The Ripon City Council accepted the donation of a commemorative plaque Tuesday describing the historic significance that the City of Ripon had during the 1960 Winter Olympic Games.

The famed ski resort in Squaw Valley — the name was changed to Palisades Tahoe not too long ago — hosted the Winter Games some 63 years ago in February. Local historian Connie Jorgensen recalled Wednesday that the long journey of the relay torch run made a stop through Ripon and involved two Ripon High runners along the way.

“It went from old Highway 99 through Main Street,” she said.

According to a local newspaper article dated Feb. 11, 1960: “Approximately 1,000 persons gathered in a driving rain Monday morning to greet the high school runner relaying the Olympic Torch and watch the lighting of the flame in a replica torch holder.”

Among the dignitaries greeting the arrival of the torch bearer were Chamber of Commerce President and Mayor Leonard Schemper, Vice Mayor Charles Friedman, Councilman Harvey Latcha, and City Administrator Art Clemens.

The Ripon Police Department was on had to escort the Olympic entourage to the replica cauldron on Main Street, where the lighting ceremony took place.

The torch relay run went from there to West Ripon Road to Durham Ferry, enroute to Stockton. Joe Grasso and Bob Nepote were the two RHS runners. They were about 13 miles outside of Stockton near Thornton, with each running a mile of the Olympic relay journey.

The replica torch holder was constructed by Al Kamps and John Boesch. The latter added the official Olympic insignia of the five rings to the

tripod.

This historic piece is currently located at the Ripon Community Center with a weathered dedication plaque dated Dec. 11, 1976, saying: “A lasting reminder on our bicentennial year a tribute to a dedicated public servant John A. Thiemann.”

Plans have been in the works to move the torch holder back to its original location at 430 W. Main St., which was the library back then but, appropriately, is the Clarence Smit Museum.

White’s donation is a plaque that reads: “In 1960, Ripon was used as a waypoint for the Olympic Torch in its journey to Squaw Valley for the Winter Olympic Games.”

He communicated with staff on the move. The Ripon Historical Society was also made aware of the plan —  Jorgensen and others are thrilled with the return of the replica torch holder.

Cost on the move is estimated between $800 to $1,200 from Public Works. This includes the installation of a concrete pedestal for the new plaque.