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| An electrical substation now sits where the conflict occurred. |
It was an awful summer for picking hops. About 2,800 people arrived at Durst Ranch looking for work but there were only 1,500 needed positions. With a surplus of labor, wages were low and living conditions were horrendous. There were too few toilets. The workers felt they were being cheated of their wages. Into this mix of heat and filth and discontent were some Wobblies, members of the Industrial Workers of the World, who agitated for better conditions. The ranch met some but not all of their demands. The Wobblies called the workers together. Speakers addressed the crowd in English, German, Italian, Spanish, and Arabic. A larger meeting was called for the next day, August 3rd. With a strike brewing, the ranch called in the local authorities to evict the Wobblies.
The confrontation took place at a meeting of the workers. The armed authorities tried to arrest a Wobbly leader giving a speech. The crowd went after them. When the shooting ended, the dead included a district attorney, a deputy sheriff, and two workers. Several others were wounded. Workers immediately fled the ranch. Two hundred National Guardsmen sent by the governor arrived on August 4. They surrounded the camp containing the remaining workers and assisted the authorities in serving warrants. The event made national and international news. Two Wobbly leaders went to jail for over a decade.
Today an electrical substation covers the site of the riot. Seen in the distance is the Durst Ranch house. Further down Spenceville Road, the hop drying bins still stand.
Highwater Brewing Company in the Bay Area has commemorated the riot with their Hop Riot IPA. (8/4 update: I found a bottle of Hop Riot IPA at Wine Plus and will open it soon.)
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| The hop drying buildings still remain. |
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