I’m Andy Ludlum, a longtime Ventura County resident, retired radio and television news professional, amateur radio operator, and incurably curious person.
I’ve lived in Ventura County since 1995, and one of the things I’ve come to appreciate about the place is how much history is hiding in plain sight. A street name, an old photograph, a newspaper clipping or an otherwise ordinary building can lead to a story about someone—or something—that most of us have never heard about.
That’s what you’ll find here.
We Nailed It is a collection of things I find fascinating. Much of it is about Ventura County history: forgotten people, unusual events, natural disasters, crimes, old photographs and the stories behind places that we pass every day. Some of the subjects are serious; others are simply fun. The common thread is curiosity.
My background in radio and television news has probably influenced the way I approach these stories. I like finding the details that bring an event or a person to life, but I also want to know what actually happened. When possible, I go back to original newspaper accounts, historical documents, photographs and other primary sources rather than relying on stories that have simply been repeated over the years.
I’m particularly interested in the people who usually don’t make it into the standard histories—the characters who did something remarkable, got themselves into trouble, witnessed something extraordinary, or simply happened to be in the right place at the right time.
History isn’t my only interest. I’m an amateur radio operator, and that leads me into subjects involving communications, technology and emergency preparedness. I’m also fascinated by art, science, nature, wildlife and the many unexpected connections between the past and the world we live in today.
Some of these subjects turn into substantial research projects. Others begin with a question that I can’t quite let go of.
That’s really what this site is about: following those questions and seeing where they lead.
If you find something here that makes you say, “I never knew that,” then the site has done its job.
— Andy Ludlum