By LEO RODRIGUEZ
San Benito Historian
Gather around the campfire for a fascinating story regarding a celebration that took place in San Benito March 17, 1914.
In the early 1900’s, cabbage was one of the biggest money making crops the early farmers raised, and the Cabbage Day Hog Waddle Celebration in San Benito was a tribute to this economic success. With cabbage and hog prices holding at profitable levels, business leaders organized the parade, complete with floats, a queen, and her attendants.
The first Cabbage Day Celebration in San Benito took place March 17, 1913. The San Benito Commercial Club (Chamber of Commerce) shipped a crate of San Benito grown cabbage to President Wilson in order to commemorate the event. Months earlier President Wilson had urged all citizens to celebrate the crop in the month of March.
One Of the best remembered Cabbage Day Celebrations took place on Tuesday, March 17, 1914. Alba Heywood, one of the city’s founders, headed the celebration committee, and was intent on encouraging farmers to raise more pigs. This was the second annual celebration in honor of the great truck product of the valley, the first attempt (1913) being largely an experiment.
The selection of choosing St. Patrick’s Day as the day to hold the event was a compliment to one of the city’s other founders, Col. Sam Robertson, a proud Irishman. It was Robertson’s custom to give all his employees the day off on St. Patrick’s Day, though they sometimes worked on Christmas Day, Robertson would gift Stetson hats to his engineers for their loyalty.
A late Spring freeze the night before the 1914 parade wiped out thousands of acres of costly prime vegetables, and put a dent on many a pocketbook, but nevertheless merrymaking crowds from all over the valley gathered for the mid-morning celebration.
The “Hog Waddle” was the title given to the pork section of the parade, and Mexican pig herders and locals drove their charges into town in massive, oinking crowds. Pigs were not the only feature of the parade, many lovely, intricate floats glided In contrast down the street, drawn by horses especially groomed for the day.
Ted Humanson’s musical group, “The Mission Brass Band”, which arrived via train from Mission, Texas was present to play appropriate stirring accompaniment, and the entourage which passed Whittlesey’s Garage was dignified and serene.
Witnessed by the largest crowd that ever gathered in San Benito, a thousand hogs parading in a long line through the streets ushered in San Benito’s second annual Cabbage Day and first “Hog Waddle” celebration.
Want the story in its entirety? Pick up a copy of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our e-Edition by clicking HERE!
Recent Comments