Mike Read/Pages From The Past
100 Years Ago
April 1923
– New and secondhand furniture for sale, or will exchange for cow, chickens, turkeys or pigs. Grosscup ranch.
– Harry Rief of Petaluma, has opened a branch poultry and eggs receiving station in Novato, and promises to pay the highest market prices. Read his advertisement:
HARRY RIEF Branch No. 2 POULTRY and EGGS WANTED – Will Pay Cash, Petaluma Prices, according to market. Deliver at Shell Building, Novato- TUESDAY OF EACH WEEK – Any Further Information Phone 282 or Inquire of MR. TAINTER – Mr. Rief will call in his own Truck for large lots at any time.
– The electric wire pole has been removed from the roadway at the depot, and the course is now clear to autoists—unless they run into the railroad company’s flower bed. We move a vote of thanks to the Cain brothers.
75 Years Ago
April 1948
– The Marin County Planning commission has given temporary approval to the application of N.E. Evans for the establishment of a trailer camp on five acres of land on his ranch on Center Road, for a period of two years, housing twenty trailers, providing Evans complies with the state code governing such trailers camps. Evans stated that he did not plan to make it a permanent trailer camp, but after being approached by Hamilton Field service men he felt there was a real need for it, especially due to the shortage of homes in Novato and vicinity.
– Novato Water District, now known as the North Marin County District, won in Tuesday’s (April 13) election by a vote of 572 for and 37 against for the formation of such a district, which includes not only Novato, but Ignacio, Lucas Valley, Black Point, and the area up to San Antonio, the county line into Sonoma County. It is now hoped that the district will be able to take care of the district’s water supply before the next dry season.
– The Marin County Feed Company of San Rafael, Ed Ernie, manager, has purchased the stock, fixtures, etc., from Harry Strout, who operated the store for himself for many years. The business is housed in the W.T. Simmons’ business block on Grant Avenue and is the oldest feed store in town. As soon as the renovation by Simmons is completed, the Novato Pet Shop across the street, housed in a landmark (Hamilton Building) that has been condemned will also be moved into the Simmons building.
– Mrs. Mary Keena, one of the most widely known women in Novato, died Monday at her home on Maclay Avenue after a brief illness. She was the widow of Michael Keena, who died three years ago and mother of Mrs. Margaret McNern, Bernard Keena of San Francisco and Thomas Keena of Novato; sister, of Margaret Leazy of San Francisco; Bernard Leazy of Novato; and Mrs. Frank Grady, owner of the Lucas Valley Dairy, San Rafael. She was the grandmother of Jim and Joe McNern of San Francisco; Sheila, Patsy and Katherine Keena of Novato; Cathy and Peggy Keena of San Francisco. Thirty-five years ago, she and her late husband purchased the acreage on Maclay avenue and erected the home where she has since resided and where she passed away. Born in Ireland, she was aged 70 years.
50 Years Ago
April 1973
– New service station owner Philip Ward of Novato, new owner of the Redwood Shell service station at 7300 Redwood Highway (next to Denny’s), plans to stay open 24 hours a day and offer complete car servicing. He’ll have a grand opening in about two weeks. Ward took over from Dave Killian last month. Proprietorship of the station marks his first venture into business for himself. Ward, who lives at the McKeon’s Crossroads, formerly worked for the Country Club Shell service station.
– The old postmaster’s house kitty corner from city hall may blossom into an art museum one day soon if City Manager Charles Brown gets the go ahead from the city council. Brown has been sounding out various clubs and citizens for some time now asking what should be done with Novato’s “oldest” house which was moved last year to DeLong Avenue from South Novato Boulevard. Consensus seemed to be that it should be some kind of art museum. That was also agreeable to the Novato Civic Foundation, although the Foundation wants part of the building reserved for a temporary office of its own, the better to oversee its planned refurbishing of the old depot at the end of Grant Avenue.
– The county planning commission last week approved plans for 52 condominiums on 5 3 acres at 5929 Entrada Drive by Frank Galli, owner of Galli’s restaurant. Ray Smith of the county planning staff called the plans a great improvement over. Galli’s original submittal which had called for 100 apartments and removal of some major trees. The new submittal retains all existing major trees and parking has been eliminated from the existing entrance roadway which had been shown in the old plan.
– Most local supermarkets are pretty close-mouthed on how last week’s meat boycott affected them. But one butcher said his meat department cut about half as much meat last week as they usually do. Chicken and fish were the top sellers. He said prices have dropped as much as 10 cents on some cuts but only a few cents overall. A good proportion of people seemed to be going along with the boycott at other stores, too, with lots of meat on display and not many buyers. But there was a rush back to the meat counters at week’s end.
25 Years Ago
April 1998
– After five years of begging, the dogs of Novato—and their two-legged companions—have finally been given their reward. The City of Novato has agreed to designate a 1.5-acre area where dogs can run leash free at O’Hair Park. On April 14, the Novato City Council will meet with DOGBONE, the 500-family organization that has been pushing for the park, to finalize the agreement. “It’s just to clean up the paperwork, basically,” said Jennifer Goldfinger, senior management analyst for the city. Construction of the dog park’s car lot is expected to begin in June or July. A parking area at O’Hair has been part of the city’s master plan since 1986. DOGBONE founder Lauren Cobb says she is thrilled with the site.
– The Renaissance Pleasure Faire, an institution at Black Point in Novato, is expected to spend one last summer here. “It’s looking good, and we’ve settled most of the significant issues, but there are still some minor details to be worked out,” said Steve Glazer, spokesman for Spieker Properties, which owns the land that’s been home to the faire. Novato voters approved the Black Point Golf Links Project in February, but the project is still embroiled in court litigation. Glazer said one of the major issues was a change in dates for the faire; in the past, opening day has been on Labor Day weekend and the faire has run for nine weekends. This year, if all goes as planned, the faire will run seven weekends, beginning July 25, and Labor Day, Sept. 7, at what they’ve dubbed Black Point Forest.
– Tom Gordon, who made Novato a better place to live for thousands of kids in his role as Novato High School’s athletic director and his involvement in youth sports, Thursday, April 3, 1998, GORDON died eight months after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. He was 59.
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