Mike Reed/Pages From The Past
(Editor’s Note: Pages From The Past is compiled by the Novato Historical Guild and recounts news from the past that appeared in the Novato Advance.)
100 Years Ago
February 1923
– Glad to report H. Pini improving after a siege of sickness caused from eating mushrooms. He was under the care of Dr. Allen.
– The Popular Magazine will miss something if they fail to get a picture of C. H. Mclntosh’s wood sawing machine. Mr. Mclntosh has an invention all his own—a fully equipped wood sawing machine mounted upon his Ford tractor. He pulls into your yard and in five minutes he is sawing your wood. If you have not seen this machine, it will be well worth you time to look it over.
75 Years Ago
February 1948
– Novato Fire Commissioners Harry Hale, Dr. C. Stafford, and Emil Rhttp://www.freeimages.com/enati at a recent meeting appointed Charles Peterson as Novato’s fire chief succeeding the late Fred W. Miller. They also appointed Frank Manzoni assistant fire chief. Both men are veteran firemen who have been connected with the local fire department for many years, Peterson being ‘assistant chief for the past seven years.
– James F. McNern of Novato, died in a San Francisco hospital after an illness of three months. Surviving is his widow, Mrs. Margaret McNern and their sons, James and Joseph McNern. The family resided on the Keena ranch of McClay Road. The former Miss Keena and James F. McNern were married in Novato ten years ago. Born in San Francisco, he was aged 61 years and had been a civilian employee of the navy in Oakland. He was the son of Mrs. Elizabeth McNern and the late Frank McNern and brother of Mrs. Irene McGuire.
50 Years Ago
February 1973
If discretion were the better part of valor, the city council tried not to let on last night as it discreetly voted 5-0 to approve a use permit for a Goodyear Store on Highway 101 at Vallejo Avenue. The action came five days after applicant Emil Renati, who’d been consistently turned down on “auto-oriented” use of the site, filed suit against the city for blocking commercial development of his land. Though the site is zoned commercial, city officials have maintained that “auto oriented” uses would conflict with the Downtown Plan which they said called for administrative professional use there.
– The new sanctuary of the Bethel Baptist Church, 1929 Novato Boulevard, will be dedicated Sunday afternoon. Ground was broken for the new building on October 10 in 1971. Thanks to the combined efforts of all members of the congregation the structure is now complete. The building comprises 5,500 square feet, with a seating capacity of 350 and includes a chapel, choir room and a vestibule for additional seating. It is carpeted and has upholstered pews and four stained glass windows with symbols in keeping with Baptist beliefs. The octagonal sanctuary of contemporary design was built entirely by volunteer help of the congregation with many men putting in their entire vacation time, as well as Saturdays and work-nights. Approximately 7,000 hours of volunteer labor went into the construction. The building cost $75,000 and would have cost twice that much if labor had not been donated.
25 Years Ago
February 1998
– Alfred Bellucci, who saw thousands of families move into homes throughout Marin during his more than four decades as a realtor and home builder, died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Novato. Mr. Bellucci was 75. He was born in Los Angeles and attended high school there. He enlisted in the Army, only to be released on a medical discharge when doctors discovered he had a heart murmur. He married Norma Jean Ragan of Los Angeles on Dec. 23,1944. Went to work in real estate. He joined Al Fowler Realty in Novato and soon passed the state exams for sales and broker’s licenses. In 1950, he left Fowler to sell Eichler Homes in Terra Linda Unit 1. He bought an existing real estate business, Novato Brokerage, then, in 1955, established his own business, Bellucci Realty, Inc. in Novato. The company also provided property management services. He also built homes—on Equestrian, Kenwood and Elmwood courts in Novato, as well as several spec houses here and in San Rafael—and commercial buildings in Novato. Mr. Bellucci also Served his community in the 1970s as a member of the Novato Planning Commission.
– The City of Novato has received a $5,000 grant from Target Stores for the “Live In Novato” 1998 Concerts in the Park season. The annual Concerts in the Park are held during the summer months at Pioneer Park. The concerts include a variety of musical styles that appeal to all age groups. The Novato Civic Arts Commission has sponsored the free concerts since 1986. Target Stores has helped fund the concerts since 1995.
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