handed the reins over to the Asphalt Cowboys to continue facilitating this event. These days the Asphalt Cowboys are mostly responsible for the ceremonial aspects of Rodeo Week, you can catch them around town protecting the citizens from a mock bank-robbery committed by the fictional Lone Strangers! The Redding Rodeo Association and Friends of the Redding Rodeo proudly manage this annual event that is expected to bring joy for years to come due to the Rodeo Grounds’ 99-year lease with the city of Redding obtained by John Balma at its inception.

Today, Redding’s Rodeo Week lands in May, but in the early days its season wasn’t set in stone. During the fifth year of the rodeo, it was scheduled for June, with the Rodeo week dates running from June 1st to June 6th.  The booklet lists entertainment offerings such as stunt shows, trail rides, a concert, street-dance, and even a greased pig release! All of these activities had national or local sponsors, like Gerlinger Steel & Supply which is still a major business in our city. Today’s sponsors still include local businesses. Even our beloved neighbor the Sheraton Redding Hotel at the Sundial Bridge sponsors current rodeo announcer Will Rasmussen! Special attention was made to acknowledge all the men and women involved in making this event happen, including recognition for the Shasta Posse-ettes, the rodeo committee, performers, and Grand Marshall Johnny Mack Brown. One of the unique features in this program is a recreation map of the Shasta-Cascade area that provides attendees with various locations where they can harvest wild fruits, swim, fish, or hunt game. The map also includes important local landmarks like lumber mills and power houses.

Come visit the Museum to see this program for yourself and take a peek at more scans from the inside!