I’ve ended my one-year stint of writing historical columns for Dixon Patch, because I’m pretty much retiring to devote more time to personal projects. The columns were fun and educational to do and I appreciate the positive feedback from Dixon residents as well as people hundreds and even thousands of miles away.

This creates an opening for someone else to do the “Dixon Then and Now” columns. This is a great opportunity to share the rich history of Dixon.

Here’s what the work involves: You will select the subjects to write about (they should involve Dixon or the surrounding area). The columns should contain at least 750 words (my longest ran to 1900 words). You will also need to take or find photographs or other visuals to use along with the columns (having a digital camera and the ability to use it is important).

When working with Patch, you create your own online article, also writing the headlines and photo captions, and so on. This gives you a lot of creative control.

Dixon is a good town to research history in, primarily because of the library’s deep archives, many of which are available online. There are many photographs in its collections and Archivist Shirley Parsons is a major help. Dixon also has an active historical society, and its members can offer you leads on who you might interview.

Being able to deliver columns on a predictable, regular basis is important.

If you’d like to step into this role, contact Dixon Patch editor Carlos Villatoro – and uncover more of Dixon’s colorful past. 

Check out all of the Dixon Then & Now Columns by clicking here